4 ft 6 in gauge railway

Scottish railway track width

Track gauge

By transport mode

* Rapid transit
* Tram
* Miniature
* Scale model

By size (list)

* * *

| Minimum
| Fifteen inch | 381 mm | (1 ft 3 in)

* * *

| Narrow
| 600 mm | 600 mm | (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)
Two foot | 610 mm | (2 ft)
Two foot three inch | 686 mm | (2 ft 3 in)
| 750 mm | 750 mm | (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Bosnian gauge | 760 mm | (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in)
Two foot six inch | 762 mm | (2 ft 6 in)
| Swedish three-foot | 891 mm | (2 ft 11+3⁄32 in)
900 mm | 900 mm | (2 ft 11+7⁄16 in)
Three-foot | 914 mm | (3 ft)
Italian metre | 950 mm | (3 ft 1+13⁄32 in)
| Metre | 1,000 mm | (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
| Three foot six inch | 1,067 mm | (3 ft 6 in)
| Four foot | 1,219 mm | (4 ft)
| Four foot six inch | 1,372 mm | (4 ft 6 in)
| 1432 mm | 1,432 mm | (4 ft 8+3⁄8 in)

* * *

| Standard | 1,435 mm | (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

* * *

| Broad
| Italian broad gauge | 1,445 mm | (4 ft 8+7⁄8 in)
Dresden gauge | 1,450 mm | (4 ft 9+3⁄32 in)
| Leipzig gauge | 1,458 mm | (4 ft 9+13⁄32 in)
| Toronto gauge | 1,495 mm | (4 ft 10+7⁄8 in)
| 1520 mm | 1,520 mm | (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in)
Five foot | 1,524 mm | (5 ft)
| Pennsylvania gauge | 1,581 mm | (5 ft 2+1⁄4 in)
Pennsylvania gauge | 1,588 mm | (5 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Five foot three inch | 1,600 mm | (5 ft 3 in)
| Baltimore gauge | 1,638 mm | (5 ft 4+1⁄2 in)
| Iberian gauge | 1,668 mm | (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in)
Five foot six inch | 1,676 mm | (5 ft 6 in)
| Six foot | 1,829 mm | (6 ft)
| Brunel | 2,140 mm | (7 ft 1⁄4 in)
| Breitspurbahn | 3,000 mm | (9 ft 101⁄8 in)
Change of gauge

* Bogie exchange
* Break of gauge
* Dual gauge
* Conversion
* list
* Variable gauge

By location

* North America
* South America
* Europe
* Australia

The 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm) track gauge, also called the Scotch gauge, was adopted by early 19th century railways mainly in the Lanarkshire area of Scotland. It differed from the gauge of 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm) that was used on some early lines in England. Early railways chose their own gauge, but later in the century interchange of equipment was facilitated by establishing a uniform rail gauge across railways: the 'standard gauge' of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm). In the early 1840s standard gauge lines began to be constructed in Scotland, and all the Scotch gauge lines were eventually converted to standard gauge. The building of new Scotch gauge railways was outlawed in Great Britain in 1846 by the Regulating the Gauge of Railways Act 1846. From 1903, tram lines of Tokyo adopted this gauge.

## Scottish railways built to Scotch gauge

[edit]

A section of original 1831 Scotch gauge track relaid at Eglinton Country Park in North Ayrshire. A 15-foot (4.57 m) length of flat-bottomed Vignoles rail from the Scotch gauge Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway

A small number of early to mid-19th century passenger railways were built to 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm) Scotch gauge including:

