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The Courier
19-05-2025
- The Courier
Carmyllie Pilot: Photos capture rise, fall and rebirth of beloved steam engine
Take to the rails with these images of the Carmyllie Pilot. It started life as just another Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 steam locomotive. The engine achieved celebrity status when it hauled the last train to run over the Carmyllie Light Railway on May 19 1965. It still casts a powerful spell today. The story of the Carmyllie branch line goes back to May 1854. It was built as a private mineral line from Elliot Junction following agreement with Lord Panmure to transport paving stone from the Carmyllie quarries. The railway brought stone from Carmyllie. The question of a passenger service was raised locally from time to time and it was eventually made possible by the passing of the Light Railways Act of 1896. There were halts at Arbirlot, Cuthlie and Denhead and it was the steepest in Scotland to be operated by passenger train with a ruling gradient of 1 in 36. The track went from sea-level to 500 feet in five miles. It opened to passenger traffic in February 1900 on a 'red letter day'. The first train left Arbroath at 7.15am and was decorated with flags. John Aitken of the Imperial Hotel in Arbroath purchased the first ticket. Though initially busy, its traffic by the 1920s was being siphoned away by buses. Passenger numbers 'diminished to almost vanishing point' by November 1929. Passenger services were withdrawn. The Carmyllie line remained open for freight from December 1929. The line itself was jointly run by London, Midland and Scottish Railway and London North Eastern Railway, before British Railways was formed in January 1948. Its namesake engine arrived a few years later. Number 46464 was the last of a batch of five built at Crewe Works in 1950. It was one of two of that class sent north in that year to Dundee Tay Bridge Shed 52B. It spent much of its working life on the branch line from Arbroath to Carmyllie. Its predominant use working the Carmyllie goods service gave the engine its nickname. There was triumph and tragedy in equal measure. On August 2 1952 she hauled the very last passenger train from Brechin to Forfar. When the Arbroath and Forfar Railway finally closed to passengers in December 1955, its departure was marked by a mock funeral procession to Arbroath Station. A single wreath of carnations was placed in front of the Carmyllie Pilot. In happier times she took part in the 10-day rail tour in June 1960 which started at Edinburgh Waverley and ventured to nearly all parts of the Scottish system. It was organised jointly by Bill Smith from the Scottish branch of the Stephenson Locomotive Society and the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. The Carmyllie Pilot was running chimney-to-chimney with her sister engine. They were at it again in April 1962. The Branch Line Society and Stephenson Locomotive Society organised the first annual Scottish Rambler Rail Tour over the Easter weekend. The pair hauled three stages of the tour. The fare for the four days was £7 and 15 shillings. They pulled the train from Montrose to Carmyllie. A short journey from Carmyllie to Elliot Junction followed at 4pm. The final leg was from Elliot Junction to Tay Bridge Station in Dundee. A further Rail Tour was organised by the St Andrews University Railway and Transport Society in April 1963 using the Carmyllie Pilot, which was extremely popular, The engine also had a couple of spells at Kittybrewster. She was damaged in 1964 and sent to Inverurie Locomotive Works. The Carmyllie Pilot returned to its home patch following repairs and carried potatoes, sugar beet and raspberries from the farmlands during the winter months. It didn't last. Freight had deserted to road transport, which spelt doom for the Carmyllie line. It officially closed to all traffic after 110 years of operation. The Carmyllie Pilot worked the historic last journey on May 19 1965. It left Arbroath at 8.18am and got to Carmyllie Station at 9.08am. Her train consisted of just three vehicles collecting the remaining furnishings and fittings including the Carmyllie station clock. Some of the older residents of the village came out to wave goodbye. The locomotive arrived back in Arbroath at 10.50am. The late Ian Fraser from Arbroath watched the closure of a chapter of railway history. 'The arrival of the last train at Carmyllie evoked no public interest,' he said. 'It was only too evident that the flourishing agricultural community is managing very well without the railway. 'Higher still and on the sky-line could be seen the derelict remains of the extensive quarries that over a lengthy period produced building and paving stone for notable works in many parts of the world and provided the raison d'être for the railway. 'What a marvellous procession of engines must have passed this way over the years! 