| 3 | CMLR | Campbeltown and Macrihanish Light Railway | The Campbeltown and Macrihanish Light Railway was a 2' 3\" gauge line at the end of the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. It had its origins as a coal carrier from the pits at Drumlemble to the quays at Campbeltown, but during the era of the Clyde steamers, Campbeltown became a very popular destination for day trippers and the railway capitalised on this by extending itself to Macrihanish offering access to the Atlantic Ocean and the local golf links! Its final length was about 6 miles. The line originally opened for coal traffic in 1877, and for passenger traffic through to Macrihanish in 1906. It then led a relatively prosperous life until after the first world war, but succumbed to the inevitable road transport, closure of the pits and changing holiday patterns in 1931. It was independent throughout its existence. The railway was interesting in that its coaches were enormous for such a small gauge, and that the early coal trains consisted of 2ft 3in gauge transporter wagons carrying 4 small colliery wagons known as "hutches", transversely. | GB | TRAFFIC |
