The West Highland

Drivers Eye View

Glasgow Queen Street to Fort William - A class 156 Sprinter sets off from Queen Street station, on a 122 mile long adventure into the heart of the West Highlands of Scotland.

Climbing out of the 1 in 45 Queen Street tunnel, we proceed through the suburbs of Glasgow, mostly under the wires of the Strathclyde electrics.

At Craigendoran the West Highland line branches off towards Helensburgh Upper.

At first, following the course of Gare Loch and Loch Long, the line eventually emerges high above the banks of Loch Lomond.

By the time we reach Crianlarich (where the Oban line diverges) the dense forest has given way to more open aspects.

The famous Horseshoe Curve is the next major feature encountered.

Beyond Bridge of Orchy, the main road turns west towards Glen Coe, whilst the railway turns northeast and strikes out across one of the last great wildernesses, Rannoch Moor!

95 miles from Glasgow we reach Britain’s remotest station, Corrour.

Here is the summit, the old Signalman’s house, but little else.

The line now descends alongside remote Loch Treig into the Spean Valley and civilisation once more.

Running past the foothills of Ben Nevis we arrive in the West Highland capital of Fort William.

Filmed 1993.