'And so with a guilty sense of 'Is your journey really necessary' 46464 and her freight slipped silently away, unregarded and without even a whistle.' Mr Fraser did much to preserve and look after steam engines in the local area. Just a year later he went on to purchase the Carmyllie Pilot from British Railways. She was saved from scrap after the engine was withdrawn in 1966. He gifted her to Dundee Corporation for inclusion in a proposed transport museum but she was stored for several years in a shed in East Dock Street. It was removed from storage in March 1975 and taken to Aviemore. She was loaned to the Strathspey Railway where she hauled the first scheduled passenger train between Aviemore and Boat of Garten in July 1978. Sadly, by 1980 after a issue with the firebox, she was taken out of service. She spent a decade gathering dust. The locomotive was restored to Mr Fraser's ownership. It left the Strathspey Railway in November 1989 to return to Brechin. Mr Fraser died in 1992. The Carmyllie Pilot Company Ltd was set up by Robin Taylor, John Yule, Max Maxwell, Ian Hopley and Iain Smith and took ownership of 46464 in July 2000. The engine was dismantled. Many steel parts were replaced at Bridge of Dun near Montrose. In February 2020 the Pilot moved to the Strathspey Railway in Aviemore. Many smaller parts continued to be worked on there. The locomotive and tender were put back on their wheels after 21 years. Nathan Lightowler replaced John Yule in 2022. The engine successfully passed a final boiler inspection in April 2024. It was a double celebration. Her official return to steam in June 2024 was the occasion of her 74th birthday. She operated on many occasions in 2024. At the start of 2025 she took part in the 'whistle up' to mark the 200th anniversary of the modern railway and will mark another special milestone next month. The Carmyllie Pilot will turn 75.
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Scotsman
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scottish golf round up: Glencruitten gets another Scottish Open winner
All the latest from tournaments involving Scottish golfers from Martin Dempster Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The golf season is now in full swing and here is our latest round up of grass-roots stories around Scotland. Glencruitten gets second Scottish Open winner Glencruitten's Martin Shields emulated Bob MacIntyre's Scottish Open feat by going from runner up one year in his equivalent to winner the next. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Shields landed his title triumph in the net section of the 2025 PING Scottish Open for Golfers with a Disability at Rowallan Castle in Ayrshire. In an event open to golfers with a handicap index up to 18.4, Shields claimed the prize in style by finishing six shots clear of his nearest rival. Glencruitten's Martin Shields poses with his trophy after winning the net section in the 2025 PING Scottish Open for Golfers with a Disability at Rowallan Castle in Ayrshire | Chris Young/Scottish Golf 'I am absolutely buzzing,' he declared. 'There's a nice wee narrative around Glencruitten golfers and Scottish Opens. Bob, of closure, came second in 2023 then won the following year, as I have now done this year after finishing second last year.' The main title went to Englishman Oliver Hirst-Greenham, who carded rounds of 72-77 to finish seven shots clear of Manchester-based Scot Barry Wearing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Having won his own national open in 2023, the man from Morecambe has now added the PING-sponsored Scottish title to his list of honours and hopes to continue his winning streak over the summer months. 'It's a great feeling and I've worked really hard for this and I wanted to win it,' said Morecambe man Hirst-Greenham of adding to a win his own national Open in 2023. Panmure's Dominic Bradburn pictured at The PGA Graduation Ceremony at the University of Birmingham | Contributed Exciting times for Panmure pro Dominic Bradburn Panmure's Dominic Bradburn will be teeing up in this year's PGA Professional Championship as a fully-qualified professional. The ever-improving Bradburn shared top spot with East Renfrewshire's Gavin Hay in the Scottish qualifier as the duo carded matching one-under-par 71s on the Lansdowne Course at The Blairgowrie Golf Club. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In Bradburn's case, the success came hot on the heels of him qualifying as PGA pro at this year's Graduation Ceremony at the University of Birmingham. Joining Bradburn and Hay in securing spots in the PGA Professional Championship, set to held at Ingrebourne Links in Essex next month, were Ross Munro (Golfclubs4cash), Ryan Johnston (Taymouth Castle Golf & Sport Club), Stuart Holden (Harburn) and Scott Young (North Berwick). Two golfers who were both in the Paul Lawrie Foundation squad as amateurs before then being backed as professionals when they were playing full-time have been supported once again by the 1999 Open champion through the North-East based organisation. Paul Lawrie flanked by fellow North-East professionals Kris Nicol, left, and Philip McLean | Contributed New Paul Lawrie Foundation backing for Kris Nicol and Philip McLean Kris Nicol and Philip McLean have received the latest backing to provide junior coaching in Fraserburgh and Peterhead respectively. