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It occurred to me the other day that Scotland had a fair number of light railways, ie those built after the Light Railways Act in 1896. They are an interesting source of ideas for modelling projects, and I have had one planned for a while. Many more lines were planned but those actually built are listed below. 

 

I don't think there is a single book which deals with them all,  though there is a book on Scottish narrow gauge lines now (they were even rarer) including some fascinating grouse moor lines.

https://amentapublishing.wordpress.com/history/scottish-narrow-gauge-railways/\

 

Also see https://hlrco.wordpress.com/scottish-narrow-gauge/

 

There is quite a lot of web based information on specific lines from http://www.railbrit.co.uk/ and http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/ as well as Wikipedia on most lines:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_Railways_Act_1896

 

Worth noting that Scotland had a number of Private Railways which were not the same thing and often much older, being built mainly for mineral working (not as public railways) across private lands, but not strictly light railways - eg:

 

Wemyss, Fordell, Carmyllie Private railways (see post below).

 

There were many industrial lines in the Lowlands & Central Scotland, some of length & complexity. There were also long branch lines such as the Lochty Railway which became a Private Railway after preservation but it was not built as a light railway. Some of the branch lines built after 1896 you might have expected to be  built as light railways, but they were not, eg Ormiston-Gifford, Boddam-Ellon branches. Some light railways were independent and some built by the main line companies. So its a complicated field.

 

WJK Davies 'Light Railways' (1964) and other writers did not list all the Scottish light railways. Here is the starter list based on Wikipedia.

 

Please add comments on omissions , errors.

 

Especially welcome photos & sources of information from books & articles on any of these:

 

Bankfoot Light Railway

Cairn Valley Light Railway to Moniaive

Campbeltown & Machrihanish Light Railway (narrow gauge)

Carmyllie Light Railway (passenger service)

Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway (not completed or opened)

Dornoch Light Railway

Fraserburgh & St Combs Light Railway

Lauder Light Railway

Leadhills and Wanlockhead Light Railway

Maidens and Dunure Light Railway

Wick & Lybster Light Railway

 

 

Dava

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Thanks John

 

Your link is to the best set of Fraserburgh & St Combs photos I've seen, interesting to see 46460 with the angle-iron cowcatcher bolted on front & back. 

 

Sister engine 46464 was 'The Carmyllie Pilot' but also ran to St Combs, and has its own website http://www.br46464.co.uk/

It is now being restored at Bridge of Dun.  I did not know the Carmyllie Railway passenger services were covered by the Light Railways Act. Carmyllie had a tiny station ideal for the space-starved modeller which can be seen in one of Ian Fraser's photos on this site:

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/93303764@N04/8496610405/in/photostream/

 

Dava

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Dava, 46464 and 46463 were known as the Carmyllie Pilots. Both Dundee engines and worked the line for years. I actually remember going round what was then Dundee diesel depot and to my surprise in amongst all the usual blue diesels was 46464, I can't remember the year but it must have been her move from Dundee to the Strathspey Rlwy.

 

John

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Dava, 46464 and 46463 were known as the Carmyllie Pilots. Both Dundee engines and worked the line for years. I actually remember going round what was then Dundee diesel depot and to my surprise in amongst all the usual blue diesels was 46464, I can't remember the year but it must have been her move from Dundee to the Strathspey Rlwy.

 

John

 

I think she moved to the Strathspey in 1975... 

 

Yes the Carmyllie branch had its passenger service operated under the Light Railwasy Act from 1900 to 1929 - the line itself was operated by the Dundee and Arbroath Joint Railway..

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  • 4 weeks later...

Especially welcome photos & sources of information from books & articles on any of these:

 

Bankfoot Light Railway

Cairn Valley Light Railway to Moniaive

Campbeltown & Machrihanish Light Railway (narrow gauge)

Carmyllie Light Railway (passenger service)

Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway (not completed or opened)

Dornoch Light Railway

Fraserburgh & St Combs Light Railway

Lauder Light Railway

Leadhills and Wanlockhead Light Railway

Maidens and Dunure Light Railway

Wick & Lybster Light Railway

 

The image from an original negative that I selected for my web site's "Picture of the Week" this week (2015/29) features ARGYLL on the C&MLR at Campbeltown:

https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Picture-of-the-week/PotW-2015/i-3DD59dr/A

 

The thumbnail images for this year's PotW's is: https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Picture-of-the-week/PotW-2015/

 

Mike M.

https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/

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It occurred to me the other day that Scotland had a fair number of light railways, ie those built after the Light Railways Act in 1896. They are an interesting source of ideas for modelling projects, and I have had one planned for a while. Many more lines were planned but those actually built are listed below. 

