Throwback Thursday to a special steam visitor

November 8, 2018 | Culture

The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway had a visitor of note in 2013.

Central Scotland’s steam railway by the Firth of Forth is run by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society.

And they welcomed the 60009 Union of South Africa, an LNER Class A4 steam locomotive built in Doncaster in 1937, to their tracks.

It is one of six surviving Gresley A4s, and is currently operational and mainline certified until April 2019 when it will be permanently withdrawn. It was briefly renamed Osprey during part of the 1980s and 1990s due to political opposition against apartheid South Africa at the time.

Photo: Angus Blackburn

It came to Bo’ness Railway station in 2013 as part of its tour of Scotland, and our photographer Angus Blackburn was there to record the moment.

The Society operates the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, which has been developed since 1979 on a reclaimed site on the south shore of the Firth of Forth.

Several historic buildings have been obtained and re-erected to provide a traditional railway setting. Bo’ness station opened in 1981. The line was extended to Kinneil in 1987 and to Birkhill in 1989.

Photo: Angus Blackburn

The traditional booking office is located in the former Wormit station building. This building, which was relocated from the south end of the Tay Bridge, also contains ladies and gents toilets. The adjacent modern building houses the Station Buffet, gift shop and toilets suitable for disabled visitors.

Click HERE to find out more about the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway.