Call for culture summit

youths pulled the communication cord. Mr Chisholm wrote: “The train was stopped at Monikie Station where chemical extinguishers were successfully brought to bear on the outbreak.

“A few minutes after the train had resumed its journey the roof of the carriage again caught fire, and when Kingennie Station was reached the carriage was detached from the train.”

The railway survived economic ups and down, two world wars and the advent of the car before closing to passengers in January 1955. Angus was littered with the remains of closed stations and the last special excursion train went up the line one sunny afternoon on October 7 1967 to mark the subsequent closure for freight.

The old tracks were subsequently ripped up for scrap.

SCOTTISH Labour are calling on SNP ministers to convene a crisis summit to discuss the future of Scotland’s arts and culture festivals.

The party echoed calls from Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society chief executive Shona McCarthy, who said the government should provide more funding.

Glasgow’s Aye Write book festival has been cancelled after a funding bid was refused by Creative Scotland. MSPs are due to debate the culture strategy today. Scottish Labour culture spokesman Neil Bibby said: “The SNP must urgently convene a crisis summit and develop a plan to save Scotland’s festivals.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said the administration would “do everything within our limited devolved powers and resources to help those most affected by current economic challenges.”

Goods trains were also a frequent sight in the Angus line’s heyday.