These are narrow-gauge railways at military establishments and former UK Government-owned explosives sites. These locations were often subject to the Official Secrets Act and other government restrictions, so many of them are less well documented.
The industrial use of narrow-gauge railways was quite extensive amongst the various military and civilian explosive factories, for example ICI Nobel's works at Ardeer and the Agency Explosive Factories run by ICI Nobel in the Second World War. In another example, the Ministry of Supply (MOS) Factory Dalbeattie used gauge with a variety of bogie trucks mostly pushed by teams of three to six women. Stores, explosives, chemicals, rubbish and sewage, were all transported on this narrow-gauge system, which used at least of track.
Weapons range railways
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesDOE Okehampton Gun Ranges?after 1979Okehampton, EnglandTarget railwayDOE Redesdale Ranges target railway??Redesdale, EnglandTarget railwayFort George Range??Inverness, ScotlandTarget railwayLydd Ranges1936PresentLydd, EnglandPrincipally a target railway, though also carries personnel and equipment around the ranges. At least 39 locomotives and powered trollies have worked here.National Rifle Association Bisley Tramways1898after 1971Bisley, EnglandThe NRA originally had a temporary shooting range and railway on Wimbledon Common but in 1888 moved to Bisley. Initially using a Merryweather steam tram locomotive, later using diesel locomotives.RAF Hell's Mouth target railwaylate 1930s1945?Abersoch, WalesA target range railway operated by hand or rope-hauled in the dunes southeast of the airfield.Romney Marsh weapons range railway before 1975present ?New Romney, EnglandLocomotive-worked network of lines across Romney MarshRowtor Target Railway1958?Okehampton, EnglandDisused target railway with an unmanned Wickham trolley
Armaments depots and ordnance factories
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesCAD Eastriggs Depot railway?closed 2012Eastriggs, ScotlandExtensive WW II armaments depot line using parts of the site of the former HM Factory, Gretna. A sub-depot of CAD Longtown.Priddy's Hardabout 1850about 1960 and also later Gosport, EnglandAmmunition transport railway, within the Royal Naval Armaments Depot, between store houses and piers. Eight battery-electric locomotives were used after 1929.Chatham Dockyard 1860s1930sChatham, EnglandInternal rail system serving the dockyard.Chattenden and Upnor Railway 18851961Chattenden, EnglandLight railway serving Chattenden barracks and armament storesDavington Light Railway 19161918Faversham, EnglandShort-lived metre-gauge line serving an Admiralty munitions factory. The three locomotives were sold to Brazil where at least one survived until 1988.Gunpowder Railway18591961Waltham Abbey, EnglandExtensive 11 miles of narrow gauge railway serving the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills site used for the transportation of the materials used in the creation of gunpowder and other explosives. Re-opened as a Heritage Narrow Gauge Railway in 2022.HM Factory, Gretna19161919Gretna, ScotlandExtensive WW I Cordite factory lineLodge Hill and Upnor Railway18731885Chattenden, EnglandServed the construction of the Chattenden and Upnor Railway.Royal Air Force Chilmark Depot railwaylate 1930s1995Chilmark, Wiltshire, EnglandExtensive WW II armaments depot lines using underground Chilmark Quarries and above-ground storage at satellite site at Dinton, Wiltshire.RAF Fauld Depot railwayby 1979Fauld, EnglandUnderground ammunition store during WWII with supply railway.Royal Arsenal Railway 18731966 and Woolwich, EnglandExtensive internal rail system serving the Royal Arsenal.RCAF Seaford Head target railwayafter 1939by 1945Seaford Head, WalesHorse drawn target range railway about 1 mile long.RNAD Broughton Moor railwaybefore 19431992Broughton Moor, EnglandLocomotive-worked line hauling ammunition around the depot.RNAD Dean Hill Depot railwaybefore 19422003West Dean, EnglandLocomotive-worked line hauling ammunition around the depot.RNAD Trecwn19381990Near Fishguard, West WalesLocomotive-worked line hauling ammunition around the depot. Infrastructure built of copper to reduce sparksROF Bishopton19401950s - 2000Bishopton, ScotlandApprox 80 miles of internal rail system serving the World War II Cordite factories.Royal Navy Holton Heath Cordite Factory19141946Holton Heath, EnglandExtensive explosives factory complex using battery electric and fireless steam locomotivesRoyal Navy Stokes Bay railway1880s1919Stokes Bay, EnglandSteam locomotive worked line.Royal Navy Underwater Weapons Establishmentafter 1979Weymouth, EnglandBattery-electric locomotive worked line.Vickers Engineering Wyke Regis Pier railway before 19211968Wyke Regis, EnglandPier railway used to transport torpedoes from the factory to ships.
