Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway

Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway
Bo'ness
Kinneil
Birkhill

The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway is a heritage railway in Bo'ness, Scotland. It is operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS), a registered charity,[1] 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.

A view of the railway at Bo'ness
Steam train crossing the Avonbank Viaduct south of Birkhill

Stations

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The railway has three main stations and small halt:

Rolling Stock

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Steam locomotives

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Most of the steam fleet have had major industrial careers in Scotland, but a few ex-mainline types are also in constant service.[2][3]

Operational

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Number & name Description History & current status Livery Owner(s) Build Date Photograph
No.419 (55189)[4] Caledonian Railway 439 Class 0-4-4T Returned to traffic in the middle of October 2018 after an absence of 9+12 years. Caledonian Railway Blue. SRPS 1907  

Undergoing overhaul/restoration

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Number & name Description Current status Livery Date Photograph
No. 62712 Morayshire[4] LNER Class D49 4-4-0 Under overhaul. N/A. 1928  
No. 80105[5] BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T Overhaul being undertaken by LOGS. BR Lined Back 1955  

Stored/static

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Number & name Description Current status Livery Date Photograph
No. 673 (65243) "Maude".[4] 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".[4] GNSR Class F (LNER Class D40) 4-4-0 On display in the museum, on loan from Riverside Museum. GNSR Green 1920  
No. 3442 (61994) "The Great Marquess".[4] 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.[6] BR Lined Black 1938  
No. 45170 "Sir William McAlpine".[4] 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  
No. 42. (68095)[4] NBR G Class (LNER Y9 Class) 0-4-0ST On static display in the museum. NBR Brown/Green 1887  

Heritage diesels

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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. 25235[7] BR Bo-Bo Class 25 Undergoing overhaul. BR Blue 1964  
No. 26038[7] BR Bo-Bo Class 26 Generator away for repairs. BR Blue 1959  
No. 26024[7] BR Bo-Bo Class 26 Out of service for bogie overhaul. BR Blue 1959  
No. 27001[7] BR Bo-Bo Class 27 Operational, overhaul completed in 2021. BR Blue 1961  
No. 27005/D5351[7] BR Bo-Bo Class 27 Under overhaul in the MMPD. BR Blue 1962  

Multiple units

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The DMUs do not see much service.

Number & name Description Current status Livery Date Notes Photograph
Unit 51017+59404+79443+51043[8] 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)[8] BR Class 303 Undergoing restoration. Strathclyde Orange and Black (61503 is in Carmine/Cream) 1960 61503 from unit 023 after 032s MBSO damaged during its stay at Immingham docks  

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Scottish Railway Preservation Society, Registered Charity no. SC002375". Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
  2. ^ "Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway : About the trains".
  3. ^ "Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway". 8 August 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Preserved Locomotives of British Railways 2023, p. 30.
  5. ^ Preserved Locomotives of British Railways 2023, p. 45.
  6. ^ "The Great Marquess starts a new chapter of its life back in Scotland at The Museum of Scottish Railways". Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway. 26 September 2017. Archived from the original on 27 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d e Preserved Locomotives of British Railways 2023, p. 118.
  8. ^ a b Preserved Locomotives of British Railways 2023, p. 134.
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