It was time for a Merrymaker trip to Scotland and today’s destination was Inverness. This is a superb journey and involves passing over the highest point on the network between Perth and Inverness.

Saturday 06 June 1987

The trip up was reasonably uneventful and we were somewhat disappointed at Mossend Yard to find a Crewe Diesel 47 attached to the train rather than the normal Scottish example. The usual depot visit had been arranged at Inverness and rather a large group went round shortly after arrival.

The weather is a fine summer day in Inverness, dull with fine Scottish drizzle.

37418 arrives at Dingwall on 12:00 Wick - Inverness 06/06/87

After the visit to the depot we were at a bit of a loss what to do as we could not get anywhere and back in time for the return train. One of our group then had an idea and disappeared. He arrive back about 15 minutes later with a bus timetable to Dingwall. A check is made of the timetable and it is possible to reach Dingwall in time for the train from Wick and still get back in time for the return train.

The plan has come together so it’s off to the bus station and 20 singles to Dingwall. We sit at the front of the top deck on the bright yellow bus. The bus heads out of town over the new suspension bridge over the Moray Firth and on to the Black Isle. It is than that one of those surreal moments occurs. With the damp conditions the bus has steamed up. For those of you around in 1987 you will remember that number one hit record Star Trekking. It is at this point crossing the Black Isle one of our group starts singing it and the rest of the group joins it. There is half the top deck of the bus singing the whole of this record. I have no idea what the local residents of the area thought of there strange people from England on their bus singing “There Klingons on the Starboard Bow”.

We leave the bus and Dingwall and wander round the town looking for the station.

We get a bit of unexpected 37 mileage in the book and back in time for the train home. We are pleasantly surprised to find that our 47 has been replaced by an Inverness one.

Captains Traction Log Star Date 139.1