Like a scene from a storybook: "Black 5" No. 45407, named The Lancashire Fusilier, briefly pops out into daylight between the short Leachabhuidh Tunnels on a typically dreary day in Scotland. This is the fabled Fort William-to-Mallaig stretch of the West Highlands Line, considered to be amongst the most scenic rides in the world. That's quite a lot to say for only 41 miles of railroad, but its reputation is well deserved, with scenes ranging from the tranquil shores of inland lochs to rocky crags of steep-walled glens to the rugged Atlantic coastline. Immediately ahead of today's edition of the Jacobite steam train is a 2.08% descent from the Lech-a-vute summit (just a few miles west of famous Glenfinnan) to the shoreline of Loch Eilt.
