Blog Rogera Farnwortha

[rogerfarnworth]

The Llanfyllin Branch and Oswestry to Llanymynech – Part 1 …

The Llanfyllin Branch was featured in an article by Stanley Jenkins in the October 2003 issue of Steam Days magazine. [3]

The immediately adjacent Tanat Valley Light Railway is covered articles elsewhere. They can be found on the links included in the linked article.

The two lines ran into the hills to the Southwest of Oswestry. The local Cambrian network is shown diagrammatically in the linked article. ....

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/02/21/the-llanfyllin-branch-and-oswestry-to-llanymynech-part-1/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Mother of All Inventions?

When and why were railways created? What were the circumstances which brought about their existence?

History does not make it easy to take out one example from a steady continuum of change. ...There have been tracks or plateways since Roman times. You might say that these could be brought within the term railway and therefore the Romans invented the railway.

Except there were railways of a sort, at least as far back at 600 BCE, possibly going back even further, maybe as far back as 1000 BCE. The clearest example of being the Diolkos Trackway, a paved trackway near Corinth in Ancient Greece which enabled boats to be moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth.

For many people, however, the railways began with the Stockton and Darlington (S&D), though I'm sure people appreciate that history is not always as simple as it may seem.

The linked article is based on a short three page article by David Wilson which he wrote in the early 1990s, entitled, 'Mother of Inventions'. It explores some of the significance of the development of the railways and why they seem to hold a special place in our national consciousness.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/03/03/the-mother-of-all-inventions

There will always, and inevitably, be more to say about the development of railways than can be covered in a short article. Some discussion of how those development occurred would be worthwhile in the context of the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway later in 2025. I have been asked to prepare a talk about Stockton & Darlington railway for a special interest group in East Shropshire and considering its importance will preoccupy me in coming months. I hope this first article will be of interest to some readers.

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Caledonian Railway...

Wikipedia tells us that “The Caledonian Railway (CR) was one of the two biggest of the five major Scottish railway companies prior to the 1923 Grouping. It was formed in 1845 with the objective of forming a link between English railways and Glasgow. It progressively extended its network and reached Edinburgh and Aberdeen, with a dense network of branch lines in the area surrounding Glasgow. It was amalgamated into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923. Many of its principal routes are still used, and the original main line between Carlisle and Glasgow is in use as part of the West Coast Main Line railway (with a modified entry into Glasgow itself).”

The linked article looks at the development of the Caledonian Railway. ...

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/03/20/the-caledonian-railway/

Other articles which focus on different parts of the Caledonian Railway include:

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2024/12/22/the-callander-and-oban-railway/

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2024/07/16/the-caledonian-railway-rail-motor-car/

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/01/01/the-ballachulish-railway-line-part-1/

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/01/02/the-ballachulish-railway-line-part-2/

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/01/05/the-ballachulish-railway-line-part-3/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

Rt Revd Eric Treacy MBE LLD

Flicking through a number of old magazines passed to me by a friend here in Telford, I came across a supplement published by The Railway Magazine in December 1990, “Eric Treacy: The Classic Years.”

Treacy's photographs are now in the National Archive collection at Kew They are ©Crown Copyright and covered by an Open Government License which permits copying of images in the collection for non-commercial use. This covers the photographs from the collection which were reproduced in the 1990 supplement.

The Rt. Revd. Eric Treacy MBE, LLD, Lord Bishop of Wakefield from 1968 until 1976, died on Appleby Station on 13th May 1978. He left behind a large collection of railway photographs, taken over more than four decades.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/03/22/rt-revd-eric-treacy-mbe-lld/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

San Sebastian's Urban Tramway, Funicular and Aerocar, and the 'Spanish Aerocar' at Niagara Falls.

A variety of different forms of transportation in and around San Sebastian in Spain and an interesting link with Niagara Falls!

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/03/2...car-and-the-spanish-aerocar-at-niagara-falls/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Highland Railway's Strathpeffer Branch...

