Kirkcudbright contrasts – November 2021

Sir: Thanks to Kevin Tiller for ‘Kirkcudbright Contrasts’ and specifically the mention of the very rough shunt on 10 August ‘63. While on the annual family holiday near Gatehouse of Fleet my father and I drove to Kirkcudbright that day to stock up the larder (remember them?) only to be stopped by the unexpected sight of a coach lying across the road. I can remember my father initially thinking it was some kind of stunt for the Gala Day, but he soon realised it was entirely unplanned. The theory that the accident was caused by the loco of the 4.15am goods from Dumfries is fascinating, but I can add nothing to it other than my record of the two engines in attendance after the event, both ‘Black Fives’, Nos 44939 (12B) and 45192 (65F) with a breakdown crane. Logic suggests that Upperby’s No 44939 might bring the crane rather than No 45192, but I can’t go back and check it now. Presumably the crane was Kingmoor’s, which from the Sectional Appendix included the Kirkcudbright branch in its coverage. After reading the article, a photograph of the accident was found on the Kirkcudbright History Society website. The photographer’s view was into the station from the road showing the two coaches off their bogies with an unidentifiable ‘Black Five’ at their north end. Sandy Smeaton Glasgow Opinions expressed in letters are not those of Redgauntlet Publications Ltd or Mortons Media Group Ltd. Please send any letters to Tail Lamp, Steam Days Magazine, Redgauntlet Publications, 64 Littledown Drive, Bournemouth, BH7 7AH Email: steamdaysmagazine@gmail.com