British military narrow-gauge railways


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 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


File:Narrow gauge railway lines on Lydd firing ranges - geograph.org.uk - 1170799.jpg|Lydd ranges
File:Tank Range at Redesdale - geograph.org.uk - 1476671.jpg|Redesdale ranges
File:Bisley Tramway Bridge, Basingstoke Canal - geograph.org.uk - 518188.jpg|Bisley Tramway bridge
File:Dartmoor Railway - geograph.org.uk - 16769.jpg|Rowtor Target Railway

NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotes
DOE Okehampton Gun Ranges?after 1979Okehampton, EnglandTarget railway
DOE Redesdale Ranges target railway??Redesdale, EnglandTarget railway
Fort George Range??Inverness, ScotlandTarget railway
Lydd 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 railwaybefore 1975present ?New Romney, EnglandLocomotive-worked network of lines across Romney Marsh
Rowtor Target Railway1958?Okehampton, EnglandDisused target railway with an unmanned Wickham trolley

Armaments depots and ordnance factories


File:Railway line, Chilmark Quarries - geograph.org.uk - 906101.jpg|Chilmark depot railway
File:Raf fauld train.jpg|RAF Fauld
File:Railway Woolwich Arsenal Flickr 4614750407 638a63d003 o.jpg|Royal Arsenal Railway
File:RNAD Broughton Moor - geograph.org.uk - 1766206.jpg|RNAD Broughton Moor
File:Bishopton ROF Narrow-Gauge Railway - geograph.org.uk - 453896.jpg|ROF Bishopton
File:Talyllyn Railway ex-Trecwn diesel - 2010-03-07.jpg|Trecwn Railway
File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A24931.jpg|RNAD Dean Hill
Fragment of narrow gauge railway line - geograph.org.uk - 1220520.jpg|Imphal Barracks in York

NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotes
Ministry of Munitions National Filling Factory No.2World War One?Aintree, EnglandMunitions factory supplied with early Baguley-Drewery railcars.
CAD 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 Dockyard1860s1930sChatham, EnglandInternal rail system serving the dockyard.
Chattenden and Upnor Railway18851961Chattenden, EnglandLight railway serving Chattenden barracks and armament stores
Davington Light Railway19161918Faversham, EnglandShort-lived metre-gauge line serving an Admiralty munitions factory. The three locomotives were sold to Brazil where at least one survived until 1988.
HM Factory, Gretna?1917Gretna, ScotlandExtensive WW I Cordite factory line
Lodge 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 Railway18731966 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 sparks
ROF 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 locomotives
Ministry of Munitions National Filling Factory No.7World War One?Northolt, EnglandMunitions factory supplied with early Baguley-Drewery railcars.
Royal 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 railwaybefore 19211968Wyke Regis, EnglandPier railway used to transport torpedoes from the factory to ships.

Supply depots

NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotes
Deptford 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

NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotes
Braefoot Bay ?Aberdour, ScotlandFortification supply railway
Flat Holm BatteryBristol Channel, WalesFortification supply railway
Hoo Ness Tramwaybefore 1914after 1979Hoo Ness, EnglandLocomotive-worked tramway. May have been gauge previously
Hurst Castle18951956Hurst 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 HMS Forward underground command centre.
Steep Holm railway1880s1946?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 Railway1872UnknownAldershot GarrisonExperimental monorail
Kinmel Camp Railway19141917St. Asaph, WalesLocomotive-worked construction railway for the Kinmel Camp
Longmoor 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,1870Present3ft 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 railway19191946Calshot, EnglandShort line serving Calshot camp and pier. Steam locomotives were used, one of which is preserved on the Talyllyn Railway as Douglas.

Others

NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotes
Royal Navy Haslar Hospitalby 19101918Haslar, EnglandHand worked line to move ammunitions and stores around the hospital site.