Memorial project progress

Those behind a campaign to erect a lasting tribute to local railways and the staff who served on them have said the project could cost in the region of £15,000.

The Trains Across Strathearn ( TrAcS) Memorial project started life in 2018 and is now moving forward once more after momentum slowed in the last couple of years.

The group had previously been gifted a semaphore signal by Network Rail from Blackford, which had been erected there by the Caledonian Railway Company in around 1892, to form a lasting tribute in Crieff.

The historic item is the same type which was once seen along the length of the Crieff lines.

It was uplifted and transported to a yard in Muthill, and stored free of charge, by Mike Melville of MAM Contracting Services.

TrAcS was also given £1000 by ScotRail, through the Strathallan Community Rail Partnership, which was match-funded by an anonymous private individual.

Railway history enthusiast Dave Ferguson, who is chair of TrAcS, gave an update on the project’s progress at a recent AGM.

The meeting was held at the end of February in Crieff’s Meadow Inn.

Afterwards, Dave said: “After Covid, we struggled to find transport to move our signal from the storage yard at Muthill to the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) at Bo’ness, until we discovered the services of Thomas Graham Transport, of Bo’ness, who managed the move it for us last June.

“Since then, TrAcS has made contact with local Bo’ness tradespeople and has now begun to form an idea of the process in terms of how to get the signal back to looking as it should.

“The first job, largely being carried out by our own volunteers – with some help from SRPS volunteers – is to strip the signal of its various components, and of the many layers of paint.

“This will expose the metal work so we can see any corrosion or damage, which will need to be remedied.”

Dave continued: “A local Bo’ness fabricator has quoted us £ 40 plus any materials required, plus VAT per hour, to restore the

... there’s a power of work ahead which will cost quite a lot

Dave Ferguson

metalwork.

“After this we then need to have the signal shot-blasted to ensure the post is as clean as possible, before priming and painting.

“Apparently this will cost us around £2000, plus the transport to and from the shotblasters at Broxburn.”

Explaining the rest of the process, Dave went on to add: “We then will have to reassemble the signal and have it transported back to Crieff for erection in the town, where it will be accompanied by a couple of information panels to tell everyone of the history of our lost local lines, including items on the staff who worked them.

“We currently have £1900 in our bank account, but there’s a power of work ahead which will cost us quite a bit of money – possibly with a final bill of around £ 1015,000.

“With this in mind, TrAcS has been contacting local businesses and other funders to see if they could possibly donate something towards our project.”

TrAcS has also managed to obtain a section of rail dug up during housebuilding in Crieff’s Duchlage Road.

Dave explained: “TrAcS would like to thank Alistair Gourlay, of Gourlay Events, who uplifted the rail for us, and currently has it in safe storage.

“We are still deciding on how best to utilise the section of rail, but we’re looking to incorporate it into our memorial in some way.”

The previous TrAcS committee was reinstated by members at the AGM.

To help with a predicted increased workload in the coming year, another three trustees were welcomed on to the board.

Dave concluded by thanking everyone who has contributed to the project so far, and to the Meadow Inn for hosting the AGM.

Anyone wishing to support the project can send an email to Dave via Crieffcaleyman19@ aol.com.