Scottish Region Publicity
A selection of timetables, handbills, brochures and posters used to advertise diesel train services on the Scottish Region.
The Region seemed to specifically mention the new form of traction until around 1965. A variety of artwork was used initially — by, or in the style of, artist Kenneth Steel. From 1963 onwards just one illustration was used on most items - a Met-Camm with yellow panel.
Ageing will have affected the paper colours of some of these items.
If you have any material not featured here please get in touch. Material from Ayrshire is notably absent, as is anything relating to the Region's first DMU services on the Edinburgh—Glasgow line.
Railbuses
The illustrations on the railbus literature matches the types initially used on the lines. Three of the four types are represented here - whether there was an similar illustation of the Park Royals for the Ayrshire timetables is unknown.
Shown first is the bi-fold brochure for the introduction of the Speyside route between Aviemore and Elgin on 3rd November 1958, which initially used a Bristol railbus. The scans are courtesy of John Paton.
Next are the first two timetables for the Stirling - Alloa - Dollar services, which used Wickham railbuses. The first (courtesy of John Paton) was for a period of just six weeks, from 4 May to 14 June 1959, the second lasted three months from 15 June to 12 September 1959.
Next are two items from the Gleneagles-Crieff-Comrie service, which was introduced using an AC Cars railbus. First is a single-sided timetable for 15 June 1959 to 12th September 1959. Second is the poster for the period 2 November 1959 to 12th June 1960, courtesy of John Paton.
The final item was for the introduction of the Lugton-Barmill-Beith (Town) service, scan courtesy of John Horne.
Eastern Central Scotland
The first DMUs introduced on local services in Scotland were in the Edinburgh suburban area (and to Galashiels). A brochure was produced describing the GRC&W sets and the services they would work.
The following is a selection of timetable booklets, mainly for services out of Edinburgh, on which the GRC&W sets would be joined by two-car and three-car Metro-Cammell units. More Edinburgh Suburban material can be found on their own page, there is also a page about newpaper adverts.
Scan courtesy of John Horne
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Scan courtesy of John Horne
North-East Scotland
A tri-fold brochure was produced for the launch of the Battery Railcar on the Aberdeen - Ballater service, which contained the timetable from April 21 to June 7th 1958:
Next is the bi-fold Summer 1960 timetable, courtesy of John Paton:
The Swindon Cross-Country DMUs were introduced to Inverness-Aberdeen services on 1 July 1960, which began a series of handbills promoting the 'Fast Diesel Trains'. Scans courtesy of John Horne:
The above only included the times of the new diesel service, for the July 1960 launch this timetable alteration was issued showing the full timetable for the line (table 36). The cover is shown, the full version: side one; side two. Scans courtesy of Mike Cooper.
Western Central Scotland
Local services in the west predominately used Cravens, Derby, Swindon and Met-Camm DMUs, but these examples only feature illustrations of Met-Camms. From 1962 the branding of 'Green Trains' was used to complement the 'Blue Train' EMUs.
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Special Services
A diesel service operated to Kelvin Hall station to augment the sparse regular service during the period of the Scottish Industries Exhibition at the Kelvin Hall in September 1959. Hamilton depot provided a Cravens twin set for this.
The service ran from Glasgow Central Low Level station where, upstairs in platforms five and six, there was a display of locomotive and rolling stock in support of the Kelvin Hall exhibition.
An image of a Cravens set appeared on the cover of the booklet promoting train travel to the exhibition, and the Glasgow Central display. Scan courtesy of John Paton.
A souvenir brochure was produced for the Glasgow—Oban "New Diesel Tourist Train" introduced in 1962 using Swindon Cross-Country DMUs. It described the sights to be seen on the journey which used the Loch Lomond route rather than the Callander route of the normal service. The cover and first set of pages are shown, scans courtesy of John Paton.
Day Excursions and Land Cruises
On holidays and summer Sundays the Region ran a regular selection of excursions.
The first handbill is for one of these in June 1958 (scan courtesy of John Horne), illustrated with a Swindon Inter-City DMU although it is not known what type ran the service.
The following month the Region began branding many of its excursions as 'Land Cruises'. The most famous of these would be the "Six Lochs Land Cruise" which operated a circular route through Stirling, Callander, Crainlarch and Loch Lomond from 1958 until 1965, after which the Dunblane - Crainlarich section closed.
The Region would produce booklets for each season outlining in advance these trains, and a selection are shown next.
These are perhaps the only 1963-onwards era material that did not use the now 'standard' Met-Camm illustration.
Scan courtesy of John Horne
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Scan courtesy of John Paton
The rear of these booklets showed the route of the Six Lochs tour. Here are the 1960, 1963, 1964 and 1965 versions:
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Scan courtesy of John Paton
Ticket based literature
This first selection promotes a summer day rover ticket based around Fife and the surrounding services, including Callander and Comrie.
The first, from 1961, is a bi-fold leaflet, showing the front cover - centrespread - rear cover. It includes a rare version of the standard Met-Camm drawing with whiskers, the leaflet coloured to match the green livery. Scan courtesy of John Paton.
For the 1962 to 1964 seasons it changed to a single sheet:
1962, scan courtesy of John Paton
1963 front
1964 front, scan courtesy of John Paton
The rear side of the 1964 version
Promotional material for the 1963 Freedom of Scotland ticket used a painting that featured a Swindon Cross-Country DMU on the banks of the River Findhorn near Forres on the Aberdeen-Inverness line. These three scans, courtesy of John Paton, show the Freedom of Scotland poster; a magazine advert; and the original poster — which was commissioned from the artist Jack Merriott. John notes: "In his autobiography Jack said that when British Railways commissioned a poster from him, he hated it when they insisted that a train be featured in it. In most cases when he was forced to include a train, it demonstrated his inability – or unwillingness – to make a decent job of it!"
The final selection is a series of booklets promoting "Cheap" (1963), then "Bargain" (1964-6) travel facilities from Glasgow, all using the now standard Met-Camm illustration.
One of the inside pages from the June 1965 edition is also shown which has details of the Six Lochs Land Cruise for that year.
Scan courtesy of John Horne
Scan courtesy of John Paton