Transport resource pack

Over the centuries the way we travel has changed a lot - from the long history of using horses and carts to the 19th and 20th century inventions of bikes, cars and aeroplanes. On this page you can watch videos about transport in the Highlands, look at examples of documents, and find some related activities!

Learn with Lorna videos about transport in the Highland Archive Service collections:

LWL 13: Transport LWL 34: The Caledonian Canal LWL 42: Operation Snowdrop LWL 57: The growth of Highland tourism LWL 61: Drovers and Hamilton's auction mart LWL 71: Railways in the Highlands LWL 72: Boats, ferries, and the Meikle Ferry disaster LWL 106: The crossing of the three firths LWL 107: Customs and excise records LWL 177: Ships, coasts and lifeboats LWL 237: A&J Macpherson, horse and motor hirers

These documents and photographs show boats, ships, helicopters, trains and stagecoaches, used to transport not only people but letters, parcels and goods.

A black and white photograph shows a train engine in the foreground which has just passed over a long sweeping curved viaduct in the background. There is a rural landscape on either side

Train passing over Culloden Moor Viaduct, 1951

A black and white photograph shows a large sailing boat with its sail unfurled drawn up to a quayside. There are around 15 people on board in Victorian dress.

Kessock Ferry with passengers, 1896 (www.ambaile.org.uk)

A black and white photograph of a bicycle with one large front wheel and a much small rear wheel

Penny farthing

A black and white photograph shows rural landscape in the background with two horse-drawn vehicles in the foreground. The lefthand one is a small cart with a man standing next to it. The righthand one is a larger vehicle with passengers sitting on top

Stagecoach driven by Charles Fraser of Ullapool

A book open with two pages visible. The page is headed SS Clan Ranald II , 1906. It records outward sailings and inward sailings under multiple headed columns

SS Clan Ranald Outward and Inward Sailings, 1906

A section of a page with multiple handwritten entries under printed column headings including 'year and number of the certificate of registry', 'name of ships and vessels...', 'tonnage and how registered', 'whether employed in the foreign, coast, or fishing trade', 'master's name...' and 'men or boys usually employed'

Ships registered at Inverness port, 1788-89

A small note in elegant handwriting in brown ink on pale cream paper

Letter by John Baillie to his father, 1766

In January 1955 virtually all of Scotland north of the Caledonian Canal was cut off by one of the most severe winters ever experienced. Isolated communities were unable to get out to get food or any other supplies and the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy had to be mobilised to help them. This venture was named “Operation Snowdrop”. These photographs show supplies being delivered and sheep being rescued as part of the operation.

Transport related activities

One of the documents we’ve uploaded is a short note from John Baillie to his father Alexander, written in 1766. We deliberately haven’t given you a typed copy. Can you see if you can read it and write out a copy?
What do you think travel ad transport might look like in the future? Using our space diary template, write about your life and work in space!
Create a picture which includes as many types of transport as you can. Perhaps a railway bridge going over a river with a plane in the sky?
Find out about a great transport inventor and create a project on him/her including as much information as you can find!