Stop & Examine

A Caledonian Slow Train.

Richardson, from Beverley, is our latest bard, taking as his inspiration Flanders and Swann’s Slow Train, the eulogy to the stations and journeys about to be axed by Beeching.

“The song was written in 1963, and while researching it for a book I am planning to write I noticed that the 35 stations mentioned, with their poetic names such as Windmill End and Millers Dale, are all English,” he tells us.

“As a frequent traveller on Scottish lines, l felt it only right to rework the song with the many beautifully named Scottish stations that were so sadly lost.”

Ian is cheered to note that “Scotland has done a great deal of late to reopen stations and even whole routes”, adding; “Long may this process continue - one day we may travel again from Leuchars to St. Andrews, for example.”

So, without more ado, we present Ian’s A Caledonian Slow Train: Yoker for Renfrew, Castle Douglas Saint Enoch and Spey Bay No more will I go to Dalmuir Riverside and Banchory On the slow train from Boat of Garten and Findochty No churns, no porter no cat on a seat At Falls of Cruachan or Gatehouse of Fleet We won’t be meeting again On the slow train. I’ll travel no more from Killiecrankie to Macduff At Connell Ferry, I’ll stand well clear of the doors no more No whitewashed pebbles no up and no down From Bonny Bridge High to Dufftown I won’t be going again On the slow train On the main line and the good siding The grass grows high At Scotch Dyke, Bogside And Back o’loch Halt The sleepers sleep at Kittybrewster and Aberfeldy No passenger waits at Bachuillich and Aboyne No one departs no one arrives From Kelso to Peebles From St Boswells to St Combs They’ve all passed out of our lives On the slow train On the slow train Killin Junction for Loch Tay On the slow train Culloden Moor, Moffat, Kircudbright and Portsoy On the slow train Shankend