Description of railway Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway

1 description of railway

1.1 pier railway
1.2 upper works railway
1.3 portal incline railway
1.4 branch adit 10
1.5 branch shaft/intake 7
1.6 treig–laggan railway
1.7 branch shaft c

description of railway

the principal location on railway factory area (or base camp prior opening), there various facilities such locomotive , speeder shed. of sidings here of mixed gauge (3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge , 4 feet 8 1⁄2 inches (1,435.1 mm) standard gauge).

the railway whole comprised network of lines follows:

pier railway

the pier railway ran base camp (near factory site) pier on loch linnhe. built enable construction materials brought in. length 1.75 miles (2.82 km). crossed on west highland railway , mallaig extension railway of lner on separate bridges east of mallaig junction (as known).

later, decision made retain pier railway delivery of alumina , despatch of finished aluminium ingots. original railway, however, not on suitable alignment passed through proposed site inverlochy village , crossed a82 road on level. construction of permanent pier railway commenced in 1927. crossed west highland railway on bridge west of mallaig junction. bridge no longer in situ.

it had been intention permanent pier railway worked electric traction, supplied overhead lines, never implemented. in addition, bridges , embankments built wide enough double track, line remained single track throughout life.

upper works railway

this far longest part of rail system, running 19 miles (31 km) base camp valve shafts located loch treig. first part of railway climbed steeply 4.25 miles (6.84 km) @ gradients of 1 in 30 or 1 in 25. there 90 bridges on line. of bridges timber trestles subsequently rebuilt in steel using suitable scrap material factory. near middle point of railway, @ location known central , there triangle turning trains.

portal incline railway

this short branch line joined upper works railway close base camp. climbed height of 550 feet (167.6 m). wagons hauled electric winch @ top of incline, had maximum gradient of 1 in 2½.

branch adit 10

this branch connected upper works railway , 0.75 miles (1.21 km) in length.

branch shaft/intake 7

this branch connected upper works railway , 0.5 miles (0.80 km) in length.

treig–laggan railway

this branch line 3.25 miles (5.23 km) in length. built in 1930, ran junction upper works railway laggan dam on loch laggan. branch crossed on west highland railway @ fersit on 26-span timber trestle bridge. of bridge gradually filled in form embankment.

branch shaft c

this branch connected treig–laggan railway , ½ mile in length.