Be a Really Useful Engine and Ride the Leadhills Railway in Wanlockhead, Scotland's Highest Adhesion Railway
If you are looking for something different to do on a Sunday afternoon, why not try taking a ride on the highest adhesion railway in the UK, set in the middle of the Southern Upland Hills in Wanlockhead.
The railway is nestled between Wanlockhead and Leadhills. Two very interesting places, for instance, Wanlockhead is also the highest village in Scotland, so having the highest rails does make sense. Both formed part of a wider mining community that has mined the region for hundreds of years.
Taking the road ever onwards to Wanlockhead
To get to Wanlockhead, we travelled on a wet Sunday in August from Dumfries, making our way up the A76 slowly and surely, with the Southern Upland Hills encroaching more into view with every passing mile.
We passed Thornhill, a lovely village north of Dumfries, then Drumlanrig and Carronbridge, eventually coming off at Mennock and heading into the Mennock Pass.
Even in the pouring summer rain, the Mennock Pass was a stunning sight, and judging by the wild campers and camper vans, it's clearly a popular place to visit.
Looking out of the windows, there is a real sense you are getting higher into the hills, while almost travelling back in time as well. The sheep looked bemused at the rain, yet the view was still stunning and impressive. Indeed, the wet weather added to the adventure feel of the trip.
Even the names give the area a fantasy-coded, Tolkien-esque feel: Wanlockhead conjures images of dwarves' mines, and Elvanfoot and Dalveen feel like elven settlements (gosh, now I really want to watch Lord of the Rings).
After dodging bemused, seemingly suicidal sheep and winding roads, you will eventually reach the idiosyncratic village of Wanlockhead.
Wanlockhead is also home to a lead mining museum, and as a village is very picturesque in its own way, it feels like the type of place you go to escape the trials and tribulations of folk down in the Nithsdale and Annandale valleys.
The Railway
As you arrive, you can see this is a heritage railway run by passionate volunteers, and you'll spot the lovely narrow-gauge engine sitting at the station, ready to take you on your journey.
It is not the type of heritage railway that is pretty and "Agatha Christie" nostalgic, you feel its industrial and mining practicality and heritage, and it is better for it. It is true to its use as a railway.
The Wanlockhead and Leadhills Railway is a narrow-gauge adhesion railway, and it is the highest in the UK. An adhesion railway is a train that works on its own steam (or diesel) and has no aids in climbing and making ascents. Before it became a heritage railway, it carried mined ore and passengers on the Caledonian Railway and the wider railway network.
You can find out more about the railway here.
The Trip
Once you are on the platform, you're presented with the realisation that the railway is rather small. I had never been on a narrow-gauge train before, and it was a delightful shock at the size — the engine is about the length of a small family car. For our trip, the engine was called Clyde, and the two carriages and brake van were placed in front.
The carriages are also a delight, in fact, the entire railway is a delight. The carriages have rows of small benches and windows open to the air and environment. You get on, the doors are clicked shut, and then you're underway to a beep beep of the whistle and a clunk as the air brakes come off, and the carriages start to slowly move away.
It is all rather atmospheric and fun.
You pass a signal box and a level crossing, past a couple of houses, and suddenly you can see across the valley, even on a wet day, the sights are interesting.
The valley is a mishmash of fields, heather, sheep and old pieces of mining industrial heritage. As you get your "eye in," you start to notice the old mine heads, spot the safety fences, and see areas that look like they must have been old slag heaps.
For around 12 minutes, you chug along taking in the sights, feeling the wind and air on your face, hearing the drone of the engine and the scattered snatches of other passengers' conversations, and taking in some lovely views.
Eventually you reach the next station and are able to get off, look around and see the end of the current line, before heading back and noticing pieces of mining heritage you missed on the way up. This is the Hillhead Summit and is 1498 feet above sea level. Which is astounding.
And the best part of this trip? A ticket purchased means you can ride for the rest of the day, or use the station at one end as a drop-off point for a short hike into Wanlockhead.
Would I recommend this for everyone?
Yes, on a sunny day, or a nice crisp autumn day, this train is definitely worth the trip. If you have a "train lover" in the family, then this trip is worthwhile in any weather.
What else is there to do locally?
Locally, there are some additional mining and old-world industrial sites to look at. The Wanlockhead Mining Museum and Tour is worth a visit.
- Lead Mining Museum
- Beam Engine — this is a great place to have a picnic and watch walkers pass by on the Southern Upland Way.
Learn More
To learn more about the Wanlockhead and Leadhills Railway, visit their website here.
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