Scotland excels
at scenic railway journeys, and the route taken by the Jacobite
Steam Train along part of the West Highland Railway and the
Mallaig Extension Railway is widely regarded as one of the finest.
Recapturing a golden era of steam rail travel for a new generation
of visitors and enthusiasts, the Jacobite Steam Train was
introduced in 1984. Since the earliest days of the railway,
powerful locomotives have been required to negotiate the demanding
gradients presented by the Highland terrain.
Today, four beautifully restored steam locomotives take turns to
make the eighty-two mile return trip from Fort William to Mallaig
and back: the Lancashire Fusilier and its sister engine the North
Briton; the Lord of the Isles, and the Sherwood Forester. These
magnificent locomotives haul original British Rail First and
Standard Class carriages which were originally in use in the 1960s
and now bear a distinctive maroon livery. Our journey
takes us from the town of Fort William along the shores of Loch
Linnhe to Glenfinnan, the most scenic and dramatic section of the
line, as the train crosses the 21 arches of the Glenfinnan
Viaduct.
Jacobite Steam Train operates every morning from
Monday to Friday between May and October each year, with additional
weekend and afternoon services added in Summer between June and
August.