Matt Ditch Photography Blog

  Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway - Argyll - 0-6-2T built 1906 by Andrew Barclay - 2ft 3inch light railway built in 1905 and closed in 1933 | The railway in its earliest form opened in 1876 linking Kilkivan Pit to a depot on the outskirts of Campbeltown. From here the coal was transported by road to the Campbeltown harbour. The railway replaced a canal which was built by in the late 1700s. The canal was closed and filled due to the inconsistent output from the pits it was built to serve. The primary market for coal from the pits were from locals, who only seemed to buy the coal in the colder winter months, meaning the railway was underused during summer months. Because of this, the colliery owners began to look for additional forms of traffic for the railway. The area was popular with tourists who arrived by boat and were transported around via horse & cart.  A light railway company (The Association of Argyll Railw...

Cawfields Quarry Railway   Kerr Stuart "Sirdar" class 0-4-0T "Vyrnwy" crossing high Mill bridge. The engine shed can be seen behind the wagons. The above picture can be seen on an information board for the burn neat the start of the walk. The orignal picture was taken by J.Keen. History & the route Many in the narrow gauge community will be familiar with the town of Haltwhistle as the planned terminus for the South Tynedale railway from Alston, who hope to return to the town within the next several years. But the South Tynedale won’t be the first narrow gauge railway within the town. By Roger Cornfoot © Creative Commons In 1905 a narrow gauge railway was constructed to link the Newcastle & Carlisle railway with the Whinstone quarry at Cawfields, near Hadrian’s wall. Part of the line was built on a pre-existing Tub way that linked South Tyne Colliery with the South Tyne Colliery screens at  Townsfoot. A number of bridges on the route and embankments had to be...