Fad iomadh bliadhna, bha luchd-iomairt na rèile anns a’ Chuimrigh mì-thoilichte nach robh trèana dhealanach sam bith san dùthaich. Tha seo a-nis air atharrachadh le loidhne costa a deas na Cuimrigh a-nis air a dhealanachadh bho Chaerdydd chun na crìch le Sasainn agus le planaichean mòra gus na loidhnichean sna glinn a dhealanachadh cuideachd.
Agus mur a robh sin uile math gu leòr, tha an London Underground gu bhith a’ ruigsinn Sir Gaerfyrddin/Siorrachd Carmarthen a dh’aigthhearr. Seadh, Siorrachd Carmarthen!
Chan eil Transport for London gu bhith a’ leudachadh an Northern Line dhan Chuimrigh no dad mar sin, ach tha e coltach gum bi cothrom aig daoine a dhol air trèana tiùb an sin co-dhiù ann an ùine nach bi ro fhada.
Bidh fios aig leughadairean a’ bhloga seo gu bheil mi gu math deidheil air London Transport 1938 stock. Às dèidh beatha-obrach fada ann an Lunnainn, bha dàrna beatha aca ann an Eilean Wight eadar 1989 agus 2021.
Trèana 1938 Stock (BR Clas 483, Sandown, Isle of Wight)
Nuair a chaidh na trèanaichean a-mach à seirbheis às dèidh 80 bliadhna de sheirbheis na bu thràithe am-bliadhna, chaidh a mhòr-chuid aca a ghleidheadh agus tha dà sheata gu bhith a’ dol gu Rathad-iarainn Llanelli agus Mynydd Mawr. Tha iad gu bhith air an sgeadachadh agus tha dùil aig an loidhne a bhith gan ruith a’ cleachdadh cumhachd bho bhataraidhean.
’S e loidhne ghlèidhte gu math ùr is gu math lèirsinneach a th’ anns an Llanelli is Mynydd Mawr agus feumaidh mi a dhol ann latha de na làithean!
Agus chan ann a-mhàin anns a’ cheann a deas a bhios trèanaichean tiùb a’ dol – tha trèanaichean tiùb suas-chuairtiche (upcycled) gu bhith a’ ruith air an loidhne eadar Wrecsam agus Bidston cuideachd. Chaidh na ceudan de thrèanaichean D-stock bhon District Line a cheannach agus a sgeadachadh leis a’ chompanaidh VivaRail airson cleachdadh air an lìonra nàiseanta – dòigh shaor, uaine gus barrachd trèanaichean fhaighinn.
D-tràin (Seann D-stock bhon Undergound) air deuchainn, Bo’ness
Tha na trèanichean rim faighinn ann an cruth diosail, dealanach no hybrid agus tha an fheadhainn sa Chuimrigh gu bhith hybrid. Bidh feadhann dealanach a’ ruith nan seirbheisean rèile ùra ann an Eilean Wight bhon ath-mhìos cuideachd.
Bha sinn ann an Lunnainn air làithean-saora san Dàmhair agus chaidh sin ann air a’ phlèana gu Port-adhair London Luton.
Rinn mi sòiseòlas san oilthigh, agus nuair a smaoinicheas mi air Luton, bidh mi daonnan a’ smaoineachadh air na h-“Affluent Worker Studies” anns na 1960an – a bha a’ coimhead air luchd-obraichean chàraichean ann an Luton agus na cleachdaidhean is beachdan sòisealta agus poilitigeach aca. Agus gu dearbha chunnaic mi factaraidh Vauxhall fhad’s a bha mi ann an turas seo.
Ach chan eil sinn an seo airson bruidhinn air sòiseòlas no air càraichean – ach air trèanaichean!
B’ àbhaist dhomh a bhith ann am port-adhair Luton gu math tric aig deireadh nan 1990an oir rinn mo bhean Jenny MSc agus chuir i seachad sia mìosan an sin ag obair air a pròiseact rannsachaidh. Aig an àm sin, aig toiseach linn nan loidhnichean-adhair buidseat bha am port-adhair gu math beag – coltach ri sabhal gun mòran na bhroinn.
Nuair a bha sinn ann an turas seo, bha e gu math eadar-dhealaichte – tha e tòrr tòrr nas motha le gu leòr taighean-bìdh is bùithean ann.
Nuair a bha mi eòlach air a’ phort-adhair an toiseach, bha e pìos air falbh bhon lìonra rèile. Chaidh stèisean a thogail gus am port-adhair a fhrithealadh ann an 1999 – Luton Airport Parkway (LTN) ach tha e còrr is mhìle air falbh bhon phort-adhair agus feumar bus fhaighinn ann. Chan eil busaichean uamhasach freagarrach, oir tha am port-adhair gu math soirbheachail le 18 millean luchd-cleachdaidh gach bliadhna, tha na rathaidean timcheall air gu math trang agus gu tric feumaidh tu feitheimh greis mhòr ri bus.