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Kris and Philip are two dedicated teaching professionals both trying to grow the game within the North East,' said Lawrie. 'They were both in the foundation squad as amateurs and were supported as professionals while they played full time. 'They have both now decided to spend a bit more time coaching as well as still play a bit, and it was a really easy decision for us to support them both with some junior coaching in Fraserburgh and Peterhead.' Cathkin Braes member Sabrina Wong shows off The Foundations Trophy after her 18-shot success at The Blairgowrie Golf Club | Contributed In-form Sabrina Wong wins again Sabrina Wong, the Cathkin Braes member who recently won The R&A Girls' Under-16 Championship, has struck again. Hot on the heels of landing by far the biggest win of her career at Gog Magog in Cambridgeshire, Wong won by no less than 18 shots on this occasion. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Her latest title triumph came in The Foundations Trophy, an event run by the Stephen Gallacher Foundation and sponsored by St Leonards School in St Andrews. Broomieknowe's Kai Laing won the boys' section in The Foundations Trophy event in Perthshire | Contributed Carding rounds of 73-76-69-68, Wong posted a six-under total, leaving second-placed Ava Paterson (Tulliallan) trailing in her wake. Royal Troon's Jodie Graham was third, followed by Craigielaw's Stella Walters. In a more closely-contested boys' event, Broomieknowe's Kai Laing shot rounds of 72-73-70-75 for two-over total, winning by three shots from Fraser Walters, Stella's older brother, with Baberton's Luca Smith four shots further back in third place. The winning team in the Bill McLaren Foundation Golf day are congratulated by Gordon Wilson of event sponsor Carbon Financial | Fraser Band Lions roar as Blairgowrie hosts Bill McLaren Foundation Golf Day Three British and Irish Lions graced the Bill McLaren Foundation Golf Day, a fund-raising event held at The Blairgowrie Golf Club and sponsored by Edinburgh-based Carbon Financial. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Former Lions captain Gavin Hastings was joined by Kenny Milne and Andy Irvine, who featured on three tours and filled the role as tour manager for the select side in 2013 when they beat Australia over three Tests. The charity has raised more than £1.7 million through 55 events over the last 15 years, benefiting a wide range of sports at the grass-roots level. 'We are longstanding supporters of the Foundation which does fantastic work in memory of Bill McLaren, promoting grassroots sport and the values he believed in,' said Gordon Wilson, managing director of Carbon Financial. On a sun-kissed day on the Rosemount Course at the Perthshire venue, the spoils went to a team which included the legendary commentator's daughter Linda Lawson and her husband Alan, another Scotland international. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Members of the Midland and North Divisions of the Scottish Senior Women's Golf Association met for an annual match at Alyth | Contributed Busy spell for Midland members of Scottish Senior Women's GA Members of the Midland Division of the Scottish Senior Women's Golf Association have been in action in two recent annual matches. First up was an away encounter against the East Division at Murrayfield, where the visitors won 4-3 in a match-play competition involving players with handicaps ranging from five to ten. Two days later, a team made up of scratch to five handicappers took on the North Division but the score was reversed on this occasion as the visitors regained that particular trophy. 'Our players were treated to a beautiful sunny day and spectacular views at Murrayfield,' reported captain Morag Wardrop. 'At Alyth, meanwhile, all the players praised the excellent condition of the course and greens.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Next up for the Midland Division is a match against their West counterparts at Cawder on 28 May. Baberton's Nicky Graham, Karen Marshall, Ella Marshall and Wendy Nicholson show off the trophy after winning the Edinburgh Ladies Inter-Club Tournament at Mortonhall | Contributed Family affair as Baberton land Edinburgh title It was a family affair as Baberton won a keenly-contested Edinburgh Ladies Inter-Club Tournament at Mortonhall. In the event's first staging at the Capital course, Baberton beat Liberton 4&3 over the double foursome in the final to land the trophy for the first time since 2021. Karen Marshall and Nicky Graham joined forces to finish four up against Jill McLean and Mandy Bell after 17 holes while it ended all square at the back between Ella Marshall/Wendy Nicholson and Steph Sutherland/Susan Walker. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The title triumph added to the Marshalls being Baberton legends, with Karen being no stranger to success over the years but this marking a breakthrough for her niece Ella. In the semi-finals, Baberton, having knocked out the hosts in the last eight, beat Murrayfield 3&1 while Liberton finished 1 up against Broomieknowe. Irish duo Dylan O'Connor, left, and Martin O'Dwyer show off their respective trophies at Carnoustie | Contributed Irish pull off notable double triumph at Carnoustie Eighteen years after Padraig Harrington won The Open at Carnoustie, two other Irish golfers pulled off trophy triumphs at the Angus venue. Pride of place went to Tramore's Martin O'Dwyer as he claimed the prestigious Craws Nest Tassie with a 5&3 win in this year's final over Finland's Reece Furneaux. