Description

In March 1989, British Rail’s sectorisation policy made it possible to bring together responsibility for the entire freight fleet based in central Scotland – including locomotives and BR – owned wagons. The new post of Area Fleet Manager (Freight), based at Eastfield in Glasgow, now also has charge of the depots at Motherwell, Ayr, Millerhill, Grangemouth Thornton and Perth. Depot: Scotrail looks at these widely differing depots and the traffic their locomotives service, taking in some impressive and little-known locations in districts such as the resurgent Ayrshire coalfield.

The much delayed introduction of the Class 158 Sprinter Expresses meant that locomotives, particularly from Eastfield itself, continued on regular passenger work, and this activity, now part of history, is well represented in the programme. The bringing together of the group of depots, each with its own history, traditions and special skills, makes for a scene of particular variety and interest. Decline in one area is being counterbalanced by growth in another and this volume of the ‘Depot’ series provides an invaluable ‘snapshot’ of Central Scotrail at the start of the 1990s.