Mar sin, thathar a’ togail Luton Dart (“Direct to Air Rail Transport”), rathad-iarainn eadar am port-adhar agus stèisean Luton Parkway. Tha an t-slighe ro chas – agus is dòcha ro ghoirid – airson rathad-iarainn àbhaisteach. Mar sin, is e trèanaichean fèin-obrachail (automatic) gun dràibhear, air an tarraing le càball a bhios ann.
Mairidh an turas dìreach 4 mionaidean eadar am Port-adhair agus an stèisean agus bheir e comas do dhaoine a dhol eadar Port-adhair Luton agus Lunnainn ann an leth-uair a thìde. Tha an loidhne gu bhith a’ fosgladh an ath-bhliadhna.
Tha an loidhne càr coltach ri People Mover Venice a chaidh a dhèanamh leis an aon chompanaidh.
Seo bhideo beag den loidhne:
Tha obair togail air an loidhne fhèin cha mhòr deiseil agus thathar a’ dèanamh deuchainnean air na trèanaichean agus a’ cur crìoch air an obair togail aig Stèisean Luton Parkway aig an àm seo. Chunnaic mi tè de na trèanaichean ùra fhad’s a bha mi ann – ach cha d’ fhuair mi dealbh gu mì-fhortanach.
Tha seo dìreach a’ fàgail aon cheist – carson idir nach eil ceangal-rèile air choireigin againn do phort-adhair Ghlaschu fhathast?????? DÈAN MAR-THÀ E!
This time Kirsty took charge of the kit and made the recording herself, capturing a fascinating father-daughter exchange in which more stories were re-told, many of them obviously old family favourites.
In this part, Alasdair recounts a number of tales recalled from his own childhood. Topics covered include hunting for rabbits, a near-drowning before the Baleshare causeway was built, youthful gun-handling, the making of seal oil, the use of horses for ploughing or to haul carts, and illicit fishing attempts with dynamite. These are followed by the recital of more traditional stories such as Cù Dubh Mhic a’ Phì (Àiridh na h-Aon Oidhche) and Isean Mhic Mhuirich.
In this part, Alasdair relates a story of fairy abduction to begin with, before hitting his stride with a series of anecdotes concerning local “characters” or family antecedents, including Iain Beag, Teàrlach Ruadh, Aonghas Ailean mhic Aonghaidh, and Ailean Heisgeir himself. From there the conversation moves onto deer-hunting escapades around Eaval (and how court appearances would not necessarily result in a poaching conviction), followed by discussion of grazing issues for both cattle and sheep. He finishes by describing traditional methods commonly used to make butter and cheese.
Tha a’ mhòr-chuid dhibh eòlach air sgeul falamhachadh muinntir Hiort ann an 1930. Bha mi cho fortanach ‘s gun deach mi dhan bhuidheann-eileanan seo am bliadhna, cuairt fìor iongantach Tha na h-eileanan fad a-muigh san Atlantaig, 41 mìltean bho Bheinn na Faoghla agus 101 bhon tìr-mhòir, ach bha clann-daonna a’ fuireach an sin o chionn Linn an Umha (tha lorgan ann fhathast), ged a dh’fhaodas nach robh gun stad. Ach chan e an t-astar a-mhàin a chuireas iongantas ort, ach gun do rinn iad bith-beò cho fada ann an àrainneachd cho mì-thorrach is dùbhlanach, fiù ‘s air a’ phrìomh eilean, far an do dh’fhuirich na daoine. B’ e sin mo chiad bheachd mar a chunnaic mi na cas-chreagan ag èirigh am meadhan a’ chuain, às dèidh trì uairean a thìde bho na Hearadh air bàta luath. Ciamar a rinn iad e?
Ach rinn iad am bith-beò gu dearbh thar nan linntean, a’ cur beagan eòrna agus bùntata air na bha aca de dh’fhearann (stiallan caol air cùl taighean a’ Bhaile), a’ cumail crodh is caoraich na b’ fhaide shuas an sliabh air an ionaltradh choitcheann, agus gu h-àraidh ann a bhith a’ glacadh eun-mara air na creagan. Bha an t-iasgach mar as trice ro dhoirbh leis na sruthan cunnartach is na gèilean, agus gun bhàtaichean freagarrach. Phàigh iad am màl do MhicLeòid Dhùn Bheagain, leis a bha na h-eileanan fad ùine mhòir, ann an òla eun-mara, iteagan (gu h-àraidh iteagan-buthaid, airson mhatrasan), cloimh is clò, agus beagan eòrna, bainne is càise. Chan fhaod gun robh mòran air fhàgail dha na Hiortaich!
