Crianlarich railway station
Encyclopedia
Crianlarich railway station is a railway station serving the village of Crianlarich
in Scotland
. It is located on the West Highland Line
. The routes to Fort William/Mallaig
and Oban
diverge after this station. Access to the platform is via a flight of stairs from a subway that runs underneath the tracks, from the car park which is slightly lower than the station itself.
The lines and station were eventually built by the state under compulsory purchase arrangements sought after the persistent rejection by the landowners the Place family of Loch Dochart House and Skelton Grange, Yorkshire who even turned down the offer of having all the proceeds from the two station tea-rooms in perpetuity. The Places felt that the project would spoil their shooting grounds; the family sold their house and estate shortly after their defeat and retreated to Yorkshire.
The station was laid out with a crossing loop around an island platform
and sidings
on both sides. On the east side were was an engine shed and a turntable
. At the north end of the station, there was a junction with a link line to the Callander and Oban Railway
which was opened in 1897. Originally, the junction incorporated a scissors crossover, allowing simultaneous moves through the junction.
In 1953, British Rail
added the suffix "Upper" to the station's name, in order to distinguish it from the nearby station (only about 300 metres' walk along the north east access road) on the Callander and Oban Line which then became known as .
Since closure of the Callander and Oban Line east of Crianlarich in 1965 (during the Beeching cuts
), all trains to Oban have been routed up the West Highland Line as far as Crianlarich Upper station. They then join the remaining part of the Oban line by means of the link line, which had formerly been infrequently used. Crianlarich Lower station also closed in 1965. Some years later, the Upper station's name reverted to "Crianlarich".
The old engine shed is now used by the Permanent Way engineers.
Mondays to Saturdays, there are three services to Oban, three to Mallaig and one service to Fort William (Highland Caledonian Sleeper
) northbound. Southbound, there are three services to Glasgow Queen Street and one service to London Euston (Highland Caledonian Sleeper
does not run on Saturday). On Sundays, there is just one service to Oban and one to Mallaig northbound. Southbound, there are two trains to Glasgow Queen Street and London Euston.
The station buildings are not the original ones: these (which were of the standard 'West Highland' design) were destroyed by fire in 1937.
The area around the station is forested. Timber leaving the area is transported by rail, being loaded in sidings to the west side of the station.
Signalling
From the time of its opening in 1894, the West Highland Railway was worked throughout by the electric token system
. Crianlarich signal box
was situated at the north end of the island platform.
In 1967, the method of working between Crianlarich and was changed to the Scottish Region Tokenless Block system. In August 1985, the method of working between Crianlarich and Rannoch reverted to the electric token block system.
The semaphore signals were removed in stages during December 1985 in preparation for the introduction of Radio Electronic Token Block
(RETB). Track layout alterations were made at the same time, including simplification of the junction and extension of the crossing loop at the south end. The RETB, which is controlled from a Signalling Centre at Banavie railway station
, was commissioned from to and on 27 March 1988.
The Train Protection & Warning System was installed in 2003.
Crianlarich
Crianlarich is a village in the Stirling district and registration county of Perthshire, Scotland, about six miles north-east of the head of Loch Lomond...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located on the West Highland Line
West Highland Line
The West Highland Line is considered the most scenic railway line in Britain, linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban on the west coast of Scotland to Glasgow. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the iconic...
. The routes to Fort William/Mallaig
Mallaig
Mallaig ; is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland railway line , completed in 1901, and the town is linked to Fort William by the A830 road – the "Road to the Isles".The village of Mallaig...
and Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
diverge after this station. Access to the platform is via a flight of stairs from a subway that runs underneath the tracks, from the car park which is slightly lower than the station itself.