Name | Length |

|
|

Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway.[1] | 10 miles (16 km).[2] | Authorised on 20 July 1806 and opened on 6 November 1810.[3]
In 1840 the line was regauged to standard gauge.
Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway.[4] | 10 miles (16 km).[2] | Authorised on 17 May 1824 and opened on 1 October 1826.[3] The engineer was Thomas Grainger.[4]
The M&KR altered its track gauge to standard on 26 and 27 July 1847.
Ballochney Railway.[1] | 6+1⁄2 miles (10.5 km).[2] | Incorporated on 19 May 1826 and opened on 8 August 1828.[3]
The company changed its gauge to 1435 mm on 26 July and 27 July 1847.
Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway.[1] |  | Authorised on 26 May 1826 and opened in part on 4 July 1831.[3]
In 1846 converted to standard gauge and steam traction.
Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway.[1] | 8+1⁄4 miles (13.3 km).[2] | Incorporated on 26 May 1826 and ceremonially opened on 27 September 1831 for both passengers and goods.[3] The engineers were Thomas Grainger and John Miller from Edinburgh.[1][4]
Converted to standard gauge before 1847.
Wishaw and Coltness Railway.[4] | 11 miles (17.7 km).[2] | Incorporated on 21 June 1829 and partially opened on 21 March 1834.[3] The engineers were Thomas Grainger and John Miller from Edinburgh.[4]
In 1849, it became part of the standard gauge Caledonian Railway.
Slamannan Railway.[1] | 12+1⁄2 miles (20.1 km).[1][2] | Incorporated on 3 July 1835 and opened on 31 August 1840.[3]
Converted to standard gauge in 1847.
Paisley and Renfrew Railway.[1] | 3 miles (4.8 km).[2] | Authorised on 21 July 1835 and opened on 3 April 1837 for both passengers and goods.[3] The engineer was Thomas Grainger.[4] Converted to Standard Gauge 1866.

Robert Stephenson and Company built a Scotch gauge locomotive, the St. Rollox, for the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway; which was later sold to the Paisley and Renfrew Railway.[1][3]

All the lines were later relaid in standard gauge.[1][3]

## Other early 19th century Scottish gauges

[edit]

### 4 ft 6½ in gauge

[edit]

In addition to the above lines, there were three railways, authorised between 1822 and 1835, that were built in the Dundee area, to a gauge of 4 ft 6+1⁄2 in (1,384 mm). They were:

* The Dundee and Newtyle Railway.[1][4] Length: 10+1⁄2 miles (16.9 km).[2]
* The Newtyle and Coupar Angus Railway.[1][4] Length: 6+1⁄2 miles (10.5 km).[2]
* The Newtyle and Glammis Railway.[1][4] Length: 10 miles (16 km).[2]

### 5 ft 6 in gauge

[edit]

Grainger and Miller built another two railway lines in the same area to a gauge of 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm). Thomas Grainger is said to have chosen this gauge, since he regarded 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge as being too narrow and Isambard Kingdom Brunel's 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) Brunel gauge as being too wide.[1] They were:

* The Dundee and Arbroath Railway.[1][4] Length: 14+1⁄2 miles (23 km).[2] Incorporated on 19 May 1836 and opened in part in October 1838.[3]
* The Arbroath and Forfar Railway.[1][4] Length: 15 miles (24 km).[2] Incorporated on 19 May 1836 and opened in part on 24 November 1838.[3]

## End of Scotch gauge

[edit]

The Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway and the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway, which both obtained Parliamentary Approval on 15 July 1837 and were later to become part of the Glasgow and South Western Railway and the Caledonian Railway, respectively, were built to standard gauge from the start.[1]

The Lee Moor Tramway operated a Scotch Gauge line from 1899 to the early 1960s,[5] with the two 0-4-0ST locomotives built by Peckett and Sons to their M4 Design. LEE MOOR No.1 (works number 783) is preserved at the Wheal Martyn Museum near St. Austell and LEE MOOR No.2 (works number 784) is preserved at the South Devon Railway, neither are operational. Both locomotives were originally preserved by the Lee Moor Tramway Preservation Group.[5]

The standard gauge of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm), also known as the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, was adopted in Great Britain after 1846 after the passing of the Regulating the Gauge of Railways Act 1846.[6] A few remnants of old lines remain, but are non functional with the exception of one example of the St Michael's Mount Tramway at St Michael's Mount in Cornwall. It is a partial underground railway that used to bring luggage up to the castle. It occasionally operates, but only for demonstration reasons and is not open to the general public, although a small stretch is visible at the harbour. It is therefore believed to be Britain's last functionally operational Scotch gauge railway.[7][8]

## Use in Japan

[edit]

Keiō Line 1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in) gauge tracks Map of railway lines with 1,372 mm gauge in Tokyo area

After the end of the Scotch gauge in Britain, the gauge was revived in Japan. Its origins date back to the Tokyo Horsecar Railway, one of former horsecar operators in Tokyo, adopted 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm) gauge in 1887.[9] Since 1903, most of the tram network in Tokyo was built with 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm) rail gauge, called "coach gauge" (馬車軌間, Basha Kikan). The use of this gauge extended to other suburban lines that through-operated onto the city tram network. Although Tokyo has abolished its major tram network (except the Arakawa Line), as of 2009 the following lines still used this gauge:

* The Keiō Line and its branches (excluding the Inokashira Line). The reason to use 1372 mm in 1915 was to provide through service with the now-abolished Tokyo city tram.[10] Length: 72.0 km (44.7 mi). Commuter railways connecting Tokyo and its suburb operated by Keio Corporation.
* The Toei Shinjuku Line.[10] Length: 23.5 km (14.6 mi). One of rapid transit lines in Tokyo, built to provide through service with the Keiō Line. Originally the Ministry of Transport intended the Keiō Line to convert to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) (so that the Shinjuku Line would have the same gauge as the Asakusa Line for maintenance convenience), but the service area as of late 20th century was too densely populated to risk a massive disruption of the Keiō service, and the Shinjuku Line was constructed in 1372 mm instead.
* The Toden Arakawa Line.[10] Length: 12.2 km (7.6 mi). Only surviving line of Tokyo municipal tram.
* The Tōkyū Setagaya Line.[10] Length: 5.0 km (3.1 mi). Another tram line in Tokyo operated by Tokyu Corporation.
* The Hakodate City Tram.[10] Length: 10.9 km (6.8 mi). Only user of the gauge outside the Greater Tokyo Area.

## See also

[edit]

* Trains portal

* Narrow-gauge railway
* Standard-gauge railway
* List of tram systems by gauge and electrification

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 4 ft 6 in gauge railways.

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Whishaw, Francis (1842). The Railways of Great Britain and Ireland practically described and illustrated. Second Edition. London: John Weale. Reprinted and republished 1969, Newton Abbott: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-4786-1.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Popplewell, Lawrence (1989). A Gazetteer of the Railway Contractors and Engineers of Scotland 1831–1870. (Vol. 1: 1831–1870 and Vol. 2: 1871–1914). Bournemouth: Melledgen Press. ISBN 0-906637-14-7.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. London: Guild Publishing.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Robertson, C.J.A. (1983). The Origins of the Scottish Railway System: 1722-1844. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers. ISBN 0-85976-088-X.
5. ^ a b Hateley, Roger (1977). Industrial Locomotives of South Western England. Greenford, Middlesex: Industrial Railway Society. p. 34\. ISBN 0-901096-23-7.
6. ^ "Regulating the Gauge of Railways Act 1846" (PDF). Railways Archive. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
7. ^ "St Michaels Mount, Cornish Cliff Railway". Hows Website. Archived from the original on 5 November 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
8. ^ "St Michael's Mount Cliff Railway". South Western Historical Society. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
9. ^ Yausuo Wakuda (2009). Nihon no Shinai Densha -1895-1945- (in Japanese). Tokyo: Seizando Shoten. ISBN 978-4-42596-151-1.
10. ^ a b c d e Tetsudō Kyoku; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (2008). Tetsudō Yōran (Heisei 20 Nendo) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Denkisha Kenkyūkai. ISBN 978-4-88548-112-3.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

* Thomas, John (1971). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain. Volume 6 Scotland: The Lowlands and the Borders. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5408-6.

* v
* t
* e

Historical Scottish railway companies

Primary companies|

* Caledonian Railway
* Glasgow and South Western Railway
* Great North of Scotland Railway
* Highland Railway
* North British Railway

Caledonian
Railway|

* Aberdeen Railway
* Alloa Railway
* Alyth
* Arbroath and Forfar
* Busby Railway
* Cathcart District
* Clydesdale Junction
* Crieff Junction
* Crieff and Comrie
* Crieff and Methven Junction
* Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie
* Dunblane, Doune and Callander
* Dundee and Perth
* Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen
* Forfar and Brechin
* General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour
* Garnkirk and Glasgow
* Glasgow Central Railway
* Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock
* Greenock and Wemyss Bay
* Hamilton and Strathaven
* Lanarkshire and Ayrshire
* Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire
* Leadhills and Wanlockhead
* Lesmahagow Railway
* Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie
* Paisley and Barrhead District
* Perth, Almond Valley and Methven
* Polloc and Govan
* Rutherglen and Coatbridge
* Scottish Central
* Scottish Midland Junction
* Scottish North Eastern
* Solway Junction
* Symington, Biggar and Broughton
* Talla Railway
* Wishaw and Coltness

Lines built by the Caledonian Railway
Balerno line
CR Cleland and Midcalder
CR Main Line
CR Douglas Branch
CR Hamilton Branch
CR Hamiltonhill Branch
CR The Switchback

Independent lines worked by the Caledonian Railway
Callander and Oban
Killin Railway

Glasgow and South
Western Railway|

* Ardrossan Railway
* Ardrossan and Johnstone
* Ayr and Dalmellington
* Ayr and Maybole Junction
* Ayr to Mauchline
* Ayrshire and Wigtownshire
* Barrhead Branch
* Bridge of Weir Railway
* Cairn Valley
* Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction
* Castle Douglas and Dumfries
* Dalry and North Johnstone
* Darvel Branch
* Girvan and Portpatrick Junction
* Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle
* Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr
* Greenock and Ayrshire
* Kilmarnock and Troon
* Largs Branch
* Maidens and Dunure
* Maybole and Girvan
* Paisley and Renfrew
* Paisley Canal Line

Great North of
Scotland Railway|

* Aberdeen and Turriff
* Aboyne and Braemar
* Alford Valley
* Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction
* Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla
* Boddam Branch
* Deeside
* Denburn Valley
* Formartine and Buchan
* Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction
* Keith and Dufftown
* Moray Coast
* Morayshire
* St Combs Light Railway
* Strathspey Railway

Highland Railway|

* Buckie and Portessie Branch
* Dingwall and Skye
* Duke of Sutherland
* Findhorn Railway
* Fortrose Branch
* Inverness and Aberdeen Junction
* Inverness and Aviemore Direct
* Inverness and Nairn
* Inverness and Perth Junction
* Inverness and Ross-shire
* Kyle of Lochalsh Extension
* Perth and Dunkeld
* Sutherland and Caithness
* Sutherland Railway

Independent lines worked by the Highland Railway
Dornoch Light Railway
Wick and Lybster Light Railway

North British
Railway|

* Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick
* Anstruther and St Andrews Railway
* Ballochney
* Bathgate and Coatbridge
* Blane Valley
* Border Counties Railway
* Border Union Railway
* Campsie Branch
* Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company
* Charleston Railway and Harbour Company
* Coatbridge Branch
* Devon Valley Railway
* Dunfermline and Queensferry
* East of Fife Railway
* Edinburgh and Bathgate
* Edinburgh and Dalkeith
* Edinburgh and Glasgow
* Edinburgh and Hawick
* Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway
* Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway
* Edinburgh and Northern
* Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction
* Esk Valley
* Eyemouth Railway
* Fife and Kinross Railway
* Forth and Clyde Junction
* Gifford and Garvald
* Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge
* Glasgow City and District
* Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh
* Glasgow and Milngavie Junction
* Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank
* Kelvin Valley Railway
* Kincardine Line
* Kinross-shire Railway
* Kirkcaldy and District Railway
* Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton
* Leven Railway
* Leven and East of Fife Railway
* Macmerry Branch
* Monkland and Kirkintilloch
* Monkland Railways
* Montrose and Bervie
* Mallaig Extension
* Newburgh and North Fife Railway (worked by NBR)
* Newport Railway
* North Berwick Branch
* North British, Arbroath and Montrose
* Peebles Railway
* The St. Andrews Railway
* Stirling and Dunfermline
* Strathendrick and Aberfoyle
* Slamannan
* Slamannan and Borrowstounness
* Wemyss and Buckhaven Railway
* West Highland Railway
* West of Fife Mineral Railway
* Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness

Joint lines|

* Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction
* City Union
* Dundee and Arbroath
* Darvel and Strathaven
* Glasgow and Paisley Joint
* Glasgow and Renfrew District
* Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint
* Kilsyth and Bonnybridge
* Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint

Other lines|

* Brechin and Edzell District
* Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway
* Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway
* Dundee and Arbroath
* Hagdale Chromate Railway
* Invergarry and Fort Augustus
* Lealt Valley Diatomite Railway
* Lochaber Narrow Gauge
* Perth, Almond Valley and Methven
* Rothesay and Ettrick Bay Light Railway
* Skye Marble Railway
* Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway

* v
* t
* e

Track gauge (list)

Minimum gauge|

* 15 in (381 mm)
* 400 mm (15+3⁄4 in)
* 16 in (406 mm)
* 18 in (457 mm)
* 19 in (483 mm)
* 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in)
* 20 in (508 mm)
* 21 in (533 mm)
* 1 ft 10 in (559 mm)

Narrow gauge|

* 2 foot and 600 mm
* 2 ft 3 in (686 mm)
* 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
* 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in)
* 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
* 800 mm (2 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
* 891 mm (2 ft 11+3⁄32 in) Swedish three foot
* 900 mm (2 ft 11+7⁄16 in)
* 3 ft (914 mm)
* 950 mm (3 ft 1+3⁄8 in) Italian metre gauge
* 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
* 1,050 mm (3 ft 5+11⁄32 in),
* 1,055 mm (3 ft 5+1⁄2 in),
* 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
* 1,093 mm (3 ft 7 in),
* 1,100 mm (3 ft 7+5⁄16 in),
* 1,200 mm (3 ft 11+1⁄4 in)
* 4 ft (1,219 mm)
* 4 ft 1 in (1,245 mm), Middleton Railway
* 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm), Scotch gauge
* 4 ft 6+1⁄2 in (1,384 mm), Scotch gauge
* 4 ft 7+3⁄4 in (1,416 mm)
* 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm), almost standard gauge
* 4 ft 8+1⁄4 in (1,429 mm)
* 1,432 mm (4 ft 8+3⁄8 in)

Standard gauge|

* 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in / 1,435 mm, Stephenson gauge

Broad gauge|

* 1,440 mm (4 ft 8+11⁄16 in)
* 1,445 mm (4 ft 8+7⁄8 in)
* 1,450 mm (4 ft 9+3⁄32 in)
* 4 ft 9+3⁄8 in (1,457 mm)
* 1,458 mm (4 ft 9+13⁄32 in)
* 4 ft 10+7⁄8 in (1,495 mm), Toronto gauge
* 5 ft / 1,524 mm and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in), Russian gauge.
* 5 ft 2+1⁄4 in / 1,581 mm and 5 ft 2+1⁄2 in / 1,588 mm, Pennsylvania gauge
* 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm), Irish gauge
* 5 ft 4+1⁄2 in (1,638 mm), Baltimore gauge
* 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in), Iberian gauge
* 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm), Indian gauge
* 1,945 mm (6 ft 4+9⁄16 in), De Arend
* 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm), Brunel gauge
* 3,000 mm (9 ft 10+1⁄8 in), Breitspurbahn
* 8,200 mm (26 ft 10+27⁄32 in), Lärchwandschrägaufzug
* 9,000 mm (29 ft 6+5⁄16 in), Krasnoyarsk ship lift

List of track gauge articles|

* List of track gauges
* List of tram track gauges
* Miniature railways
* Minimum-gauge railways
* Large amusement railways

Gauge differences|

* Bogie exchange
* Break of gauge
* Dual gauge
* Gauge conversion
* list
* Variable gauge

Transport mode|

* Tram and light rail
* Rapid transit
* Miniature
* Scale model

Categories|

* by country
* by imperial units
* by metric units
* by name
* lists of track gauges

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