Railway General Knowledge.

[McRhu]

Can I jump in (since I have pretty well no chance of getting a turn any other way)....

What was the first permanent electric railway in Scotland and what mainline station did it terminate at?

 

[D6130]

What was the first permanent electric railway in Scotland and what mainline station did it terminate at?

I know the answer to this....but I'm going to keep schtumm and let someone else answer it!

 

[McRhu]

I know the answer to this....but I'm going to keep schtumm and let someone else answer it!

 

[Buzby]

Showing my ignoranc, all I can think of is the Glasgow North electrics through Queen Street - the that Aberdeen chap in 18?? Found his electric loco pretty useless…? (Can’t remember his name!)

 

[Gloster]

Carstairs House?

 

[McRhu]

Gloster nails it. Golden spike is in your hands.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Carstairs House?

Oh yes! Quite the eccentric little operation

 

[D6130]

Carstairs House?

By pure chance I had read about that line on the Rail-Scot website about a week ago....so i reckoned that by answering the question myself, it would be tantamount to looking it up on Wikipedia!

 

[McRhu]

Showing my ignoranc, all I can think of is the Glasgow North electrics through Queen Street - the that Aberdeen chap in 18?? Found his electric loco pretty useless…? (Can’t remember his name!)

Good attempt but Carstairs was in first by a significant number of decades. The Glasgow electric network has demonstrated a lot more stamina though.

 

[Buzby]

OK - Carstairs to where:

 

[McRhu]

OK - Carstairs to where:

Carstairs to Carstairs House (a private mansion (with a window for every day of the year)). It wasn’t much more than a mile long. The mansion is still there, as is the hydro power station on the Mouse which generated the current for the line.

 

[xotGD]

OK - Carstairs to where:

Not very far from Carstairs?

 

[Buzby]

Oooh! Something to investigate! Found it - not helped by them renaming it after the first owner as Monteith House. Such a shame OS don’t even show a route to Carstairs station - but it is a respectable distance for a private railway.

 

[McRhu]

Oooh! Something to investigate! Found it - not helped by them renaming it after the first owner as Monteith House. Such a shame OS don’t even show a route to Carstairs station - but it is a respectable distance for a private railway.

Georeferenced Maps - Map images - National Library of Scotland

 

[McRhu]

Over to Gloster for his question...

 

[Gloster]

Brush at Loughborough was a major loco builder. What was the company’s name when it was founded?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Anglo-American Electric Light Company

 

[Gloster]

Anglo-American Electric Light Company

No, although that company is somewhere in the mix. It is the loco builders at Loughborough that I am after.

 

[xotGD]

The Soar Valley Engineering Corporation

 

[Gloster]

Wrong. That answer, about a company liquidated thirty-five years ago, has failed to soar.

 

[DerekC]

Falcon Engineering?

 

[Gloster]

Falcon Engineering?

You are pretty close, but I will be harsh and not give it unless nobody comes up with the correct answer.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I've heard of Falcon Works... if that's it, I'll give it to DerekC...

 

[D6130]

'The Falcon Engine Company'?

 

[Gloster]

'The Falcon Engine Company'?

Sorry, near, but no cigar.

I've heard of Falcon Works... if that's it, I'll give it to DerekC...

Falcon Works is correct, although Henry Hughes & Company was also used.

So it is for @DerekC to construct the next question.

 

[D6130]

Falcon Works is correct, although Henry Hughes & Company was also used.

Am I correct in thinking that they built the Talyllyn Railway's (ex-Corris Railway) locomotive No. 3 'Sir Haydn'....and that it is the last surviving locomotive built by the original company?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Am I correct in thinking that they built the Talyllyn Railway's (ex-Corris Railway) locomotive No. 3 'Sir Haydn'....and that it is the last surviving locomotive built by the original company?

Pretty sure the first bit is true, not sure about the second

 

[Gloster]

Am I correct in thinking that they built the Talyllyn Railway's (ex-Corris Railway) locomotive No. 3 'Sir Haydn'....and that it is the last surviving locomotive built by the original company?

Nine others still exist: four in Spain, one in the Azores, one in Sweden, one in Leicestershire and two others in Wales. (Source: Wikipedia.)

 

[D6130]

Nine others still exist: four in Spain, one in the Azores, one in Sweden, one in Leicestershire and two others in Wales. (Source: Wikipedia.)

Every day is a school day....thanks for that!

 

[DerekC]

Ok - should be an easy one. Which railways on the island of Britain used the gauge 2ft 3in? (I think @Calthrop is on holiday otherwise he would get it instantly!)