Shandon Railwayman

OBAN TIMES AND ARGYLLSHIRE ADVERTISER, SATURDAY 24TH JANUARY 1959

B.R. MAN RETIRES AFTER 58 YEARS: MR JOHN MACDOUGALL, BRIDGE OF ORCHY

Mr John Swan MacDougall, Beinn Dorain, Bridge of Orchy, has retired after 58 years’ service with the North British, L.N.E.R., and finally British Railways. Mr Macdougall was employed on the Craigendoran-Fort William section all during his railway career.

A native of Lochaweside, Mr Macdougall spent most of his life in Bridge of Orchy where as a young man he served as a postman before joining the traffic department of the North British Railway. He was then employed as a porter at Shandon, in the Gareloch, but later returned to Bridge of Orchy to join the engineers’ department. He has served for the past 57 years on the permanent way.

In his youth and early manhood he contributed to the social life of the community by encouraging entertainment of all descriptions and was for a considerable time the master of ceremonies at the many dances held in the schoolroom. He was, in fact, responsible for the ‘railway dance’ which was an annual event for many years and which, on his retiral from the duties of M.C., went into abeyance. Possessed of a quick, witty and pawky sense of humour, he has been a general favourite with all his colleagues and fellow railwaymen.

Despite his advanced years Mr Macdougall is very alert and continued with his daily task until he retired.

An elder of the Strathfillan Church of Scotland and church officer of the church at Bridge of Orchy, Mr Macdougall is to receive suitable recognition for his unfailing services, both as a railwayman and as a churchman. Already he has the British Railways gold watch for 45 years’ service.