Agus gu dearbh ‘s e feòil agus uighean nan eun-mara a bha aca mar phrìomh bhiadh, gu h-àraidh sùlairean is fulmairean. Tha sinn uile eòlach air na dealbhan de na “fir nan creagan” le an ropannan, a’ dìreadh mar eòin iad fhèin air na cas-creagan den phrìomh eilean (Hiort) agus de na h-eileanan beaga (Dùn, Sòthaigh, Boraraigh) agus stacannan-mara eile, obair chunnartach agus sgileil. Roinn iad na h-eòin a-mach air a chèile, a rèir meud an teaghlaich, agus às dèidh dhaibh a bhith air am plucadh agus an tiormachadh, rachadh an stòradh anns na ceudan is ceudan de chleitean air feadh an eilein – taighean-stòir bheaga cloiche mar sheann sgìopan-seillean.
Agus carson a chaidh an t-eilean fhalamhachadh idir? Thòisich na h-atharrachaidhean a bu mhotha aig àm nan stìomairean den linn Bhictorianach, a thug caochladh na b’ fharsainge bathair às an t-saoghal mhòr, ach barrachd daoine cuideachd, nam measg luchd-turais airgeadach às na bailtean mòra a bha airson muinntir neònach, phrìomhadail an eilein iomallaich romànsaich ud fhaicinn. Tha seann fhilmichean ann anns a bhios tu ag aithneachadh gun robh na Hiortaich dìreach mar bheathaichean cian-annasach san zoo dhan luchd-tadhail sin. Saoil dè bha na h-eileanaich a’ faireachdainn?
Còmhla ris na daoine ùra thàinig galaran ùra cuideachd agus na h-eileanaich gun ion-dhìonachd nan aghaidh, rud a lagaich an slàinte is an comas-seasaimh san fharsaingeachd.
Cha b’ e ach ministearan agus uaireannan luchd-teagaisg a thàinig às an tìr-mhòr a dh’fhuireach anns an eilean san 19mh linn, agus ‘s e buaidh mhòr a thug iad air dòigh-beatha Hiort. ‘S e Crìostaidhean a bha anns na Hiortaich mar-thà, ach tharraing an suidheacadh dùbhlanach mar as trice ministearan le eud miseanaraidh, a thug tionndadh seanaireachd gu sònraichte cruaidh leotha, agus chaidh na bha aig na h-eileanaich de chur-seachadan is dibhearsain, mar chèilidhean, òrain is sheanchas, a thoirmeasg a-nis. Mar sin dh’fhàs am beatha fiù ‘s na bu chruaidhe, agus a-nis tha cuid mhòr de na h-òrain is sgeulachdan caillte a-nis. Agus bha na tidsearan a’ cur an ìre teagasg sa Bheurla an àite Gàidhlig, rud a lagaich an dualchas traidiseanta cuideachd, agus thug na h-eileanaich nas fhaisge air an t-saoghal mhòr. Tha an eaglais simplidh (1820an) agus an seòmar-sgoile (1890an) rim faicinn an-diugh fhathast mar a bha iad sna ficheadan.
Cuiridh mi crìoch air an aithris seo an ath thuras – san eadar-àm, an dòchas gun còrd ribh na dealbhan!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Most of you will be familiar with the story of the St Kilda evacuation in 1930. I was lucky enough to go on a visit to the archipelago this year, a really wonderful trip. The islands are far out in the Atlantic, 41 miles from Benbecula and 101 from the mainland, but humans have been living there since the Bronze Age (traces still remain), even if not necessarily continuously. But it’s not just the distance that takes you aback, it’s knowing that they managed to make a living for so long in such an infertile and challenging environment, even on the main island, Hirta, where the people lived. That was my first thought when I saw the sheer precipices rising out the middle of the ocean, after 3 hours on a fast boat from Harris. How did they do it?
But they did indeed survive over the centuries, planting some barley and potatoes on the little fertile ground that they had (narrow strips behind the Village houses), keeping cattle and sheep further up the hillside on the common grazing, and especially by catching seabirds on the cliffs. Fishing was generally too difficult with the dangerous currents and the gales, and without suitable boats. They paid their rent to the Macleods of Dunvegan (long-time owners of the islands) in seabird oil, feathers (especially puffin feathers, for mattresses), wool and tweed, and some barley, milk and cheese. There can’t have been a lot left for the St Kildans!
And it was actually the flesh and eggs of the seabirds that formed their staple diet, especially gannets and fulmars. We’re all familiar with the photos of the “cragsmen” with their ropes, scaling the sheer cliffs like birds themselves on Hirta, the other smaller islands (Dùn, Soay, Boreray), and the sea-stacks. This was dangerous and skilled work. They divided the birds among themselves according to family size, and after being plucked and dried, they were stored in the many hundreds of cleits all over the island, small drystone storehouses like old beehives.
There’s another iconic picture we’ve all seen – the one street of the Village stretched out in a long wide curve up above the bay, where there was the most fertile land, the only chance to launch a boat, and some shelter from the gales. The houses, or their ruins, which we see today mainly stem from two building periods. The newer ones, with the larger windows, chimneys and zinc roofs were built around 1860 (a project like our council houses a hundred years later) to replace the earlier “blackhouses”, whose lower ends provided winter shelter for the cattle – themselves an “improvement” on the even more primitive dwellings before them. The blackhouses were left standing between the new houses as byres or storage space. That’s what you still see today – the National Trust for Scotland, owners since 1957, have restored a few of the 1860 houses as office and accommodation space, and are trying to keep the other buildings in a state of “arrested decay”. It’s a really strange feeling to stand in that empty street among ghosts and their memorials.
So why was the island evacuated? The greatest changes began with the advent of the steamers of the Victorian age, bringing a wider variety of goods from the outside world, but also more people, including well-off tourists from the cities keen to see these curious, primitive people and their remote, romantic island. There are still old films extant in which you realise that the St Kildans were like exotic zoo animals to these visitors. I wonder what they were feeling?
Along with the new people also came new diseases, which the islanders had no immunity against, and this weakened their health and resistance in general.
It was only ministers and sometimes teachers who came from the mainland to stay on Hirta in the 19th century, and they had a major influence on the island way of life. The St Kildans were already Christians, but the challenge of the situation tended to attract ministers with missionary zeal, bringing a particularly strict variety of Presbyterianism with them, and the little the islanders had in the way of pastimes and diversion, such as ceilidhs, songs and story-telling, were now forbidden. Life therefore became even harder, and many of the songs and stories are now lost. The teachers who came insisted on teaching in English instead of Gaelic, and that too undermined the traditional culture, and brought the islanders closer to the outside world. The simple church (1820s) and the schoolroom (1890s) can still be visited today, looking just as they were in the 1920s.
Gradually young people began to leave St Kilda, and in the Great War most of the men were called up. Many did not return, and although there was a naval wireless base there 1915-1919, offering support and some work, it wasn’t long before population numbers fell below the level required to survive as a community. Finally, with the help of a Nurse Barclay who was there in the 1920s, the remaining 36 inhabitants petitioned the government to be moved to the mainland. This happened in 1930.
I’ll finish off this account the next time – meanwhile, hope you enjoy the photos!
Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba air innse do Chomataidh Riaghaltais Ionadail, Taigheadais agus Dealbhaidh na Pàrlamaid gum bi e a’ cur dhreachd-laghan fa chomhair Pàrlamaid na h-Alba a bheir air ùghdarrasan ionadail siostam-ceadachaidh a thoirt a-steach airson àiteachan-fuirich air mhàl san ùine ghoirid (Air BnB agus a leithid). Tha do bheachdan cudromach Tha a’ Chomataidh ag … Leugh an corr de Beachdan gan sìreadh air àitichean-fuirich air mhàl fad ùine ghoirid
If you’ve been spending any time in the Gaelic or Gaelic-adjacent parts of Twitter over the last few days, you’ve probably been made unpleasantly aware of a filmmaker in the United States who has been trying to raise money to make a Celtic-themed television series. If you haven’t been spending time in the Gaelic or […]
Òraidean mar chuimhneachan air Colmcille, 1500 an dèidh a bhreith. Feasgar ann an Gàidhlig agus ann an Gaeilge.
Bidh feasgar sònraichte againn airson Bliadhna Chaluim Chille a chomharrachadh le òraidean sa Ghàidhlig ’s Gaeilge. Mòran taing do Chonradh Na Gaeilge ’s dhan Lòchran airson am feasgar seo a chur ri chèile còmhla rinn.