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A member of Helsinki Golf Club, had ended local hopes earlier in the day with a semi-final victory over Carnoustie Golf Club's Andy Fyfe. Dwyer emerged as a worthy winner after beating the top seed, Paul Tulleth of St Andrews Golf Cub, on the final green in the last 32.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Reform UK's economic plans ‘would trigger run on the pound'
Britain faces an 'immediate and violent' sterling crisis if Nigel Farage takes power and follows through on plans to slash taxes, economists have warned. Proposals by Reform UK to take millions of workers out of income tax, cut corporation tax and reduce NHS waiting lists to zero would trigger a run on the pound, according to Simon French, at Panmure Liberum. Mr French said enacting Reform's manifesto pledges would blow an £80bn hole in the public finances in a move that would see borrowing costs for households, businesses and the country suddenly lurch upwards. Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform, dismissed the analysis as 'juvenile claptrap'. He said the findings did not account for the savings a Reform government would make by slashing the size of the state, cancelling net zero levies and charging employers higher National Insurance for employing foreign workers. Panmure said this made bringing immigration down crucial for a Labour Government that is in danger of losing votes to polling suggesting that the party is in pole position to win the next election. Mr French said Sir Keir Starmer's crackdown on immigration had 'reduced the chance of Reform introducing their economic agenda at the 2029 general election. He said: 'Those plans that we think would create an immediate fiscal gap of £70bn-£80bn per year – would in our view create the high probability of an immediate and violent sterling crisis.' He warned that the crisis sparked by Liz Truss's mini-Budget would pale in comparison to the likely reaction to Reform's economic agenda, which has vowed to increase the personal allowance to £20,000 in a move that would cost at least £60bn and freeze all non-essential immigration. 'Experimentation with an immediately higher fiscal deficit profile – of an additive scale set to be two-to-three times larger than anything attempted by the 2022 mini-Budget or 2024 October Budget – would create sharp rises in UK sovereign, commercialand household interest rates in our view,' he said. The pound fell to a record low of $1.03 against the dollar at the height of the mini budget crisis that threatened pension funds as they struggled to meet cash calls. It is currently trading above $1.32. Mr Tice accused Panmure of failing to 'look at the savings that we'll make' as part of his analysis, as well as their commitment to fiscal responsibility. He added: 'Of course, what we would do is we would make the savings first with a direction of travel to significant tax cuts, right? We're not going to do the tax cuts before the savings, which is why what he suggested is juvenile claptrap.' Sir Keir Starmer warned on Monday the UK risked becoming 'an island of strangers' without stricter border controls as the Prime Minister unveiled plans to ban overseas care workers, tighten access to skilled worker visas and raise the costs to companies of employing foreign workers. Mr French highlighted that both the Treasury and Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the Government's tax and spending watchdog, would likely say the policy reduces growth as well as Rachel Reeves's headroom to meet debt targets. He suggested that the Immigration White Paper served as a partial rebuke of these assumptions, 'quoting that migration analysis is highly sensitive to alternative assumptions'. Mr French added: 'Such a Trumpian nod to 'alternative facts' must be another subtle effort at flattery through imitation. But bad political humour aside this does perhaps illustrate a weakening, at least for now, on the primacy of the Treasury view in this policy area. 'It will however have been made in full knowledge within the Treasury that the autumn Budget will put into conflict the OBR's estimate for fiscal headroom and any revised estimate for net migration stemming from the White Paper proposals. An already tricky fiscal event looks to have got trickier still.' Economists have been critical of Reform's tax and spending plans. Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies last year warned that huge spending increases for the NHS 'would not be nearly enough to meet Reform's incredibly ambitious commitment to eliminate waiting lists within two years'. The IFS highlighted that eliminating the waiting list entirely was 'a feat that has not been achieved in the history of the NHS'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
