RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted September 30, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 30, 2011 Over the years seen quite a few 'romanticised' narrow gauge layouts, but what of the real ones: I have a little list of lines which I have researched, visited the locality, in some cases even walked the trackbed. Hoping to open this up to more lines/info etc. With my house being very close to or possibly even on the route: Campbeltown to Machrihanish -possibly the 'patron saint' of Scottish narrow gauge? - there are even kits available of some of the rolling stock in 4mm and 7mm - tempted- maybe? Ardkinglass Estate, small set up, possible works railway not sure if passengers carried, defunct very early Fort William, an industrial railway, of which bits can still be found. Broadford Marble line a 3 ft gauge quarry to dock, most of which can be walked or cycled. - there was another line on Skye to the road North of Portree, before kilt rock, anyone want to fill in the gaps? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbg06003 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Russ, I recently acquired a book via Kindle - 'Scotland Island Railways' by James Carron - its pretty cheap too. It attempts to document all such enterprises and does seem pretty comprehensive. A word of warning, this is one occasion where the paper format may well be greatly superior to the electronic as it just aint the same sitting down with the iphone and a decent (island) malt and browsing through it. Comprehensive it may be but inspiring it aint. If you want, I could list the lines covered.... HTH Bruce Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted October 2, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2011 If you want, I could list the lines covered.... Go on then! - will look out for the book anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold John B Posted October 3, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 3, 2011 There was a narrow gauge slate railway on the tiny island of Easdale - probably not far as the Herring Gull flies from you, Russ, but remote - only accessible by boat from Seil or Luing. I've walked the trackbed, it's splendidly desolate and atmospheric. Not much by way of information or photos on the web, though.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbg06003 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Go on then! - will look out for the book anyway. Deep breath.... Ailsa Craig/Arran/Belnahua/Bute/Easdale/Fidra/Flannan/Iona/Islay/Lewis/Luing/Mull/Orkney/Raasay...... you get the picture. Note to save space I've just listed the islands - some of which had more than one system. In fairness to the author, I'll leave it at that. I've not seen a hardcopy but it would be worth looking out for. ....and exhale. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted October 4, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 4, 2011 Tom Dauben has done a great deal of research on Scottish Narrow Gauge and the initial results from about 40 lines are on his web site here http://hlrco.wordpress.com/scottish-narrow-gauge/ His excellent Blog has more information and you will also find details of his layouts and modelling plans for the future http://hlrco.wordpress.com/blog/ Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bahram Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Superb book published by the Narrow Gauge Society called 'The Puggy Line, The Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway" by Patrick Howat (ISSN 0142-5587) and (ISBN 987-0-9554326-0-6, 96 pages. The book contains highly detailed maps, some superb photographs and as well as the history of the line it gives a comprehensive stock list. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
invercloy Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Tom Dauben has done a great deal of research on Scottish Narrow Gauge and the initial results from about 40 lines are on his web site here http://hlrco.wordpre...h-narrow-gauge/ His excellent Blog has more information and you will also find details of his layouts and modelling plans for the future http://hlrco.wordpress.com/blog/ Mike Ah, my pet subject... Thanks for the plug for my site, Mike As Mike has indicated I'm in the process of putting together a layout, this is based on a proposed Scottish NG line that I found details of in the National Archives, the website documents the building of it but i've also expanded it to cover general Scottish NG to try and pull together all information on Scottish lines into one place. This side of the site is very much a work in progress, so many pages simply contain the text 'coming soon' until I get around to writing about them. However an indication of what I want to do ultimately is on the Kinlochleven Railway page: http://hlrco.wordpre...hleven-railway/ Anyway, here's the list I have so far: Constructed lines: Aberdeen Golf Links Railway Alford Valley Railway Almond Valley Railway Auchencorth Moss Peat Railway Aviemore Light Railway Bedley Timber Company Railway Bishopton Ordnance Railway British Aluminium, Foyers, Loch Ness Campbeltown & Machrihanish Railway Carnwath Peat Railway Cladence Moss Peat Railway Creca Moss Peat Railway Dalmunzie House Hotel Railway Dornoch Forest Railway Dundee Gas Works Railway Eastrigg MoD Railway Fort George Range Target Railway Gardrum Moss Peat Railway Glasgow Gas Works Railway ICI Explosives Railway Killoch Colliery Railway Kinlochleven Railway Leadhills & Wanlockhead Railway Letham Moss Peat Railway Lochaber Railway Longannet Colliery Railway Mull & West Highland Railway New Pitsligo Peat Railway Nutberry Moss Peat Railway Ord Quarry Tramway Ryeflat Moss Peat Railway Scottish Industrial Railway Centre Skye Marble Railway Springfield Moss Peat Railway Storr Lochs Hydroelectric Plant Tramway Stornoway Waterworks Railway Talisker Tramway Distillery Tentsmuir Railway Tyndrum Gold Mine Railway Whim Moss Peat Railway Proposed lines: Balloch & Loch Lomond Railway Garve – Ullapool Railway Hebridean Light Railway Leverbugh – Branahuie Railway Mull of Kintyre Railway I'm aware there are a few missing, but if you can think of any please feel free to let me know and I'll add them in. Thanks for the pointer towards James Carron's e-book, I'd not come across that before... just downloaded it for a read. The Puggy Line is a cracking book, as is Nigel MacMillan's book on the Campbeltown & Machrihanish. There are also a series of small books on Scottish NG lines by a chap called Wilfred Sims, worth looking for. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bahram Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I have a mate working on a 4mm layout of Leadhills, but is getting stuck with some of the buildings as to what they looked like, any area anybody could suggest for research or pics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bahram Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 This site maybe of interest to you. The last time I was up there about 5 years ago, maybe more, the track was still there but just abondoned. I no idea where the locos are now but were kept for a while in Kincaid's Works, now long demolished. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchal_Moor_Railway Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvdlcs Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Not sure if this is in scope of the original query but I believe that there was a light/NG railway many years ago around the estate of the Earl of Elgin. Presumably used to move material around the grounds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted October 5, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 5, 2011 There is more on Scottish Narrow Gauge in another topic here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/38112-minor-ng-lines-in-the-waverley-hinterland/page__pid__406563&do=findComment&comment=406563 However this is in the Waverley section Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Constructed lines: .......... Proposed lines: ......... I'm aware there are a few missing, but if you can think of any please feel free to let me know and I'll add them in. Tom, I see you are considering quarry tramways. There was one in Craigmuschat quarry (sometimes spelled Craigmuschet) in Gourock. It shows on the 1:2500 maps for 1914 and 1938-39 for the area. I grew up in the 1950s and 60s just up the road from the quarry and remember an elevated structure outside the quarry buildings which had been part of the tramway. But I don't remember seeing anything moving on it - in fact, I don't remember if there were even rails still on it. I can't find any description of the tramway online. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngusDe Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Does the 4'4" gauge Fordell Railway count?..... Angus (posting from Dalgety Bay) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngusDe Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Tom, I've always been interested in the Hebridean Light Railway, although more so in the proposals for Lewis, as both my parents came from the Isle and every childhood summer holiday was spent there. Looking at what you have managed to dig up in your researches, I was taken with how much their proposed Stornoway site looked like the station at Campeltown. My musings on such a layout had always drawn heavily on the C&M for inspiration (RAF Machrihanish had been my first posting in 81) having walked the line and explored the remnants on many occasions in the early 80s. I also fondly remember Nigel MacMillan's layout at ModelRail in theMaclennan Galleries many moons ago! A rather more exotic flight of fancy I had was that the lines were built as standard gauge light railways with train ferries to the mainland.... Angus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
invercloy Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Angus, I think the proposed line on Skye definitely had a train ferry proposed as part of the Highland Railway line in 1896. Stornoway station would indeed have had more than a passing resemblance to Campbeltown... sounds like you need to model it Tom, I see you are considering quarry tramways. There was one in Craigmuschat quarry (sometimes spelled Craigmuschet) in Gourock. It shows on the 1:2500 maps for 1914 and 1938-39 for the area. I grew up in the 1950s and 60s just up the road from the quarry and remember an elevated structure outside the quarry buildings which had been part of the tramway. But I don't remember seeing anything moving on it - in fact, I don't remember if there were even rails still on it. I can't find any description of the tramway online. Interesting, I've not heard of that one. I'll add it to the list when I next update the site, along with any others mentioned here that I've not already included. Russ, apologies for rather pinching the purpose of the thread.