National Filling Factories (WW1)
These factories were created during WW1 to unite the explosives, detonator, etc and the shell casings to make live munitions. This activity had the highest explosion risk, so precautions were very strict. They all followed a similar pattern in having standard gauge rail sidings separate from the filling area. These were used for delivery of the raw materials and for shipping out the products. The interior 'clean area' for filling comprised many small lightweight huts over a large area linked by raised walkways upon which lightweight gauge rail was laid. Trolleys with bronze wheels were normally moved by hand between these buildings, though ponies or horses were sometimes used.
Production ceased at the factories at the end of the war, though some of them were used for dismantling ammunition into the early 1920s. Some clues as to the railways on these sites come from the auctions as the sites were cleared, examples are :
No 7 National Filling Factory in Hayes, Middlesex auction included of light Decauville track.National Filling Factory, Hayes, Middlesex, West Middlesex Gazette, 7 June 1924, p2 No 10 National Filling Factory in Foleshill, Coventry auction listed Decauville track (16lbs), 50 light and heavy turntables on ball and roller bearings.National Filling Factory, Holbrook Lane, Foleshill, Coventry, Rugby Advertiser, 20 Jul 1928, p1
Explosives stores (magazines) were in some cases remote from the clean area, and towards the end of the war there were a few orders for internal combustion locos to move materials. No 7 Filling Factory at Hayes had an entirely separate explosives magazine at Northolt, where a main line siding was linked to the 20 separate storage bunkers by light rail. 100 tons of explosives were moved each day by rail to the Hayes plant for processing. Records exist of two Baguley 2 foot gauge internal combustion locos ordered in 1917 by No 7 National Filling Factory for Northolt. Seven similar locos were ordered in 1917 for No 2 National Filling Factory at Aintree, so this must also have had light rail outside the main assembly area, such as for storage of shell cases (as this factory was designed to handle ship loads of munitions components received from overseas at Liverpool Docks).
Supply depots
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesDeptford Special Reserve Depot19161919Deptford, EnglandExtensive WW I food supply depot line. At least four steam locomotives worked here, two or three of which went to the Sand Hutton Light Railway after the war.
Fortifications
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesBraefoot Bay ?Aberdour, ScotlandFortification supply railwayFlat Holm BatteryBristol Channel, WalesFortification supply railwayHoo Ness Tramway before 1914after 1979Hoo Ness, EnglandLocomotive-worked tramway. May have been gauge previouslyHurst Castle 18951956Hurst Castle, EnglandLine for moving ammunition and supplies around the castle. Used hand and donkey hauled wagons. Much track still in situ.South Heighton railway19411941Newhaven, EnglandHand-worked line to aid construction of underground command centre.Steep Holm railwayRendell, Stan and Joan (1993). Steep Holm: The Story of a Small Island. Stroud: Alan Sutton Publishing. 1880s1946 ?Steep Holm, North Somerset, EnglandFortification supply railway. Palmerston forts, shown on 1886 Ordnance Survey maps. Relaid in World War II. Finally Demolished 1946.
Training camps
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotes Aldershot Narrow Gauge Suspension Railway 1872 UnknownAldershot GarrisonExperimental monorailKinmel Camp Railway19141917St. Asaph, WalesLocomotive-worked construction railway for the Kinmel CampLongmoor Military Railway19031907; Weaversdown, EnglandEarly gauge construction line used to assist in the demolition of army huts. Relaid as standard gauge starting in 1905-1907. gauge line at the extensive railway training centre at Longmoor.Strensall Ranges, HQ Strensall Training Centre, 1870Present3 ft 3 1/2” Strensall, York, EnglandSpecifically built to carry targetry to the ranges, originally 6 in number, F Range was converted to a SARTS Range and the rails were removed. Still continues to be used for its original purpose, Range trolleys are named after characters from “Thomas the Tank engine”. The system has a “siding” behind each front mantlet allowing trolleys to clear the main line. 1,165 yds long.RAF Calshot Camp railway 19191946Calshot, EnglandShort line serving Calshot camp and pier. Steam locomotives were used, one of which is preserved on the Talyllyn Railway as Douglas.
Others
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesRoyal Navy Haslar Hospitalby 19101918Haslar, EnglandHand worked line to move ammunitions and stores around the hospital site.
See also War Department Light Railways British industrial narrow-gauge railways British narrow-gauge railways
References
External links Narrow Gauge Railway Society Industrial Railway Society