1853-The government said to build a standard gauge railway starting from Balahoo to Rolf's Castle with intensions to extend north to the mainland. Three engines were ordered and came to help build the railway, one of them was named Neil.

1863-Eventually the railway was extended south to the harbour at Kirk Ronan to export slate and ore from the railroad and other materials. Improvements to the railroad began and the plate way is pulled up and replaced with rails for steam engines along a new route that ran near the lake of Skarloey, the new railway was named "The Skarloey Railway".

1864-They ordered two engines both are built in WhiteHaven in England, one of these engines is Skarloey.

1865-The first engine and the railways namesake Skarloey arrived on a ship the next year at Kirk Ronan, Neil helped unload him. In September that year the second engine Rheneas arrived.