PRICES & TIMETABLES

Timetable 2020

In 2020 passenger trains run on weekends, Tuesdays and selected school holidays from 4 April until 1 November with special events on certain dates in November and December. The Museum is open 1100-1630 (last adm 1600) 7 days a week from 4 April to 1 November plus special event days in December 1100-1530 (last adm 1500).

To find out when passenger trains are running, please click here. If you want to find out more about what’s happening on a particular day, please go to our Prices and Timetable pages and select the date you would like to visit from the calendar and see what is happening on that day. Please note where no coloured block is shown on the day you are looking at, there are no passenger trains and the Museum is closed.

Our Gift Shop and Station Buffet are only open when trains are running, that is yellow, orange and green timetables and on special events.

Other prices may apply for special events, see event information here for more details.

Season Tickets

Available now from Bo’ness Station, download a booking form here and start saving today!

Corporate Season Tickets

Now available, a Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway Season Ticket offers unlimited train journeys* and admission to the Museum of Scottish Railways for one year. The Corporate Season Ticket can be shared amongst work colleagues, groups of friends, or used in many other circumstances. It’s generally purchased by staff sports and social clubs, or provided as an employee benefit. Find out more here.

A WARM WELCOME

“Welcome to our railway! My name is John, I am Station Master here and am one of over 300 volunteers who enjoy looking after our fascinating railway heritage and ensuring you have a wonderful time with us.

Of course the only way to experience this is to come and see, smell, touch & hear for yourself, be part of the experience.

I do hope to see you soon to enjoy the friendly atmosphere of one of Britain’s most scenic heritage railways based close to Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh.”

Start your journey at Bo’ness station. Here you will find the authentic Ticket Office, the Station Buffet, Gift Shop, toilets and free parking. There are also picnic areas, footbridge viewing area & Model Railway^*.

Be sure to visit the Museum of Scottish Railways. Two large halls of historic locomotives, carriages and wagons as well as a railway themed activity area for children. The best way to get there is the 10 minute walk round the Visitor Trail which lets you see what happens round the site from Bo’ness station.

UPDATED MAY 2019 – Route to the Museum is by Visitor Trail only. Follow the route which is marked in red here, it starts by the Model Railway coaches next to Bo’ness Station.

Help yourself to a free booklet and follow the visitor trail there finding our new brass rubbings on the way!

^* Model Railway open weekends and bank holidays only from 6 April 2019

THE TRAIN JOURNEY - WHAT TO DO AND SEE

All Aboard!

Friendly staff welcome visitors aboard their comfortable historic carriage on a beautiful steam train or heritage diesel from days of old and wish them a pleasant journey along the shores of the River Forth. The scenery is varied and beautiful all year round. Travel to Manuel, calling at Kinneil & Birkhill through smoke filled tunnels and remember the sounds and smells of yesteryear.

For on the move refreshments visit our on board buffet car, selling hot & cold drinks and crisps. Afternoon Tea is also served here most Saturdays, Sundays & Tuesdays. Click here for more information.

The Railway Line

Our On Either Side map is available free for all visitors from the Ticket Office at Bo’ness or the Guard on your train. It shows you what to look out for on your journey. A children’s version is also available.

Your journey starts in Bo’ness where you will find the Museum of Scottish Railways, Model Railway (open weekends and bank holidays), the visitor trail and picnic areas, toilets including wheelchair accessible and a baby changing area. You can also enjoy a refreshment in the Station Buffet and select a souvenir from our Gift Shop. You can take a great photo from the old metal footbridge over the tracks and children (big and small) can experience a steam or diesel thundering below them.

Recently awarded Local Nature Reserve Status, the area at Kinneil Halt is the first stop on your journey. It takes about seven minutes to get here by train from Bo’ness and if you choose to walk back along the coast it takes about 15 minutes of fresh air and wonderful views!

The foreshore walks are wheelchair and pushchair friendly and will be an enjoyable way to work up an appetite.

It’s the perfect place for a picnic!

If you have time, why not take the 15 minute walk to Kinneil Estate and Museum. For lovers of Real Ale (and a favourite with our volunteers!) a five minute stroll will bring you to The Corbie Inn, the area’s newest bar and restaurant. With a traditional brewery situated to the rear of the Corbie Inn, it’s the nearest thing to having a brewery tap and a favourite with our volunteers!

On to Birkhill Station. This countryside location is a favourite with film-makers and has starred on TV & the silver screen. You’ll see it at the start of Ken Loach’s The Angels’ Share, it was used as a location for an episode of BBC’s Case Histories, The Secret Agent and was also part of a TK Maxx Christmas advert.

Today take in the Waiting Room and have a wander in the meadow behind the station past the site of a former fireclay mine.  Bring your picnic and watch nature at its best, you could be lucky and see a deer cross the track, rabbits hopping about and even a bird of prey.

NEW – Download our Birkhill Fireclay Mine Woodland Meadow Walk here -for a family friendly stroll.

Manuel is the end of the line! Visitors can stretch their legs at Manuel and enjoy a platform view of the engine changing ends to pull the train back to Bo’ness and take the chance to meet the driver.

Two different level viewing platforms enable visitors to experience the sharp contrast between our steam and heritage diesel trains of yesteryear and the fast trains of the mainline railway on the Edinburgh-Glasgow main line.

