Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway

Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway
Legend
 Bo'ness
Kinneil
Birkhill
Manuel Junction
Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line
No.19 Awaiting Departure at Bo'ness

The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway is a heritage railway in Bo'ness, Scotland.[1] It is operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS),[2] a registered charity,[3] and operates a total of over 5 miles (8 km) of track (between Bo'ness and Manuel Junction, via Kinneil and Birkhill), virtually the entire Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway that became part of the former North British Railway on the Firth of Forth.

Stations

Bo'ness Station Sign

The Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway has four stations, those being: Bo'ness, Kinneil Halt, Birkhill and Manuel.[4]

Museum of Scottish Railways

The Museum of Scottish Railways Exterior

The Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway is also the home of the Museum of Scottish Railways.[5] The Museum is located across the tracks from Bo'ness station, entry is paid separately.[6]

Model Railway

Glenauchter Model Railway Station

Operated by the Bo'ness Gauge O Group, the Model Railway operates alongside the full-size Railway between Easter and December. It is free to enter for visitors but donations are accepted. It is housed inside two Norwegian Railway coaches with the 'viewing coach' open to the public and the 'fiddle yard' coach for staff only.[7][8][9]

Rolling Stock

Steam locomotives

Most of the steam fleet have had major industrial careers in Scotland, but a few ex-mainline types are also in service.[10][11]

Type Number & name Status Livery Notes Photograph
Neilson Reid 0-6-0T [12][13] No. 56377

(No. 1 "Lord Roberts")

Operational BR Black Usually painted as Thomas the Tank Engine
Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST[14] No. 5 Inoperative N/A There are no plans to restore this locomotive to operational condition in the foreseeable future.[14]
Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST[15] No. 7 Currently Inoperative N/A The intention was to returning the locomotive to service with a new 10 year boiler ticket in 2022.[15]
Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST[16] No. 68019

(No. 19)

Operational BR Black
Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T No. 20 Inoperative N/A Under overhaul
Caledonian Railway 439 Class 0-4-4T [17][18] No. 55189 [19] Operational BR Lined Black Returned to traffic in the middle of October 2018 after an absence of 9+1⁄2 years.
LNER Class D49 4-4-0 [20] No. 62712 "Morayshire" [19] Inoperative Under Repaint Under overhaul.
BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T [21] No. 80105

[22]

Operational BR Lined Back Came back into service in 2024
LMS Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0 [23][24] No. 45170 "Sir William McAlpine"

[19]

Inoperative Under Repaint Repatriated from Sivas in November 2010. Arrived at Bo'ness in November 2014 and currently awaiting restoration to working order, tender now being overhauled in the running shed.

Diesels

Former main-line diesel locomotives are abundant at the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, and a Summer and Winter Diesel Gala are held each year.

Class Number & Name Status Livery Notes Photograph
British Rail Class D2/10 D2767 [25] Inoperative BR Green
British Rail Class 08 08443/D3558[26] Currently Inoperative BR Green Undergoing overhaul
British Rail Class 20 20020 Inoperative BR Blue
British Rail Class 25 25235[27] Inoperative. BR Blue Undergoing overhaul
British Rail Class 26 26038 "Tom Clift" [27] Operational BR Blue
British Rail Class 26 26024[27] Inoperative BR Blue
British Rail Class 27 27001[27] Currently Inoperative BR Blue
British Rail Class 27 27005/D5351[27] Inoperative Under Repaint Under overhaul
British Rail Class 37 37025 "Inverness TMD"[28] Currently Inoperative BR Large Logo
British Rail Class 37 37214[29] Spares Donor BR Blue Repainted into BR Blue in late 2024.
British Rail Class 37 37261 "Caithness"[30] Inoperative Debranded DRS Compass Owned by the Scottish 37 Group
British Rail Class 37 37403 "Isle of Mull"[31] Operational and Mainline certified BR Large Logo Often does Mainline Railtours.
British Rail Class 47 47643 Currently Inoperative. Undergoing overhaul Scotrail Executive Red-Stripe

