History From Wiki - Because I tried to write my own and it was awful.
The Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway was a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge industrial railway. It was a relatively long line, built for the construction and subsequent maintenance of a 15-mile-long (24-kilometre) tunnel from Loch Treig to a factory near Fort William in Scotland. The tunnel was excavated to carry water for the Lochaber hydroelectric scheme in connection with aluminium production by British Aluminium. The railway came to be known colloquially as the 'Old Puggy Line'.
The railway had a number of sections including:
- Pier railway, a 1.75 mile long branch running from the main base camp to the pier on Loch Linnhe.
- Upper works railway, a 19 mile section which made up most of the line, this report is from that section.
- Portal railway, An incline connecting the sea level pier branch with the upper works railway.
- Adit 10 Branch, 0.75 mile branch to adit 10
- Shaft 7 Branch 0.5 mile long
- Trieg - Laggan branch, 3 mile branch connecting the Upper works railway to Laggan dam
- Branch to Shaft C 0.5 mile
This made for a network of around 25 miles.
The railway was orignally only to be used for construction but was kept in use for maintenence until 1977 when some of the trackbed was washed away. It was then decided to move over to road transport as the forestry people had made better roads in the area.
The explore
I had come across this railway when doing some research online and finding this website. What I really want to see were the trestles, as there isn't many of them left in the UK anymore. The weather was as expected ie. windier than dogger bank but it managed to stay dry long enough to finish my walk. The best part about Scotland is not having to worry about someone catching you wandering about where you shouldn't be.
First off is a map of what this report covers
I started off at Bridge 15 which carried the railway at an impressive height above Allt Leachdach. I guee they chopped either end of the bridge to stop people playing on them.
The other side of the bridge and the worst part of the day - getting over that fence
The railway continues across the moorland
Past a ballast pit
Rail used as a post
Next up is bridge 14, where only the abutments remain.
Remains of Bridge 13 over Allt Easain with some metal plates.
I think this is where bridge 12 was
note the old steel sleepers in the embankment
Over the Moors again
Bridges 10/11 cross Allt Beinn Chilanaig
After even moor moorland I reached bridge 9
Lone telephone pole
The trackbed running along the side of the hill
Bridge 8 over Cruiadh Allt
The cross supports are made of flat bottom rail
The Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway was a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge industrial railway. It was a relatively long line, built for the construction and subsequent maintenance of a 15-mile-long (24-kilometre) tunnel from Loch Treig to a factory near Fort William in Scotland. The tunnel was excavated to carry water for the Lochaber hydroelectric scheme in connection with aluminium production by British Aluminium. The railway came to be known colloquially as the 'Old Puggy Line'.
The railway had a number of sections including:
- Pier railway, a 1.75 mile long branch running from the main base camp to the pier on Loch Linnhe.
- Upper works railway, a 19 mile section which made up most of the line, this report is from that section.
- Portal railway, An incline connecting the sea level pier branch with the upper works railway.
- Adit 10 Branch, 0.75 mile branch to adit 10
- Shaft 7 Branch 0.5 mile long
- Trieg - Laggan branch, 3 mile branch connecting the Upper works railway to Laggan dam
- Branch to Shaft C 0.5 mile
This made for a network of around 25 miles.
The railway was orignally only to be used for construction but was kept in use for maintenence until 1977 when some of the trackbed was washed away. It was then decided to move over to road transport as the forestry people had made better roads in the area.
The explore
I had come across this railway when doing some research online and finding this website. What I really want to see were the trestles, as there isn't many of them left in the UK anymore. The weather was as expected ie. windier than dogger bank but it managed to stay dry long enough to finish my walk. The best part about Scotland is not having to worry about someone catching you wandering about where you shouldn't be.
First off is a map of what this report covers
I started off at Bridge 15 which carried the railway at an impressive height above Allt Leachdach. I guee they chopped either end of the bridge to stop people playing on them.
The other side of the bridge and the worst part of the day - getting over that fence
The railway continues across the moorland
Past a ballast pit
Rail used as a post
Next up is bridge 14, where only the abutments remain.
Remains of Bridge 13 over Allt Easain with some metal plates.
I think this is where bridge 12 was
note the old steel sleepers in the embankment
Over the Moors again
Bridges 10/11 cross Allt Beinn Chilanaig
After even moor moorland I reached bridge 9
Lone telephone pole
The trackbed running along the side of the hill
Bridge 8 over Cruiadh Allt
The cross supports are made of flat bottom rail