The featured image shows Strathpeffer Railway Station in 1928. Locomotive No. 16118, one of a class of three locos designed by William Stroudley. Built in 1869 at the Highland Railway’s Lochgorm works in Inverness, they became known as ‘Lochgorm Tanks’ and this loco carried the number 56 when first built and the name ‘Balanin’, and later ‘Dornoch’. All three passed to the LMS in 1923 when they lost their names and are widely believed to be the basis of the LBSCR Terrier design that Stroudley produced later in his career. This loco and sister No. 16383 were broken up in 1927, although the third lasted until 1932, © John Mann Collection, used with the kind permission of Nick Catford. [30]

Stanley Jenkins comments: “Situated at the head of a fertile valley some five miles inland from the Cromarty Firth, Strathpeffer was once famous as a health spa and fashionable holiday resort. Although the medicinal value of the local mineral springs had been known for many years, the village did not really develop until the Victorian era when the Countess of Cromartie was instrumental in creating a Central European-style spa in this remote part of Scotland.” [1: p53]

When the first section of the Dingwall & Skye Railway opened on 19th August 1870 the Strathpeffer area became much better connected. However, the new line ran well to the North of the village. The line had a station named ‘Strathpeffer’ but it was 2 miles from the spa and at a much higher level. The station ended up in that location because of the opposition of a local landowner to a far better route for the Dingwall & Skye line, which would have passed through the village. The result was a steeply inclined (1 in 50) line climbing to the summit at Raven Rock. ...

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/03/23/the-highland-railways-strathpeffer-branch

 

[rogerfarnworth]

Genova (Genoa) Addendum – Light Rail & Modern Tramway, August, September & October 1995 – including La Guidovia del Santuario della Guardia

After completing the series of articles about Genova's transport system at the end of 2024, beginning of 2025, I came across a series of three articles in the 'Light Rail & Modern Tramway Journal' dating from 1995. This article covers those three pieces. …

Written, 30 years ago, Barry Cross' articles help us to engage with the changes to the transport systems in Genova over the decades.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/03/25/genova-genoa-addendum-light-rail-modern-tramway-august-september-october-1995-including-la-guidovia-del-santuario-della-guardia

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Highland Railway’s Fortrose (or Black Isle) Branch

Stanley Jenkins tells us that “The opening of the Inverness & Rossshire Railway between Inverness and Dingwall on 11th June 1862 brought the benefits of rail transport to a prosperous farming area in Ross & Cromarty. The line was completed throughout to Invergordon on 25th March 1863, while a series of subsequent extensions eventually resulted in the creation of the Highland Railway’s ‘Far North’ line between Inverness and Wick. Inevitably the 161½ mile ‘Far North’ line omitted large numbers of places that would have benefited from direct rail links, and for this reason several branch-line schemes were put into effect during the latter part of the 19th century.” [1: p48]

“The Black Isle peninsula, between the Beauly and Cromarty Firths, became the focal point for two such schemes, only one of which was successful.” [1: p48]

Wikipedia tells us that “The Highland Railway was surprised when in 1889 the Great North of Scotland Railway (GNoSR) proposed the construction of a railway to Fortrose, … The GNoSR operated a network from Aberdeen and the nearest place to Inverness served by it was at Elgin, some distance away. The branch would have been detached from the owning railway, but running through the Black Isle it would have made a junction with the Highland Railway at Muir of Ord. A ferry operation from Fortrose to Ardersier, on the south side of the Moray, was included in the plans. Ardersier was then known as Campbelltown, and a railway branch to it was included. Two other schemes striking into Highland territory were proposed at the same time, elevating Highland Railway discomfort about its competitive position.” [2][3]

“The two companies had been adversaries for some time, and in 1883 and the following years there had been a state of continual warfare over junctions, frontiers and running powers. … The Highland saw at once that if this branch were built, it would be easy for the GNoSR to demand running powers into Inverness to reach its branch, and in that way the rival company would have gained access to the Highland’s stronghold.” [2]

After considerable ‘argument’ between the two companies, the GNoSR and the Highland Railway each submitted Bills to the UK Parliament for a line to Fortrose. ...