Multiple units

Type Power Number & name Current status Livery Notes Photograph
British Rail Class 117 DMU

Diesel

Set L425, (51363, 59510, 51405). And 51372 for spares.[32] Returning to service at the 2024 Winter Diesel Gala BR Green with speed whiskers

(51372 in BR Blue)

Purchased from the Cotswold Diesel Railcar Group in 2024.[33]
British Rail Class 126 DMU

Diesel

(formed of 51017, 59404, 79443, 51043)[34] Inoperative. Undergoing overhaul BR Green with speed whiskers 51017, 59404 and 51043 are now virtually complete and form an operational unit. 79443 is undergoing a heavy body restoration.
British Rail Class 303 EMU

Electric

303032 (formed of 75597, 61503, 75602)[34][35] Undergoing restoration. Strathclyde Orange and Black (61503 in Carmine/Cream) 61503 from unit 023 after 032s MBSO damaged during its stay at Immingham docks.[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway". www.bkrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Scottish Railway Preservation Society". www.srps.org.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Scottish Railway Preservation Society, Registered Charity no. SC002375". Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
  4. ^ "Bo'Ness & Kinneil Railway - Location Map". railtracks.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Home - Museum of Scottish Railways". museumofscottishrailways.org.uk. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Visit Us - Museum of Scottish Railways". museumofscottishrailways.org.uk. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Bo'ness model railway targeted in deliberate fire". BBC News. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  8. ^ Davidson, George (28 November 2024). "Bo'ness Gauge O Group Facebook".
  9. ^ "Bo'ness Model Railway". YouTube. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway : About the trains".
  11. ^ "Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway". 8 August 2017.
  12. ^ "No. 1 – Lord Roberts – SRPS Steam". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  13. ^ "0-6-0T COLTNESS IRON COMPANY NO.1 'LORD ROBERTS' - Museum of Scottish Railways". museumofscottishrailways.org.uk. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  14. ^ a b "No. 5 – SRPS Steam". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  15. ^ a b "No. 7 – SRPS Steam". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  16. ^ "No. 19 – SRPS Steam". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  17. ^ "No. 419 (55189) – SRPS Steam". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Caledonian Railway - Museum of Scottish Railways". museumofscottishrailways.org.uk. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  19. ^ a b c Preserved Locomotives of British Railways 2023, p. 30.
  20. ^ "No. 246 (62712) "Morayshire" – SRPS Steam". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  21. ^ "80105 – SRPS Steam". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  22. ^ Preserved Locomotives of British Railways 2023, p. 45.
  23. ^ "8F 'Sir William McAlpine' Appeal – SRPS Steam". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  24. ^ "7TCCD 45170 (WD554)". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. 4 July 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  25. ^ "scot-rail.co.uk » Boness and Kinneil Railway". www.scot-rail.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  26. ^ "scot-rail.co.uk » Class 08". www.scot-rail.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  27. ^ a b c d e Preserved Locomotives of British Railways 2023, p. 118.
  28. ^ "Class37.co.uk". www.class37.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  29. ^ "Class37.co.uk". www.class37.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  30. ^ "Class37.co.uk". www.class37.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  31. ^ "Class37.co.uk". www.class37.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  32. ^ "Class 117 – W51405, W59510 & W51363 – Cotswold Diesel Railcar". www.gwsr-dmu.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  33. ^ Garethgwrdiesel (18 October 2024). "GWR Diesel Dept Blog: One Groups' Loss..." GWR Diesel Dept Blog. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  34. ^ a b Preserved Locomotives of British Railways 2023, p. 134.
  35. ^ "GLASGOW ELECTRIC 'BLUE' TRAIN' EMU CARS - Museum of Scottish Railways". museumofscottishrailways.org.uk. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  36. ^ "Class 303's". Zenfolio | Scottish Trains Website. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
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