Ok well most know I am an avid Youth !! Hosteller and have dragged the family around many a good stay place but it was in 1986 that Scotrail had a very special open day in Inverness where there was a big display of locomotives and rolling stock. of course with the additional attraction of pipe bands and Highland dancers.
There was an unveiling ceremony for a very special engine called the `The Scottish Hosteller` and I just wonder what on earth happened to it. Surely the name was handed down to successive `engines` but I can find no trace.
Yet another mission.Exciting to find out what befell the engine and the name. It was a few years ago now. The pipe band that played was of course Scotrail Vale of Atholl from Pitlochry, an absolutely magical band led then by Ian Duncan.I have a picture to add as soon as i find it again.
These blogs have a habit of reaching out and finding the fate o the engine.! and find it i did .Here is the story of engine number 37420
Is it not marvellous that someone has taken the time to record the life history of this wonderful powerful machine and her end was met in Hull in Feb 2008 with a Total Passenger Miles = 67766.45.
40 years of faithfull service and for a time carrying the Scottish Hosteller emblem.
http://www.c37lg.co.uk/fleet/fleet.asp?number=37420
wow i feel a train trip across Australia coming on