History
Crianlarich station opened concurrently with the West Highland Railway in 1894, doubling the number of railway stations in the village.The lines and station were eventually built by the state under compulsory purchase arrangements sought after the persistent rejection by the landowners the Place family of Loch Dochart House and Skelton Grange, Yorkshire who even turned down the offer of having all the proceeds from the two station tea-rooms in perpetuity. The Places felt that the project would spoil their shooting grounds; the family sold their house and estate shortly after their defeat and retreated to Yorkshire.
The station was laid out with a crossing loop around an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
and sidings
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
on both sides. On the east side were was an engine shed and a turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
. At the north end of the station, there was a junction with a link line to the Callander and Oban Railway
Callander and Oban Railway
The Callander and Oban Railway company was formed in 1864 with the objective of linking Callander, Scotland to the west coast port of Oban over challenging terrain, particularly at Glen Ogle and the Pass of Brander at Loch Awe. Callander had been reached in 1858 by the Dunblane, Doune and Callander...
which was opened in 1897. Originally, the junction incorporated a scissors crossover, allowing simultaneous moves through the junction.
In 1953, British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
added the suffix "Upper" to the station's name, in order to distinguish it from the nearby station (only about 300 metres' walk along the north east access road) on the Callander and Oban Line which then became known as .
Since closure of the Callander and Oban Line east of Crianlarich in 1965 (during the Beeching cuts
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
), all trains to Oban have been routed up the West Highland Line as far as Crianlarich Upper station. They then join the remaining part of the Oban line by means of the link line, which had formerly been infrequently used. Crianlarich Lower station also closed in 1965. Some years later, the Upper station's name reverted to "Crianlarich".
The old engine shed is now used by the Permanent Way engineers.
Services
Northbound, Crianlarich is where the trains for Oban and Mallaig will divide, with each of the services leaving roughly five minutes apart. Southbound, when each train arrives from Oban or Mallaig, it will join with the other and go down as one train from Crianlarich.Mondays to Saturdays, there are three services to Oban, three to Mallaig and one service to Fort William (Highland Caledonian Sleeper
Caledonian Sleeper
The Caledonian Sleeper is a sleeper train service operated by First ScotRail and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of Great Britain, the other being the Night Riviera....
) northbound. Southbound, there are three services to Glasgow Queen Street and one service to London Euston (Highland Caledonian Sleeper
Caledonian Sleeper
The Caledonian Sleeper is a sleeper train service operated by First ScotRail and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of Great Britain, the other being the Night Riviera....
does not run on Saturday). On Sundays, there is just one service to Oban and one to Mallaig northbound. Southbound, there are two trains to Glasgow Queen Street and London Euston.
Station building
An independently operated tea room is located in the station building.The station buildings are not the original ones: these (which were of the standard 'West Highland' design) were destroyed by fire in 1937.
Freight facilities
SignallingRailway signallingRailway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
From the time of its opening in 1894, the West Highland Railway was worked throughout by the electric token systemToken (railway signalling)
In railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track. The token is clearly endorsed with the name of the section it belongs to...
. Crianlarich signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was situated at the north end of the island platform.
In 1967, the method of working between Crianlarich and was changed to the Scottish Region Tokenless Block system. In August 1985, the method of working between Crianlarich and Rannoch reverted to the electric token block system.
The semaphore signals were removed in stages during December 1985 in preparation for the introduction of Radio Electronic Token Block
Radio Electronic Token Block
Radio Electronic Token Block is a system of railway signalling used in the United Kingdom. It is a development of the physical token system for controlling traffic on single lines.- How it works :...
(RETB). Track layout alterations were made at the same time, including simplification of the junction and extension of the crossing loop at the south end. The RETB, which is controlled from a Signalling Centre at Banavie railway station
Banavie railway station
Banavie railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line serving the village of Banavie, although it is much closer to Caol. To continue on to the next station at , trains must pass over the Caledonian Canal at Neptune's Staircase, a popular tourist attraction.- History :Banavie...
, was commissioned from to and on 27 March 1988.
The Train Protection & Warning System was installed in 2003.