Almond Valley Light Railway


The Almond Valley Light Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway running at the Almond Valley Heritage Trust site at Livingston, Scotland. The railway operates at weekends between Easter and the end of September and daily during some school holiday periods. There are two stations, both with waiting shelters and run round loops. A small two-road loco shed is provided at the heritage centre end of the line. There is a storage siding here also.

Locomotives

The line uses only internal combustion locomotives. It has never intended to use steam locomotives and therefore has no facilities for them. The railway is home to a number of electric locomotives ; however, these are not used. All of the battery locomotives are likely to require new batteries before being used again.
NameBuilderTypeDateWorks numberLiveryNotes/Current StatusPhoto
Oakbank No.2Baldwin10491902unknownWorked at the Oakbank Oil Company on one of the first electric railways in Scotland. Museum exhibit inside heritage centre building. Fitted with trolley pole to collect current from the Oakbank System's overhead wires. On loan from National Museums of Scotland.
HunsletHunslet Engine Company104919402270Worked at the RNAD Broughton Moor depot in Cumberland. Fitted with air braking. Occasionally used on passenger train.
Greenwood104919411698Flameproof "steeple cab" battery electric. Worked at ROF Bishopton and ROF Bridgwater. Has been cosmetically restored. Stored.
BarclayAndrew Barclay1970557Blue.ex-ICI explosives factories at Ardeer and Powfoot. Fitted with air braking. This locomotive is in full working order and usually operates the passenger train.
Brook Victor1972?Yellow Worked at ROF Bishopton. Lightweight battery locomotive for moving explosive products around within the storage bunkers. These locos were referred to at Bishopton as "tractors". Stored.
Brook Victor1972612Yellow Worked at ROF Bishopton. Lightweight battery locomotive for moving explosive products around within the storage bunkers. These locos were referred to at Bishopton as "tractors". Stored.
Brook Victor1974698Yellow Worked at ROF Bishopton. Lightweight battery locomotive for moving explosive products around within the storage bunkers. These locos were referred to at Bishopton as "tractors". Stored.
Brook Victor1974700Yellow Worked at ROF Bishopton. Lightweight battery locomotive for moving explosive products around within the storage bunkers. These locos were referred to at Bishopton as "tractors". Stored.
ScruffyHunslet Engine Company19737330RedStored. Worked at ROF Bishopton.
Baguley-Drewry19803572YellowAcquired in February 2004. Previously worked at the RNAD Dean Hill naval depot in Hampshire. Fitted with air braking. Undergoing overhaul.
SimplexMotor Rail198140SPF522Yellow Worked at ROF Bishopton and ROF Bridgwater. Latterly cannibalised for spares at Bishopton. Stored.

Rolling stock

The railway's passenger stock consists of three air braked coaches constructed on-site using ex-RNAD wagon underframes. An ex-RNAD all steel bogie brake van also forms part of the passenger train. In addition to this, the railway has a small selection of ex-RNAD wagons.

Track

The railway's gauge trackwork consists of flat-bottomed rail mounted using pandrol clips onto Costain concrete sleepers. All track is ex-RNAD. There are some seven sets of points on the route, all of which are manually controlled by an adjacent lever.

Signalling

The railway operates on the "one engine in steam" principle and has no signals. A single line token is carried by the locomotive using the line.