‘Jacobite’ to run from April 26

BECAUSE of ongoing Covid-19 restictions, West Coast Railways (WCR) has slightly delayed the original start for this year’s Fort William – Mallaig ‘The Jacobite’ services.

The commencement of daily services, one morning departure, the other in the afternoon is now on Monday, April 26, in line with the Scottish Government’s relaxation road-map.

The morning train runs until Friday, October 29, while the afternoon train is currently planned to run until Friday, October 1.

An earlier Sundays to Fridays departure time of 12.30pm from Fort William has enabled season to be extended, although Saturday trains will remain in the previous 2.30pm departure slot.

Allocation

Motive power is to be provided by two of Ian Riley’s‘Black Fives’and the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group’s K1 No. 62005, the 2-6-0 being expected to return direct to Fort William from Grosmont on April 19/20 after a spell working on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The K1 is due a heavy overhaul this autumn and is therefore set to bow out from the ‘The Jacobite’ for at least the 2022 season.

WCR will also be running its regular summer series of northern steam-hauled excursions, commencing with ‘The Dalesman’ from York on selected Thursdays from May 20 and Chester on Tuesdays from June 1.

On Thursday, June 27, the first of the season’s‘Scarborough Spa Express’departs Carnforth for York, with steam haulage from York to the Yorkshire seaside and back.

On May 18, the first‘Pendle Dalesman’departs from Lancaster for Carlisle and runs, steamhauled throughout, via the Settle and Carlisle line in both directions.