Bridge of Orchy
Despite the Transrail livery on Loch Long, this is a Freightliner service pausing at Bridge of Orchy en route to Fort William in 1996. The flatbed containers will be loaded with aluminium at the Alcan smelter in Fort William and with paper at the Arjo Wiggins paper mill at Corpach - both loaded flows then heading for Cardiff via Coatbridge. The paper traffic subsequently switched to EWS, thereby undermining the economics of the Freightliner train, which was then withdrawn and aluminium traffic instead conveyed by lorry between Fort William and Coatbridge. Who says you can't have too much rail competition!? Fortunately the aluminium is now back on rail with DB Schenker; and although the paper mill has closed, its site has been taken over by the sawmillers BSW, and sawn timber is likely to move south by rail once the mill is ready for business.
Location: Bridge of Orchy
Original line: West Highland Railway
Photographer: David Spaven
Contact photographer: David Spaven
Date: 1996
Image number: 27683
Other photographs of Bridge of Orchy on RailScot
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