...and Leadhills
Almond Valley...
9/10 September 2000
Another trip to Edinburgh presented itself in
early September, this time with wife and
family. Daughter would be staying overnight
in her brother's flat, leaving the good lady
and me with freedom of movement while
they headed for the "Dali" exhibition. Only a
year or two ago, they would have been far
more interested in a "Dalek" exhibition....
The Almond Valley Railway is a 2' 6" gauge railway which has
been developed at the Almond Valley Heritage Centre at
Livingston. The Scottish new town was built in the area once
famous for its oil industry - oil shale was mined and processed in
the area until the 1960s. Under development on the site is a
museum based on the industry; one of the exhibits will be a 2'6"
gauge overhead electric locomotive built in 1902 by the US
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
company Baldwin, which worked in the
area.
The Baldwin was not snappable; however
several other locos were on display at the
station, or available to view in and behind
the shed. The day's driver was most
helpful in enabling me to get some of the pictures.
We had a ride along the short but pleasant route to Almondhaugh
station, where a weir diverts the "lade" for the mill around
which the agricultural parts of the museum are based. We
walked back, taking the opportunity for one or two pictures of
the train en-route (the aforementioned mill stream preventing
too much freedom of movement for photography....).
Link:
Almond Valley Heritage Centre
We stayed overnight at South Queensferry,
for an excellent meal and some more of
that rather nice "Deuchar's" ale at the
Hawes Inn. And just look at the view we
had from our hotel room window....
After a good breakfast, it was back to
Edinburgh to pick up daughter, and away southwards towards the
M74. Instead of joining the motorway, however, we drove down
through Abington, there taking the road to Leadhills, high in the
Lowther Hills.
The 2' gauge railway here is being built on the trackbed of the
standard gauge line opened in 1901, the Leadhills and
Wanlockhead Light Railway. Built by the Caledonian Railway, it
was closed completely by the LMS at the end of 1938.
Its narrow gauge successor is based at Leadhills station, and
extends westwards to the summit on the county boundary,
currently the limit of the track. The summit, at 1498' above sea
level, marks the highest point in the UK reached by adhesion-
only passenger trains. The ultimate intention is to get trains
through to Wanlockhead, though this will require some
negotiation before it can be completed.
Today's locomotive was "Clyde", Hunslet 6347 of 1975, hauling /
propelling a rake of three smartly-liveried coaches. We took the
short ride through the wild hill country to the summit station at
Glengonnar, passing on the way some of the remains of the lead
mines which were the line's raison d'etre. At the summit the
driver and guard gave us a short explanation of the aims and
objectives of the project. My daughter, who has become rather
familiar with train rides which are just that, was particularly
impressed, especially by the honest comment that "we're only
playing trains"!
A quick guided tour of the loco shed was available on return to
Leadhills. Resident today were "Luce" RH7002/0467/6 of 1966,
"Nith" HC DM1002 of 1956, "Elvan" MR9792 of 1955, "Little Clyde"
RH7002/0467/2 of 1966, and the line's only steam loco,
Orenstein & Koppel 6335 of 1913 (currently undergoing
rebuilding following some years of inactivity). I had met either
"Luce" or "Little Clyde" before (I don't know which), when I found
it working on a contract in Southampton (BR) tunnel in 1983,
and, oddly one of the line's brake vans, when it was a derelict
Motor Rail at Moodiesburn peat works near Glenboig. It's nice to
meet old friends again!
Lastly we paid a visit to the shop, before heading back for the
M74 and home. This had been a most interesting and enjoyable
interlude, made more enjoyable by the friendly and informative
staff. Highly recommended for a stop if you're ever heading up
(or down) the road between Carlisle and Glasgow during the
operating season.
Link:
Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway
