Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway facts for kids

The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway is a heritage railway in Bo'ness, Scotland. It is operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS), 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. Bo'ness railway station is the nucleus of the Museum of Scottish Railways.

The railway has three main stations and small halt:

• Bo'ness railway station at Bo'ness (i.e. Borrowstounness)
• Kinneil Halt (Request stop)
• Birkhill railway station
• Manuel Junction

A view of the railway at Bo'ness

Steam locomotives

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

Operational

Number & name	Description	History & current status	Livery	Owner(s)	Build Date	Photograph
No. 19.	Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST	No. 19 was purchased by the railway from Comrie Colliery. It returned to service in March 2015 following overhaul. Boiler ticket expires in 2024.	NCB Green		1954
No.419 (55189)	Caledonian Railway 439 Class 0-4-4T	Returned to traffic in the middle of October 2018 after an absence of 9+1⁄2 years.	Caledonian Railway Blue.	SRPS	1907
No. 1 Lord Roberts	Neilson Reid 0-6-0T	No. 1 was built by the former Glasgow-based company and was sold to Coltness Iron Company near Lanarkshire in 1902, and that year was named after a famous Field Marshal of the Victorian and early Edwardian eras. After many decades spent both in operation and in store, the National Coal Board acquired it for further duties in 1955. Major damage was the cause of withdrawal in 1968 and it was eventually donated to the SRPS for restoration and future use. Restoration was completed in 1996 and it became a fully licensed Thomas the Tank Engine replica for events. Boiler lifted back into the frames March 2017 and returned to service 13 May 2017.	Thomas the Tank Engine NWR Blue.		1899

Undergoing overhaul/restoration

Number & name	Description	Current status	Livery	Date	Photograph
No. 62712 Morayshire	LNER Class D49 4-4-0	Under overhaul.	N/A.	1928
No. 80105	BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T	Overhaul being undertaken by LOGS.	N/A.	1955
No. 17	Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST	Undergoing restoration at Scottish Vintage Bus Museum.	NCB	1950
No. 7.	Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST	Undergoing major boiler repairs. Will return to service with a new boiler certificate.	BR Black (as 68007)	1954
W.P.R. No. 20	Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T	Ex-Wemyss Private Railway. Restoration started in Spring 2019 with the stripping of components, as the next project after CR 419.	W.P.R. Brown	1939

Stored/static

Number & name	Description	Current status	Livery	Date	Photograph
No. 673 (65243) "Maude".	North British Railway Class C (LNER Class J36) 0-6-0	On display in the Museum of Scottish Railways.	BR Black	1891
No. 49 (62277) "Gordon Highlander".	GNSR Class F (LNER Class D40) 4-4-0	On display in the museum, on loan from Glasgow Transport Museum.	GNSR Green	1920
No. 3442 (61994) "The Great Marquess".	LNER Class K4 2-6-0	Arrived at Bo'ness in September 2017. To be displayed in the museum until the completion of owner John Cameron's new visitor centre in Fife.	BR Lined Black	1938
No. 45170 "Sir William McAlpine".	LMS Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0	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.	N/A	1942
"Fair Maid of Foyers".	3 ft (914 mm) gauge Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. 0-4-0T	Supplied new to Morrison & Mason, Bucknall. Locomotive has been fully overhauled, steam tested, and is on display in the Museum of Scottish Railways.	Lined Green	1899
No. 42. (68095)	NBR G Class (LNER Y9 Class) 0-4-0ST	On static display in the museum.	NBR Brown/Green	1887
"City of Aberdeen"	Aberdeen Gas Works 0-4-0ST	Stored undercover on display.	Blue	1887
No. 3 "Lady Victoria".	Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST	Static display at the National Mining Museum Scotland, following a cosmetic overhaul which was completed in March 2019	Newbattle Collieries lined green	1916
"Lord King"	Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST	masquerading as Percy for Thomas days.	Currently painted as "Percy".	1926
No. 3 "Clyde's mill".	Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST	Stored in the display shed, no plans for a return to steam.	Green	1928
"Lord Ashfield"	Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. 0-6-0F	Museum display.	Red	1931
No. 4	Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST	Stored, awaiting restoration.	NCB Black	1937
No. 3	Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST	Offsite at Fife Heritage Railway undergoing cosmetic restoration.	Blue	1937
No. 6.	Andrew Barclay 0-4-0TC	On static display in the museum.	Coalville Green	1942
No. 17.	Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST	Partially dismantled no plans for a return to steam.	N/A	1943
No. 24.	Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T	Stored in the display shed, no plans for a return to steam.	NCB Black	1953
No. 5.	Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST	Partially dismantled no plans for a return to steam.	N/A	1955

Diesel/electric shunters

As with almost all of the preserved lines in Britain, diesel shunters are predominantly used to move rolling stock and locomotives around the yard at Bo'ness.

