20th June 2017

At 18.16 Colas Rail Class 60 no. 60085 crosses Nairn Viaduct after being held at the junction at Culloden Moor until the 1H15 Glasgow to Inverness service had cleared the single line. The return cement train is the 6B31 17.59 Inverness Millburn to Oxwellmains. In the peaceful silence of a field entrance gate, close to the ancient burial site at Clava Cairns I could hear the 60 power up as it began to cross the viaduct, hidden by the trees, climbing out of the "Culloden Hole", as the dip in the route is sometimes known by railwaymen. This was a special few minutes, with a light wind blowing in the warm evening sun, and apart from the Mirrlees power unit in the 60 no other sounds could be heard.