Everyone knows that Scottish Tourist Guides know where the best places to visit in Scotland are. In an industry where customer experience is paramount, Blue Badge guides recognise that the only way to know whether somewhere is good enough for their customers, is to go themselves. So it was 'full steam' ahead to Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway on 15th October 2011.
A hidden gem nestled in the mining town of Bo'ness, beside Linlithgow and close to Edinburgh, this
visitor attraction provides an excellent insight into Scotland's industrial heritage. Edinburgh based guide, Morag Dunbar reported:
"We were welcomed by volunteers Bill Shannon and Michael Hill who gave us an introduction to the railway and welcomed us onto the wonderful old steam train for a 70 minute journey. Not only that but teas/coffees and home made scones were served to us en route – how civilised! Bill and Mike travelled with us and provided informative commentary and answered the usual variety of questions from ever-curious guides.
Following the trip, more of a surprise was in store – the Railway Exhibition which is really a museum full of engines, carriages and railway memorabilia (two sheds of it). It is second in size to York and has some rolling stock on loan from both there and the Transport Museum in Glasgow. Two more volunteer guides showed us round. It was pretty comprehensive and many of our guides said they would have to return to make sure they had remembered it all correctly."