The train will stop here for around 15 minutes before setting off on the return journey to Bo’ness.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAY - DOWNLOAD A FREE ITINERARY and WALKING GUIDE

Plan your day – NEW Itineraries available

We want you to make the best of your time with us and our NEW downloadable itineraries will help you plan your day so you don’t miss a thing! You can stick to the times on the itinerary or just make your own using the handy checklist to make sure you’ve seen everything.

Click on the images below to download your itinerary or pick one up at the Booking Office at Bo’ness Station. There are different ones depending on whether you are visiting on a three train green timetable day or a four train yellow or orange timetable day. There is also one on our Afternoon Tea pages here, if you want to include Afternoon Tea. (must be pre-booked).

Download our site map too.

Walks around the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway

This booklet describes 5 walks of varying length near the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway and Museum of Scottish Railways. They are suitable for all ages and abilities, though not all are suitable for wheelchair users. All the walks have been tried and tested by our Station Master Charlie and he is pleased to be able to add his walks to the visitor experience at Bo’ness.
Download your free copy here in due course or pick one up at the Station or Museum next time you visit.

What else is there to do in the area? –

Download some ideas of what else you can do while you are in our area by clicking on the picture to the left. Great fun!

EATING, DRINKING and GIFTS

The Station Buffet at Bo’ness

Whatever the time of day you will be able to find homemade, locally sourced produce in our Station Buffet. Located at Bo’ness Station you will be sure of a warm welcome. From freshly baked scones with jam & cream or a refreshing ice lolly to a delicious full meal there is something for every appetite.

You can browse a sample Station Buffet menu here.

Please note that on some of our busier event days we offer a limited menu so we can serve you quicker so you don’t miss out on the fun!

All of the items on the menu are available to take away, so don’t worry if you forget to bring a picnic, we’ll make one for you and you can even take it on the train!

Please note our Station Buffet is only open when trains are running, that is yellow, orange and green timetables and on special events.

Visit our Gift Shop at Bo’ness Station for a souvenir of your visit, railway books and DVDs, toys including a range of Thomas & Friends goodies, toys and gifts to suit everyone.

Please note our Gift Shop is only open when trains are running, that is yellow, orange and green timetables and on special events.

CHILDREN WELCOME

Children of all ages are welcome to enjoy and adventure with us. We see many three generational families every day, each taking something different away with them.  There is no doubt children will enjoy our Day Out With Thomas events and Santa Trains.

It is wonderful to see grandparents passing their knowledge on to their grandchildren and in turn enjoying the glow of their smiles and enjoyment of a visit to the smoky footplate of an engine in steam.

Children under 5 go free on trains on our standard timetable and there is plenty of room on standard days to bring your pushchair, you can even take them up the ramp and on the train with you and store them in the vestibule. We can even accomodate most double pushchairs on most days!

Ask at the Ticket Office for your free children’s leaflet and have fun spotting things on your train journey.

ACCESS FOR WHEELCHAIRS

We are consistently trying to improve on what facilities we offer and will update the site frequently. In order to help you organise your visit we have listed below what we believe is important to know before you arrive. If we have missed anything please call us on 01506 825855 or email us and we will be more than happy to talk to you about it.

Wheelchair users may find parts of our Visitor Trail path to the museum challenging.  We are working to improve it and are sorry for any inconvenience.

Bo’ness Station

Good disabled parking beside station building.

Good access for wheelchairs to the station platform, disabled toilets, café, shop and model railway.

Museum of Scottish Railways at Bo’ness

Parts of the visitor trail to the museum at Bo’ness are unsuitable for wheelchairs, restricting access for wheelchair users to the Museum.  Alternative vehicle access can be arranged through the Bo’ness station staff.  Level access to and around the Museum and disabled toilets. Some exhibits are only accessible by steps.

On our passenger trains

Portable ramps provide good access for wheelchairs to our specially adapted carriage on branch trains at all stations.  Please ask train staff if you require anything from the on train buffet and they will be pleased to help. There is no disabled toilet on the train, please make use of facilities near the Gift Shop at Bo’ness Station.

Kinneil Halt

Good access for wheelchairs to the station platform and visitor walks around the nature reserve along the foreshore.

Birkhill Station

Good access for wheelchairs to the station platform and visitor walks around the woodland trail. There is a slope from the platform to the bridge and woodland trail.

Manuel Station

The station can only be accessed from passenger trains.

The platform surface at Manuel is unsuitable for wheelchairs.

The elevated viewing area at Manuel is only accessible by steps.

DOGS ARE WELCOME

Assistance dogs are allowed on site at any time. All dogs are welcome except on special event days such as Day Out With Thomas and Santa Steam Trains which are extremely busy and not the best experience for our four legged friends!

On standard days well behaved dogs are welcome on the trains (except in the On Train Buffet Car), platform, Visitor Trail and museum but must be kept on a lead at all times. Dogs are not allowed in the Station Buffet at Bo’ness but food and drinks from their menu can be taken away and enjoyed at picnic benches around the site.

Why not alight at Kinneil Halt to enjoy the nature reserve and walks along the firth of Forth, it’s about a 15 minute walk back to Bo’ness Station from there. We have water for dogs on Bo’ness Station platform.

FREE PARKING

There’s plenty of free car and coach parking at Bo’ness Station. Follow SATNAV EH51 9AQ.

SITE MAP

Here is a map of our site at Bo’ness with our new Visitor Trail clearly marked. Please click on it to download a larger version so you can make sure you don’t miss anything on your visit.