 

...

Especially welcome photos & sources of information from books & articles on any of these:

...

Cairn Valley Light Railway to Moniaive

 

Maidens and Dunure Light Railway

 

 

 

Dava

Hi, these two lines have good books available.  The Cairn Valley book has been around for a number of years, published by the Oakwood Press.  

 

The Maidens & Dunure line book is much more recent.  I *think* it is also Oakwood Press, but I may be mistaken - despite it being home territory I have not yet got round to buying a copy.  It looks good though, from a cursory flick through.

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Thank you, Oakwood Press also do a good book on the Lauder Light Railway and the Leadhills and Wanlockhead Light Railway.

 

Dava

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  • 4 months later...

Another light Railway that was authorised, but was never built was the Loch Fyne Light Railway.

 

This is mentioned, with a rough plan of the intended route  in the book 'The New Railway, by John McGregor.

 

Senically it would have been superb, but I can well understand why it was never built!

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Peter,

 

The Caley also proposed a competing line to Inveraray built to be built to light railway standards.

I've always assumed this was a "land grab" to prevent incursion by the North British into Caley territory.

Given the circuitous nature of the route I would have thought the steamer service would have provided a quicker route to Glasgow and onward.

 

The proposed line was to leave the C&O mainline at Dalmally and run down the side of Loch Awe.

I believe the primary objection to the line was from Inveraray Castle, the terminus would have been just out side the walls.

This objection meant the land could not be secured.

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  • 2 years later...

Just found this topic Dava. I have ordered a second hand copy of Iain Sutherland’s ‘Wick & Lybster Light Railway’ after reading the article in the April issue of ‘BackTrack’. I passed the interesting, and somewhat dilapidated, Thrumster Station every year when I took my daughter to Highland dancing competitions in Caithness. Glad it has now been restored by the local community. I did wonder back then about the history of the railway. Planning to spend a couple of days up there this summer to see what remains are still visible in the landscape of the line and it’s buildings. Will post some photos here if there is anything of interest. This is another great topic for modelling!

 

All the best, Marlyn

 

post-33019-0-75910400-1526920588.jpeg

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Thanks Marly,

 

That's interesting as I wasn't even aware of that book! It goes on my 'books to track down list' and aim to go & see someday.

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Its a bit of a ramble through the life and times of the line and the community rather than a "proper" railway history as done by the likes of Oakwood. The author is a local amateur historian rather than a railway aficionado but it does have a place on the shelf if interested in the history of the place.

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Thanks, Ben Alder. I am also quite interested in the social side of railway history, as you know. Are there any other publications or articles specifically about the Wick and Lybster Light Railway which you could recommend?

 

Marlyn

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There have been several magazine articles over the years on it, all saying much the same thing really. I know I have one or two stashed away somewhere but laying my hands on them might take time...I'll see what I can find..e

I think there was an article in one of the railway magazines recently....will see if I can find.

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The current (May) issue of 'Railway Bylines' has an article on the Dornoch Light Railway.

Although I have not seen it, Historylinks Museum in Dornoch produced a 90 minute DVD about the Dornoch Light Railway. http://www.historylinks.org.uk/dvds

Also check out Ben Alder's blog on this Forum for his notes about his layout based on The Mound, which was the junction from the main line for the Dornoch Light Railway. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/62/entry-4066-moundwork/

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Another light Railway that was authorised, but was never built was the Loch Fyne Light Railway.

 

This is mentioned, with a rough plan of the intended route in the book 'The New Railway, by John McGregor.

 

Senically it would have been superb, but I can well understand why it was never built!

Hi Peter, have you any further info on this book, availability or ISBN etc; a Google search drew a blank?

TIA.

Martyn.

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There was a narrow gauge slate railway on the island of Easdale.

 

Details are hard to track down but remains of the quarry (and wagons) can be found at the Easdale Folk Museum.

 

Not really a Light Railway in the "act" sense of the word, but a fascinating relic and story nonetheless.

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There was a narrow gauge slate railway on the island of Easdale.

 

Details are hard to track down but remains of the quarry (and wagons) can be found at the Easdale Folk Museum.

 

Not really a Light Railway in the "act" sense of the word, but a fascinating relic and story nonetheless.

Do you know if the slate railway on Easdale was powered by an engine, gravity or horse power? The old quarry and brickworks at Lairg had a small tramway set-up where bricks were loaded onto small flat wagons and manually transported into the autoclaves. As you say, these are not ‘Light Railways’ in terms of the ‘Act’ but possibly another interesting subject for modelmakers?

 

Marlyn

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