Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway and Museum of Scottish Railways

📌 Heritage railway & museum in Bo’ness, Falkirk
★★★★

The Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway seems to be curiously little-known, even to many Scots, yet this is the longest heritage railway in the Scottish Lowlands. Combined with the adjacent Museum of Scottish Railways, I think it forms one of Scotland’s very best transport-related attractions. Steam trains run along a five-mile route between Bo’ness town centre and Manuel (with two little-used, intermediate stations), with views of tidal mudflats, rolling farmland and the wooded River Avon gorge. The route brings the old Slamannan and Borrowstounness branch line back to life – a passenger line which once connected with the rest of the UK network just west of Linlithgow, but closed in the early 20th century. The museum is excellent too, with three large exhibition halls showcasing engines, carriages and wagons from across Scottish space and time. Highlights include several restored LNER locomotives, a vintage carriage from the Glasgow Subway, a letter-sorting coach once used by the Royal Mail, and a new viewing gallery where you can see rolling stock under repair.

🌍 Location

📌 Bo’ness Station is off Union Street (A904), 10-min walk east of Bo’ness town centre, with museum adjacent. Railway also has stops at Kinneil, Birkhill & Manuel

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 003817

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.017937,-3.600335

🚌 Bus to Bo’ness

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

⌚ Trains generally run Tuesday & weekends, April to October, plus some additional school holiday dates – check official website. Musuem: daily, late March to late October; also many weekend / holiday dates, November to February

🎫 Railway: £16 adult / £9 child for return ticket. Museum: £7 adult / £2 child. Combined ticket available

🔗 bkrailway.co.uk