RSPB Wardens at Forsinard, 2001

Norrie Russell and James Plowman, RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) Wardens, photographed in January 2001 at the visitor centre in the former station buildings at Forsinard. The 35,000 acre reserve, owned and operated by the RSPB, consists of deep 'blanket' bog and lies in the heart of the peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland, often referred to as the 'Flow Country'.<br /> <br /> Railways were once a factor in the persecution of birds of prey, which were killed to protect game birds being reared to provide sport for customers who travelled to sporting estates by train.<br /> <br /> Forsinard station opened on 28 July 1874 and has two platforms with a passing loop. The former 'Forsinard North' signal box still stands but 'Forsinard South' has been demolished.<br /> <br /> Railway staff knew the station at Forsinard by its nickname of 'Frozen Hard' due to severe weather conditions during the winter months.<br /> <br /> Background<br /> Over one hundred years ago, two of the most picturesque railways in the world, the Kyle line and the Far North line, were built. Linking them to the rest of the UK rail network is the Highland main line. From 1997 to 2003 the National Railway Museum photographed these three lines, and from the images three exhibitions were created - 'Connection to the Kyle', 'By Firth and Flow' and 'The Highland Link'. The exhibitions were hosted on the Scottish Archive Network (SCAN) under the digital exhibition 'North by Northwest' which officially launched the National Archive of Scotland site on 5 June 2001 in Inverness. The collaboration with SCAN lasted until 2009 when 'North by Northwest' was transferred to the Am Baile website.<br /> <br /> 'North by Northwest' documents living history and records a snapshot of time in the lives of the people and the lines during the closing years of the twentieth century and the emergence of the twenty-first century. The exhibitions celebrated the impact of the Highland railways on the people, landscape and economy of the Scottish Highlands.<br /> <br /> We acknowledge support from the following sponsors who funded the photographic survey of the Highland main line, the Kyle and the Far North lines by the National Railway Museum photographers between 1997 and 2003:<br /> <br /> Railtrack, Railtrack-Scotland, ScotRail, EWS, Porterbrook, First Engineering, The Highland Rail Network Development Partnership, The Highland Council, Ross & Cromarty Enterprise, Caithness & Sutherland Enterprise, Safeways, Friends of the National Railway Museum, Perth & Kinross Council, and the Highland Railway Society.