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/04/01/the-highland-railways-fortrose-or-black-isle-branch

 

[rogerfarnworth]

‘Arresting’ Runaway Wagons

British Railways Illustrated Volume 5 No. 5 of February 1996 included an article about the LNWR goods yard at Edge Hill, Liverpool.

In 1850, the Edge Hill yards occupied 40 acres, with room for 1,782 wagons. By 1873, the yards spread over 104 acres and could accommodate 3,215 wagons. In 1894, they were 200 acres in size, with 60 miles of lines with a capacity of 6,828 wagons. At the turn of the 20th century there was still space on the site for further expansion, if required.

The gradient across the site meant that wagons moved around the site under their own weight. To prevent dangerous runaways a system of hooks attached to heavy chains was employed at key locations across the site.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/04/06/arresting-runaway-wagons/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

King's Cross and St. Pancras Railway Stations: Renaissance 1990 to 2025

In June 1990, The Railway Magazine issued a supplement entitled 'King's Cross Renaissance: The History, Development and Future of Two Great Stations' by PWB Semmens MA, CChem, FRSC, MBCS, MCIT.

Semmens introduces the supplement by highlighting first the 1846 'Royal Commission on Railway Termini Within or in the Immediate Vicinity of the Metropolis' which recommended that “surface railways should remain towards the outskirts, and fixed a ring of roads around the city, beyond which they should not penetrate.” [13]

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/04/1...as-railway-stations-renaissance-1990-to-2025/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Killin Railway, UK

Back in November 2000, Michael S. Elton wrote about the Killin Branch in BackTrack magazine. The featured image for this article is the front cover of the November 2000 (Volume 14 No. 11) issue of the magazine. It depicts ex-Caledonian Railway Class 439 0-4-4T No. 55222 shunting at Killin on 4th September 1958, © Derek Penny. [1]

“At first glance appearing to be no more than an offshoot of the picturesque and spectacular Callander & Oban Railway, the Killin Railway was a wholly independent company in its own right for the first 37 years of its working life. The Killin Railway Company endured for almost all of its independent years under the patronage of one of Scotland’s wealthiest men. The local people promoted the village railway company in 1881 and the line was run under their management from its official opening on 13th March 1886 until its independence was reluctantly conceded to the LMS from 1st June 1923. In absorbing the Killin Railway Company the LMS accepted some £12,000 of debt accumulated over the years of its independence and paid the remaining shareholders just 8% of the face value of their original investment, in full settlement of the enforced transaction. During the years of independence and before they were absorbed into the LMS, the train services of both the Killin and the adjacent Callander & Oban Companies were worked by the Caledonian Railway Company as integral parts of its system.” [1: p624-625]

The linked article looks at this short branch line. ...

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/04/12/the-killin-branch/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Killin Railway, UK

An online acquaintance sent this link to me.

From 4 minutes 17 seconds into the film, it shows some views of Killin Railway Station

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Highland Railway, Scotland again

The Highland Railway as a Company is long-gone. Many of its routes area still in use, others have been abandoned. This thread will hopefully cover the majority of the Highland's lines. ...

H A Vallance notes that in the years prior to the coming of the railways to the North of Scotland there was a series of different initiatives intended to improve transport links. The first were the roads built by General Wade (250 miles of military roads) which “were quite unsuited to the requirements of trade operating under peace-time conditions.” [17: p11] The biggest contribution to raid development was made by Thomas Telford. He “was appointed to survey for new roads and for the improvement of existing highways. In the course of… 17 years he constructed about 920 miles of road, and built some 1,200 bridges.” [17: p11] But it was the coming of the railways to the Highlands, that most effectively addressed the regions transport problems.

Earlier articles about the Highland Railway network can be found here:

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/04/01/the-highland-railways-fortrose-or-black-isle-branch;

and here:

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/03/23/the-highland-railways-strathpeffer-branch;

These two articles cover the Strathpeffer Branch and the Fortrose Branch respectively.

Trains Illustrated No. 18 which was published in 1976 focused on The Highland Railway. [1] The introductory article, 'Highland Retrospect', was written by Paul Drew. [1: p4-11]. The linked article starts from Drew's article to begin looking at the Highland Railway's network.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/05/01/the-highland-railway-part-1/

Further articles will follow in due course. ...

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Industrial Railways of Skye and Adjacent Islands - Part 1

In April/May 2025 we had a holiday on Skye and as part of that started finding out about the history of industrial railways on Skye and immediately adjacent islands.

The first we investigated was a line used to carry Diatomite from Loch Cuithir to Lealt on Skye the linked article below looks at that industry and follows the line. ...

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/05/01/the-railways-of-skye-part-1-loch-cuithir-to-lealt/

Other articles will follow in due course. ....

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Highland Railway’s Fort George Branch

This short branch was established to bring a railhead closer to Fort George.

The featured image in the linked article shows Highland Railway No. 29 at Fort George Railway Station in Ardersier in charge of a train of four wheel coaches.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/05/03/the-highland-railways-fort-george-branch

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Railways of Skye & Adjacent Islands – Part 2 – The Talisker Distillery Tramway

The Talisker Distillery Tramway was a short 2ft-gauge tramway which opened in 1900 and closed in 1948. It ran from Carbost Pier on Loch Harport, along the Harport shore to Talisker Distillery and was used to transport materials for Talisker Distillery.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/05/03/the-railways-of-skye-part-2-the-talisker-distillery-tramway/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

Industrial Railways of Skye and Adjacent Islands

Part 3 – The Skye Marble Railway

The featured image for this article is the only photograph I have been able to find of ‘Skylark’, the locomotive which for a matter of only a few years operated on the Skye Marble Railway. Further notes about the locomotive can be found in this article. An information board across the road from Kilchrist Church, features Skylark at the head of a train of wagons. [5]

Some sources say that in 1904, an aerial ropeway was constructed to transport marble to Broadford Pier from Kilchrist Quarries (alternatively known as Kilbride Quarries or Strath Suardal). The quarries were used to excavate marble. [1][2] Other sources talk of the line being worked first by horses. [14] There was an incline between the upper and lower Quarries at Kilchrist which appears to have been rope-worked. It is most likely, given the length of line from Kilchrist to the quay at Broadford and the relatively shallow gradients, that the line from the marble works down to Broadford was worked by horses, but it is entirely possible that an aerial ropeway was employed. Nothing remains of the line beyond the formation which now carries a footpath once South of Broadford, and, as will be seen below, some rails in the surface of the pier at Broadford.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/06/0...acent-islands-part-3-the-skye-marble-railway/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

Dereham, Norfolk, UK - Dereham (East Dereham) Station, Norfolk

An article in the magazine Railway Bylines, in the September 2002 edition written by Orson Carter prompted a look at the railway system in Dereham Norfolk. [1]

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/05/31/derehameast-dereham-station-norfolk/

 

[rogerfarnworth]

The Industrial Railways of Skye and Adjacent Islands

Part 4 – The Raasay Iron Ore Mine Railway

There is an excellent book by Laurence & Pamela Draper, which they self-published in 1990, entitled “The Raasay Iron Mine: Where Enemies Became Friends.” I picked up a copy second-hand from an online sales site. That book covers the operation on Raasay in some detail. This article looks at the railways involved.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/05/2...-islands-part-4-the-raasay-iron-mine-railway/

L. & P. Draper tell us that “Just before the First World War the Scottish coal and iron-ore mining, and iron-smelting, firm of William Baird and Company opened up an iron-ore mine on the Island of Raasay in the Inner Hebrides. … In association with the mine, Baird’s built several kilometres of narrow-gauge railway, a crusher, five calcining kilns, a huge ore hopper and a reinforced concrete pier. Many aspects of the installation, such as this pier, diesel-electric power generation and the provision of powerful external electric lighting, were very advanced for their time.” [1: pV][3: p146]

The BBC tells us that “William Baird and Co. Ltd … owned the Raasay estate and initiated the mine’s operations. The mine was developed just before the war and was crucial in providing iron ore for the British war effort, with the ore being transported to Ravenscraig for smelting.” [2]