An Dr Geraldine Parsons, (O. Ghlaschu), Colm Cille agus Fionn mac Cumhaill: spéis sa naomh sa Luath-Fhiannaíocht (an Gaeilge)
An t-Oll. Lillis Ó Laoire, Colmcille i mBéaloideas na hÉireann le béim speisialta ar Thír Chonaill (an Gaeilge)
An Dr Aonghas MacCoinnich (O. Ghlaschu), Ceanglaichean Ruairidh Mòr MhicLeòid na Hearadh ri Èirinn, c. 1590-1626 (ann an Gàidhlig)
Màrtainn Mac an t-Saoir, Tobar an Dualchais: MacMhuirich Stadhlaigearraidh am beul nan Daoine (an Gàidhlig)
An t-Oll. Conchúr Ó Giollagáin (O. G. is nan E.), Dìleab gun dùil: Sìobhaltachd nan Gàidheal 1500 bliadhna air adhart bho linn Cholm Cille (ann an Gàidhlig)
Tha seo dìreach sgoinneil! Chaidh am program seo a dhèanamh le Cass Ezeji, agus thachair mi an toiseach ris an obair aice nuair a leugh mi an t-alt drùidhteach a sgrìobh i ann an Scottish Affairs o chionn greis. Tha coltas a cheart cho cumhachdach air a’ phrogram seo. Canar gun tèid a sgaoileadh tràth an ath mhìos, agus tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughair mhòr, mhòr ris.
Nuair a thòisich mi am bloga seo bho choinn fhada air an t-saoghal, b’ e an t-amas a bh’ agam a dhol air gach rathad-iarainn ann an Alba – beag is mòr.
Nis, tha e meadhanach furasta a dhol air gach rathad-iarainn mòr (ma tha an tìde agad) ach chan eil e idir cho furasta a dhol air gach rathad-iarainn beag. Bidh meanbh-rathaidean-iarainn (miniature railways) a’ tighinn is a’ falbh meadhanach tric agus tha e gu math doirbh fios fhaighinn mu na làithean is uairean fosglaidh aca cuideachd.
Bha mi air beagan meanbh-rathaidean-iarainn nach eil ann tuilleadh, mar eisimpleir Kerr’s Miniature Railway ann an Obar Bhrothaig agus Rathad-iarainn Mhuile ach tha gu leòr ann a tha gu math ùr cuideachd.
Dh’fhosgail trì loidhnichean ùra sa bhliadhna no dhà mu dheireadh. Air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, tha loidhne ùr ann am Baile nan Granndach ann an seann Stèisean Bhaile nan Granndach an Ear. Cha robh cothrom agam a dhol air fhathast, ach tha e air an liosta!
Seo bhidio a lorg mi den loidhne ge-tà:
Ann an Siorrachd Lannraig, tha loidhne ùr ann an Clyde Valley Family Park ann an Crossford. ’S e pàirc do theaghlaichean a tha seo le go-carts is àiteachan cluich is beathaichean is eile. Mus do dh’fhosgail a’ phàirc seo ann an 2019 no mar sin, b’ àbhaist dhan Valley International Park a bhith ann – làrach le bùitean beaga agus soft play is eile aig an robh rathad-iarainn. Dhùin a’ phàirc – agus an loidhne – mu 10 bliadhna air ais. Bha an loidhne ann an cruth “dumb bell” – loidhne dhìreach agus lùb tionndaidh aig gach ceann. Anns a’ phàirc ùr, chaidh cuid de làrach na loidhne a chumail ach a-nis ’s e cearcall a th’ ann. Rud eile a tha inntinneach, ‘s e gur e trèana bataraidh a th’ ann seach trèana diosail.
Mar a bha:
Mar a tha:
Agus ann an Siorrachd Air, dh’fhosgail loidhne bheag ùr anns an Heads of Ayr farm Park is mar sin, chaidh mi ann leis na nighnean agam gus sùil a thoirt oirre.
’S e pàirc do theaghlaichean a th’ ann le dreallagan is trampoilinichean agus bàtaichean is beathaichean gu leòr bho chaoraich is gobhairean gu emu-than agus càmhalan. Tha an rathad-iarainn ann an cruth lùb le stèisean mòr, drochaid agus bogsa-siognail. Coltach ri loidhne Clyde Valley Family Park, tha an loco dealanach seach diosail.
‘S e an Tam O’Shanter express an t-ainm a th’ air an trèana agus ged nach fhacas Auld Nick no Mons Meg no duine sam bith eile bhon dàn, ’s e turas snog a bh’ ann!
An Tam O’ Shanter Express
Drochaid Ghleann Fhionghain na Galldachd?
Agus tha mi dìreach air ionnsachadh gu bheil loidhne ùr gu bhith a’ fosgladh ann an Ayton sna Crìochan ann an ùine nach bi fada cuideachd. Tha sin a’ dol air an liosta cuideachd.
Is math gu bheil an uiread de loidhnichean beaga ùra ann.