Number & name	Description	Current status	Livery	Date	Photograph
None	Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engine Co. Ltd. 4w 0-4-0	Static display in the museum.	Dark Blue	1940
No. 1	Andrew Barclay 0-6-0DM	Static display in the museum.	Green	1941
262998	Ruston & Hornsby 4w Diesel-Mechanical 88DS 4wDM	Static display	N/A	1949
275883	Ruston & Hornsby 4w Diesel-Mechanical 88DS 4wDM	Stored	N/A	1949
No. P6687	Ruston and Hornsby 4w 0-4-0	Operational, regularly serves as a stock shunter.	Green	1951
321733	Ruston & Hornsby Diesel-Mechanical 88DS 4wDM	Operational.	Green	1952
"Tiger"	North British Locomotive Co. 4w 0-4-0DH	Static display in the museum.	Red	1954
"Texaco" No. 3	0-4-0DM	Operational at Scottish Vintage Bus Museum.	Red	1958
No. D3558.	BR 0-6-0DE Class 08	Operational.	BR Green	1958
No. D2767	BR 0-4-0 North British shunter	Operational.	BR Green	1960
No. 802	Ruston & Hornsby 4w 0-4-0DH	Stored.	N/A	1962
None	Motor-rail Simplex 3 ft (914 mm) gauge 4wDM	Stored	Green	1970

Heritage diesels

Former main-line diesel locomotives are abundant on the Bo'ness Railway, and diesel galas are held each year.

Number & name	Description	Current status	Livery	Date	Photograph
No. 20020	BR Bo-Bo Class 20	Out of service due to mechanical issues.	BR Blue	1959
No. 25235	BR Bo-Bo Class 25	Undergoing overhaul.	BR Blue	1964
No. 26038	BR Bo-Bo Class 26	Generator away for repairs.	BR Blue	1959
No. 26024	BR Bo-Bo Class 26	Out of service for bogie overhaul.	BR Blue	1959
No. 27001	BR Bo-Bo Class 27	Operational, overhaul completed in 2021.	BR Blue	1961
No. 27005/D5351	BR Bo-Bo Class 27	Under overhaul in the MMPD.	BR Blue	1962
No. 37025 "Inverness TMD"	BR Co-Co Class 37	On loan to Colas Rail	BR Blue Large Logo	1961
No. 37261	BR Co-Co Class 37	Under overhaul.	DRS Blue
No. 37067/37703	BR Co-Co Class 37	Operational.	BR Blue
No. 37403 "Isle of Mull"	BR Co-Co Class 37	Main line operation.	BR Blue Large Logo	1965
No. 47643	BR Co-Co Class 47	Operational.	ScotRail	1965

Multiple units

The DMUs do not see much service.

Number & name	Description	Current status	Livery	Date	Notes	Photograph
Unit 51017+59404+79443+51043	BR Class 126	Operational	BR Green	1959 (79443 was built in 1956)	51017, 59404 and 51043 are now virtually complete and form an operational unit. 79443 is undergoing a heavy body restoration.
Unit 303032 (formed of 75597+61503+75602)	BR Class 303	Stored awaiting restoration.	Strathclyde Black and Orange (61503 is in Carmine/Cream)	1959	61503 from unit 023 after 032s MBSO damaged by flashover

Coaching stock

The SRPS's stock at Bo'ness includes 67 passenger and light freight coaches. It is one of the most varied collections in the U.K.

LNER teak panel coaches

A small collection of LNER coaches reside at Bo'ness, though most of the collection has yet to be restored.

Norwegian coaches

Two of the railway's Norwegian coaches were originally restored and used on passenger trains, though they have since been grounded for other purposes.

Highland Railway coaches

The SRPS owns some of the last surviving HR coaches in existence today.

LMS coaches

Caledonian Railway coaches

Caledonian Railways stock was originally used with the CR 0-4-4T, but has seen little use of late due to the loco being out of traffic.

Number & name	Description	Current status	Livery	Date	Photograph
No. 426	Caledonian Railway 9-Compartment Non-Corridor	Stored out in the open in need of a full bodywork repair.	N/A	1914	~
No. 1375	Third Class Corridor Compartment	Operational, used on private functions and at special events.	CR Maroon and White	1921
No. 464	Brake Corridor Composite	Operational, used on private functions and at special events.	CR Maroon and White	1923

North British Railway coaches

As with the LMS and Caledonian coaches, none of the North British Railway coaches are in service on passenger trains.

Number & name	Description	Current status	Livery	Date	Photograph
No. 1184	4-Wheeled Four Compartment	Stored (body only).	N/A	Circa. 1870	~
No. DE773090	6-Wheeled Composite	Stored out of view (underframe only).	N/A	Circa. 1885	~
N/A	Third Class Six Compartment	Body grounded on the platform at Birkhill.	N/A	N/A	~
No. 461	Invalid Saloon	Repaint in progress.	NBR	1919
No. Sc3565E	Third Class Corridor Compartment	Used as a mess room.	N/A	1921	~
No. 467	Third Class Brake	Stored.	N/A	1921	~

Glasgow & South Western Railway coaches

BR Mk1s

The BR Mk1s were an abundant type of coach on the mainline in the early days of BR steam, and like the BR Standards, were built to be both durable and easy to maintain. Today Mk1s make up over 95% of all Bo'ness trains, generally made of three or four of them in Carmine/Cream, SRPS LMS Maroon.

BR Mk3s

Other coaches

The Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway's stock includes rare, or even unique, builds for special purposes.

Freight stock

Due to a lack of loops mid-journey, demonstration freight trains are restricted to the yard at Bo'ness.

Mineral wagons

In the days of steam wagons like these would have been used to transport coal across the country and into England and Wales.

Number & name	Description	Current status	Notes	Livery	Date	Photograph
Callander Coal Company No. 286	4-Plank Open Wagon	Static display in the museum.	Grease axleboxes, wooden frame, block buffers. Previously worked at Clyde Ironworks. Rebuilt from a 7-plank open wagon.	Callander Coal Company Grey	N/A	~
Carron Company No. 755	3-Plank Open Wagon	Static display in the museum.	Built by Carron Ironworks. Dumb buffers.	Brown	Circa. 1890	~
No. 65013	GSWR 8-Ton Double-Ended	Static display in the museum.	Number 65013 is fictitious. Fitted with NBR grease axleboxes, hence the North British Railway livery.	Loco Coal NB Grey	Circa. 1890
No. 189	RCH 12-Ton 7-Plank	Static display in the museum.	Wooden frame, oil axleboxes. This wagon previously worked at multiple collieries in Fife for the National Coal Board, as No. 1098.	Kinneil Sandy Red	1930	~
No. B579284	BR 16T Mineral Wagon	Operational.	Built by Pressed Steel at Linwood.	BR Grey	1957	~
No. B555710	BR 16T Mineral Wagon	Operational.	Built by Teesside Bridge & Engineering.	BR Bauxite	1958	~
No. B314632	BR 21T (with roller bearings)	Operational.	Built by BR at Derby.	BR Bauxite	1962	~
No. B314633	BR 21T (with roller bearings)	Operational.	Built by BR at Derby.	BR Bauxite	1962	~
No. B314636	BR 21T (with roller bearings)	Operational.	Built by BR at Derby	BR Rusted Grey	1962	~
No. 350001	EWS 32.5T HCA Hopper	Operational	Built by BR at Faverdale.	EWS	1964	~

Open wagons

These wagons would have been used for transportation of any goods in general

Brake vans

Brake vans are traditionally used either in front of, or behind trains.

Covered vans

These wagons were used to transport larger quantities of goods than open wagons,

Number & name	Description	Current status	Notes	Livery	Date	Photograph
3	Six-wheel Road Van	Stores van.	Body and underframe only. Used as an S&T store.	Blue	N/A	~
SAXA Salt No. 252	10T Salt Van	Static display in the museum.	Body only. The van was in use as a hay store on a farm near Hawick. SAXA Salt livery visible; restored to original condition and placed on underframe of tank wagon no. 7.	SAXA Salt Yellow	N/A
No. 5	10T Grain Hopper Van	Static display in the museum.	Built by Hurst Nelson at Motherwell. Ex-Leith General Warehousing Co. Ltd.	Grey	1897	~
No. 7232	GSWR 10T Goods Van	Static display in the museum.	One of only two surviving GSWR wagons. It is on static display although has run a few times.	GSWR Grey	1900	~
Leith General Warehousing No. 120	10T Grain Hopper Van	Static display in the museum.	Built by Hurst Nelson at Motherwell. Previously used by Leith General Warehousing Co. Ltd.	Leith General Warehousing Red	1903	~
No. 55251	LNWR 'Tranship' Goods Van	Static display in the museum.	Built by the LNWR at Earlestown.	LNWR grey	1910	~

Tanker wagons

Tankers were originally designed for the safe transportation of liquids.

Appearances in film, TV and media

• 2000 re-make of The Railway Children, filmed on the Bluebell Railway using No.673 "Maude".
• The railway themed episode of Bits and Bobs.
• 2008 re-make of The 39 Steps.
• Featured on the MacAulay and Co. radio programme on BBC Radio Scotland.
• Location of railway scenes from Case Histories, BBC One. 2011
• Ken Loach The Angels' Share at Birkhill Station for the opening with Actor Gary Maitland as Albert.
• Still Game one of the Episode Big Yin ending scene when Big Innes Clive Russell on the train.
• The film The Railway Man, starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman, is based on the autobiography of Eric Lomax. Made in 2013, it was released in January 2014.
• In the 2012 film Cloud Atlas, Jim Broadbent's character Timothy Cavendish alights at the station.
• In the 1991 Swedish film Den ofrivillige golfaren, a couple of scenes were filmed at Birkhill station.

Images for kids

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  Steam train crossing the Avonbank Viaduct south of Birkhill