31/08/2026
A round up of recent behind the scene activities at Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway:
Our permanent way team are out weekly working on the track and infrastructure, here digging out wooden sleepers previously dropped off with the works train using 6LDA Group 26038 ‘Tom Clift.’ Then the task of sliding in the new sleepers, fastening the metal chair, screwing it down and hammering in the key to lock the rail in place.
Good to see more progress on the Gresley Stock by SRPS volunteers over the last few months:
Gresley Teak coach Third Compaterment ‘TK ‘1002 has visited the Diesel Shed to get lifted and placed back onto its overhauled bogies, followed by the overhauled gangway faceplate fitted leaving some additional parts to go on including rubber bellows.
Alterations to the framework of ex Grangemouth Brake Teak coach brake third compartment ‘BTK’ no. 62515 are under way reverting the vehicle back to original design rather than a tool van and taking shape with newly manufactured luggage doors being trial fitted. A lot of scraping, sanding and painting in the brake cage too (along with relocation of the handbrake!).
Don one of our C&W volunteers who is working on the Grangemouth Brake (LNER 62515) reports he has “come across a door ventilator which is stamped 18248 (also post-1946). Several others from this carriage are stamped 16123 which was its number after the 1946 renumbering, so they are original, but this door, with its slightly fancy "hit and miss" sliding ventilator seems to come from a composite carriage built to diagram 130 which was built at York in 1938. Why build new when you can steal something ready made? See photos. The carriage has 16 doors all of which take ages to either renovate 12 doors or make four new doors to complete it.”
The Birkhill signal box has progressed in recent months, back in June ‘26 scaffolding could still be seen while the roof was being finished, our permanent way team photographed it today after the scaffolding was removed, giving us a better idea how it will look.
SRPS Railtours have run several successful Railtours in recent months with more planned, pop over to their page to find out more.
We hope you enjoy this brief round up of work behind the scenes! Thanks to our volunteers for allowing use of their images to showcase our work.
Interested in volunteering at Bo’ness?
Look for the link in comments below to start the process.
