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There are 23 images in our collection which match the category of Transport and Communications. Please select a photo to view it in more detail and to read comments from other visitors.

Showing 23 photos.

Black and white photo taken at the goods yard at Tain train station, showing four horse drawn carts loaded with timber logs, taken circa 1930's. Writen on the back of the card in

Tain Station goods yard

1930

The photo is of the staff of Ardgay Post Office (Ardgay1) taken around 1906 just after the building was completed. The original Post Office in the village was situated at the Poplars Farm.
As far as we know the staff are as follows:
Back row left to right: Mr Ellis (local businessman at the time and owner of the PO and other new buildings in the village), David Ross (by-name - Collins), Donald MacGregor (Daisybank), 'Humpy' Duff, Hugh Ross (Ivy Cottage), Tom Ross (Ardgay Hill), Robert Ross (Oldtown-brother of Hugh), John and Bob Macgregor (Oldtown), Willie Ross (Airdens), Mr E.Taylor (Postmaster)
Front row: Miss Maclean (later became Mrs Tommy Matheson), Mrs Ellis, Miss Catherine M. MacDonald (later became Mrs Polson)

David Ross; the old postman with the white beard and stick; originally walked from Ardgay Post Office to Skibo Castle with Andrew Carnegie's mail!!

Ardgay Post Office c.1906

1906

This motor cycle works belonging to G A Ross was at the corner of Queen Street and King Street, opposite Gladstone Buidings. Unfortunately as with many of our photos we have no date for this picture. An Easter Ross Almanack of 1910, lists a George A Ross as a

G A Ross, Tain Motor Cycle Depot

Date unknown

The photo shows the Schooner

The Schooner "St. Duthus"

1900 (2 comments)

Inspite of the double exposure and the large crack this photograph (probably taken in the 1920's) is a fine record of an interesting by-gone scene. Donnie Shivas's uncle (known as

Double exposure - Royal Hotel / Sturd

1925

This is the structure that was built to replace the original bridge swept away by a flood in 1892. (See Picture #41). It in turn was relaced by the current bridge.

Old Bonar Bridge 2

Date unknown (1 comments)

The railway reached Tain in 1864. Tain station used to be a very busy place and employed c30 people in its heyday. It had several sidings, sheds, a water tank and a turntable but is now unmanned.
Most of Tain’s provisions arrived by rail. Before motor vehicles became more available horses and carts were used to transport the goods from the station.
This picture shows the station in the 1960's when it was still manned.
Picture courtesy of the Scottish Field magazine.

Tain Station c1960

1960 (5 comments)

A drilling rig in the Dornoch Firth making test bores to see what the underlying structure is like prior to building the Dornoch Bridge.

Test drilling Rig

1978

This truck has obviously met with a serious accident. It belonged to A Ross & Sons, Contractors, Fearn. The crash took place in the early 1960's. Does anyone know the story behind the crash? Was anyone hurt?

Crashed Truck

1963 (1 comments)

This photo of an early motor car was probably taken in Stafford Street, Tain near where Fox and McLean had their garage.
L to R - Morrison (banker); Dr Gilles; CW Ross; Baillie D Macleod; WJ Munro (Rosemary Mackenzie's father); Alex Forsyth.
Can anyone identify the make of car and verify the date?

1920's Motor car?

1920 (4 comments)

This picture was taken outside Wilhaven House, Portmahomack.

Standard car - driver D Mackay

Date unknown

Meikle Ferry Station building as seen from the front (ie facing away from the railway line). The name of the station reflected the site's importance for an earlier form of transport. This building became the Meikle Ferry Inn and more recently its name was changed to the Dornoch Bridge Inn. Again a reflection of changes in communications.
See also Picture #202

Meikle Ferry Station

1890 (5 comments)

This shows a view of the station building and part of the platform and railway line. See also Picture #201

Meikle Ferry Station

1890

This Post Card of Edderton Station is postmarked Aug 1964 (or perhaps 1954 as it is not very clear). It is addressed to

Edderton Station

1954 (5 comments)

As Tain had no natural harbour, any goods brought by sea had to be dealt with in the manner shown. In this instance an Orkney Boat (puffer) has been beached at low tide below Glenmorangie distillery to off-load peats. The cargo had to be quickly transferred to the waiting horse drawn carts before the tide changed.

Unloading peat for Glenmorangie Distillery

1925

This photo taken looking up King Street is of the first motor cycle combination to appear in Tain. Sitting in the sidecar is Charlie Ross; the man in the middle is Alex Forsyth, Alisdair Kinghorn's maternal grandfather. It is interesting to note how the appearance of King Street is now much altered especially on the left hand side. The steps, which can be seen in the background between the two men standing, have now gone. They led into a house occupied by an Alex Fraser (

Early motor cycle combination

1910 (2 comments)

The date of this potograph is not known, but the vehicle is a 1899 Wolseley. The car, with driver and co-driver, is shown on an unspecified country road. At the time the photograph was taken, vehicles taking part in this run would have to pass through all the towns now by-passed (Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Tain, etc)

Lands End to John O`Groats

1920

This picture shows a Sea Plane of the Royal Naval Air Service taking off from the estuary of Tain River. The river bank is lined with spectators and part of the suspension footbridge can be seen to the right-hand side of the photograph. Although not dated, it possibly relates to the earlier half of the twentieth century. See Picture #81

Seaplane on Tain River

1910 (1 comments)

The St Duthus Cycle and Motor Works was situated in Sutherland Street and was owned by Dan Mackay (father of Dods Mackay, Portmahomack).

St Duthus Cycle and Motor Works

1910

This was the first waterplane seen in the Tain area.
It was a 2 seater reconnaissance seaplane no. 129 of the Royal Naval Air Service. See Picture #148

Seaplane on Tain river

1916

With the horse and cart are Alex and Bella (nee Ross) Fraser, of 11 Main Street, Inver. Alex was born in 1844 and died in 1927. Bella was born in 1850.

Bringing home firewood, Inver

1900 (1 comments)

The boy on the tricycle is Lachie Gallie who was a message boy for Alexander's bakery located in Gladstone Buildings, King Street. The following is written on the back

Message boy on baker's delivery tricycle

1933 (5 comments)

This is the toll house on the A9 just to the south of Tain. It was built in the early 19th century as the collection point for the toll on this section of the road north from Inverness. It is an attractive building which at the time of the photograph had a well kept garden and a decorative fence separating it from the road. Following re-alignment, the road is now some distance away from the toll house and on its other side. The toll house itself is tucked away in the Roads Department depot.

The old toll house

1890 (3 comments)