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Proposed lines: I'm aware there are a few missing, but if you can think of any please feel free to let me know and I'll add them in. There was a line proposed on Arran. It was one of the ones planned post WWI, intended to use surplus narrow gauge military railway equiment. The route was from Lamlash pier, round the Southend of the island to Blackwaterfoot. It is mentioned on one of the books on the Highland Railway, either Nock or Vallance, I can't remember which off hand. There was an actual line on the island too. It ran from Sannox barites mines down to the sea, crossing the road on a bridge and ending on a pier to load ships. I have never heard of any locomotives being used on the line and it is pretty much certain it was worked by gravity for the full wagons and horses or manpower to get the empties back to the top again. You can walk the trackbed and there used to be a few sleepers visble. In the areas of the mines you can find the remains of some stone buildings and what appears to be a loading dock of some kind. At one time you could find the remains of what looked like an iron bodied tipper wagon and the ironwork from a planked wagon but when I went up there a few years ago they were nowhere to be seen. Some pre-fabricated pointwork had been placed over the old mineshafts as some kind of protection to keep people out but they seemed to have gone too. Rusted away and fallen down the shafts perhaps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 There is more on Scottish Narrow Gauge in another topic here http://www.rmweb.co....563#entry406563 However this is in the Waverley section Mike Aye, we like to think we're comprehensive in our coverage, us Waverlites Doubt we've much more than scratched the surface, albeit I'd say our signature contribution would be the Stobs Camp railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
invercloy Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 There was a line proposed on Arran. It was one of the ones planned post WWI, intended to use surplus narrow gauge military railway equiment. The route was from Lamlash pier, round the Southend of the island to Blackwaterfoot. It is mentioned on one of the books on the Highland Railway, either Nock or Vallance, I can't remember which off hand. There was an actual line on the island too. It ran from Sannox barites mines down to the sea, crossing the road on a bridge and ending on a pier to load ships. I have never heard of any locomotives being used on the line and it is pretty much certain it was worked by gravity for the full wagons and horses or manpower to get the empties back to the top again. You can walk the trackbed and there used to be a few sleepers visble. In the areas of the mines you can find the remains of some stone buildings and what appears to be a loading dock of some kind. At one time you could find the remains of what looked like an iron bodied tipper wagon and the ironwork from a planked wagon but when I went up there a few years ago they were nowhere to be seen. Some pre-fabricated pointwork had been placed over the old mineshafts as some kind of protection to keep people out but they seemed to have gone too. Rusted away and fallen down the shafts perhaps. I knew of the barites railway, but not as much detail as you've added, so thank you. I'm intrigued by the proposal on Arran. I have to confess that I've not read my book on the HR by Vallance yet, so will see if it's in there - if not I'll hunt down a copy of the Nock version. Will add them to the lists in the next update. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I knew of the barites railway, but not as much detail as you've added, so thank you. I'm intrigued by the proposal on Arran. I have to confess that I've not read my book on the HR by Vallance yet, so will see if it's in there - if not I'll hunt down a copy of the Nock version. Will add them to the lists in the next update. There's no mention of a line on Arran in the Vallance book. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
invercloy Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Must be Nock then, thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted October 9, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 9, 2011 I've also just checked the Vallance book, and though Chapter 7 deals with schemes that failed, inlcuding Ullapool, the Skye lines and the Lewis lines, there is no mention of Arran. I would uggest that Arran wold be dealt with under either a history of the Glasgow and South Western or of the Caleadonian, depending on which company was backing the scheme. The Valance book does have excellent maps of the schemes that it deals with. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
invercloy Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 I can go one better than Vallance's map for the Skye and Lewis proposals: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 There's a short article on various (proposed) railways in Scotland on the BBC website today: http://www.bbc.co.uk...slands-15187431 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 There's no mention of a line on Arran in the Vallance book. Maybe I am mis-remembering then. I know I have it in a book somewhere. It was in a list of lines proposed by the Rural Transport (Scotland) Committee. Unfortunately my copies of both Highland Railway books are packed away somewhere in overly optimistic anticipation of a move of house so I can't check. Whilst looking for them though I did find Nigel Macmillan's book on the Campbelltown and Macrihanish. That discusses some quite extensive proposals for lines in Argyll connecting to the C&M and running to Tarbert and Skipness, a branch from the C&M to Southend (That is Southend, Kintyre not Southend-on-Sea, Essex. ) and an amazingly ambitious proposal for a line from the C&M to the Caledonian at Dalmally or the North British at Arrochar. He also has some information on the barytes railway in Glen Sannox on Arran and apparently it was a balanced rope-worked gravity powered line with a passing loop at half way. Edit: It seems the Arran railway proposal has already been mentioned on RMweb http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37528#p575828 This says the line was to run from Brodick but I seem to recall the proposed distance didn't reach Brodick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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