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Late in the 19th Century, Donald Macdougall, the young Laird of Ardnacraish returned to Scotland from America, where his father, the Old Laird, had encouraged him to go "tae get some experience o' life - an' tae stop him spendin? ma money". Having worked for a time in the mining industry in Colorado, he was familiar with the narrow-gauge railways of the Rockies.
At that time, Ardnacraish was a thriving fishing port on the west coast of Scotland, with a successful distillery (home to "The Ardnacraish" - a particularly fine malt). The major railways had bypassed the town; the Young Laird saw an opportunity to grow the town's trade by linking it to the national rail system. His Colorado experience, plus the passing of the Light Railway Act in 1896, led to the construction of a 3 foot gauge line from Ardnacraish, through Bankfoot and on to the line's major engineering work at Bankhead Tunnel. The line then dropped down to Lochend, and on to an exchange with the North British Railway. Thanks to the Colorado connection, some initial stock, including the ALR's first loco, was of American manufacture.
The line opened with speeches, toasts to the prosperity of the enterprise, and much skirlin' o' the pipes in April 1902.
The Young Laird and his wife take the train:
The North British Railway, basking in the glow of its? Races to the North with the Caledonian Railway, saw an opportunity and took a large stake in the ALR a few years later. (It helped that there was some fine huntin' and fishin' for the NB directors in the hills above Ardnacraish..... ) The line prospered during the next 20 years - the limited road access over the wild moorland restricting competition. (Although the wagons carrying whisky seemed to suffer a lot of "shunting accidents" and damaged products which had to be disposed of by the train crew......). The Grouping of 1923 saw the NB stake pass to the London and North Eastern Railway, but in truth the high heidyins in Edinburgh and London paid little attention to this far-flung outpost of the empire.
Loco No 1, "The Wee Yank", descends from Bankhead towards Ardnacraish:
Motive power from British manufacturers was being acquired, following trials of potential locos:
Climbing towards Bankfoot Halt:
Bursting out of Bankhead Tunnel:
Re-gauged Baldwin on trials:
The heyday of the line was the 1920's; the great Depression of the 1930's started to take its? toll. Traffic declined, and services were reduced. However, an unlikely saviour of the line emerged in the form of a small Austrian ex-corporal with a toothbrush moustache and a penchant for world domination. As war clouds gathered, the Royal Navy selected Ardnacraish as the training base for convoy escorts. Under the energetic command of Vice-Admiral Sir Vincent Murray-Forbes KCB DSO, the base put corvettes, destroyers and frigates destined for the Battle of the Atlantic through their working-up programme. Upgrading of the line, including an extension to the new Navy Quay, was carried out, and continual flow of men and material was a godsend to the line, which saw traffic rise to unprecedented levels.
Post-war story to follow.....
At that time, Ardnacraish was a thriving fishing port on the west coast of Scotland, with a successful distillery (home to "The Ardnacraish" - a particularly fine malt). The major railways had bypassed the town; the Young Laird saw an opportunity to grow the town's trade by linking it to the national rail system. His Colorado experience, plus the passing of the Light Railway Act in 1896, led to the construction of a 3 foot gauge line from Ardnacraish, through Bankfoot and on to the line's major engineering work at Bankhead Tunnel. The line then dropped down to Lochend, and on to an exchange with the North British Railway. Thanks to the Colorado connection, some initial stock, including the ALR's first loco, was of American manufacture.
The line opened with speeches, toasts to the prosperity of the enterprise, and much skirlin' o' the pipes in April 1902.
The Young Laird and his wife take the train:
The North British Railway, basking in the glow of its? Races to the North with the Caledonian Railway, saw an opportunity and took a large stake in the ALR a few years later. (It helped that there was some fine huntin' and fishin' for the NB directors in the hills above Ardnacraish..... ) The line prospered during the next 20 years - the limited road access over the wild moorland restricting competition. (Although the wagons carrying whisky seemed to suffer a lot of "shunting accidents" and damaged products which had to be disposed of by the train crew......). The Grouping of 1923 saw the NB stake pass to the London and North Eastern Railway, but in truth the high heidyins in Edinburgh and London paid little attention to this far-flung outpost of the empire.
Loco No 1, "The Wee Yank", descends from Bankhead towards Ardnacraish:
Motive power from British manufacturers was being acquired, following trials of potential locos:
Climbing towards Bankfoot Halt:
Bursting out of Bankhead Tunnel:
Re-gauged Baldwin on trials:
The heyday of the line was the 1920's; the great Depression of the 1930's started to take its? toll. Traffic declined, and services were reduced. However, an unlikely saviour of the line emerged in the form of a small Austrian ex-corporal with a toothbrush moustache and a penchant for world domination. As war clouds gathered, the Royal Navy selected Ardnacraish as the training base for convoy escorts. Under the energetic command of Vice-Admiral Sir Vincent Murray-Forbes KCB DSO, the base put corvettes, destroyers and frigates destined for the Battle of the Atlantic through their working-up programme. Upgrading of the line, including an extension to the new Navy Quay, was carried out, and continual flow of men and material was a godsend to the line, which saw traffic rise to unprecedented levels.
Post-war story to follow.....
