Loch Awe railway station
Encyclopedia
Loch Awe railway station is a railway station serving the village of Lochawe, on the northern bank of Loch Awe
, in western Scotland
. This station is on the Oban
branch of the West Highland Line
, originally part of the Callander and Oban Railway
.
The privately-owned locomotive that worked the Ben Cruachan Quarry Branch
had authority to run over the main Callander and Oban Line
between Loch Awe station and the branch junction
, just over half a mile to the east.
on both sides of the line. On 8 August 1897, the station building was destroyed by fire. A second platform, on the north side of the loop, was brought into use on 5 May 1902.
The station closed on 1 November 1965 but reopened on 10 May 1985 using only the more recent platform. The original platform remains in situ, but disused.
, which replaced the original box on 5 May 1902, was situated at the west end of the Down platform. It contained 24 levers. The signal box closed on 2 October 1966 when the crossing loop was removed.
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An old Mark 1 carriage
(which was formerly painted in green and cream "West Highland Line" livery and carried the number SC4494) sits on an isolated length of track immediately to the west of the station, on the south side. Having been brought to Loch Awe by a ballast train on 29 May 1988, it was until 2008 used as a tea room. The main single line
had to be temporarily severed and slued so that the carriage could be shunted onto its own track without the use of a crane
.
Loch Awe
Loch Awe is a large body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It has also given its name to a village on its banks, variously known as Loch Awe, or Lochawe. There are islands within the loch such as Innis Chonnell and Inishail.- The loch :It is the third largest freshwater loch in Scotland with...
, in western 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...
. This station is on the 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...
branch of 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...
, originally part of 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...
.
The privately-owned locomotive that worked the Ben Cruachan Quarry Branch
Ben Cruachan Quarry Branch
The Ben Cruachan Quarry Branch was a short standard gauge branch line that was built to serve a granite quarry on Ben Cruachan in Scotland.The branch connected with the Callander and Oban Railway about one kilometre east of Loch Awe railway station...
had authority to run over the main Callander and Oban Line
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...
between Loch Awe station and the branch junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
, just over half a mile to the east.
History
This station opened on 1 July 1880 with just one platform. There was a loop, and sidingsRail 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 of the line. On 8 August 1897, the station building was destroyed by fire. A second platform, on the north side of the loop, was brought into use on 5 May 1902.
The station closed on 1 November 1965 but reopened on 10 May 1985 using only the more recent platform. The original platform remains in situ, but disused.
Signalling
Loch Awe signal boxSignal 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...
, which replaced the original box on 5 May 1902, was situated at the west end of the Down platform. It contained 24 levers. The signal box closed on 2 October 1966 when the crossing loop was removed.
Tea Train
British Railways Mark 1
British Railways Mark 1 was the family designation for the first standardised designs of railway carriages built by British Railways. Following nationalisation in 1948, BR had continued to build carriages to the designs of the "Big Four" companies , and the Mark 1 was intended to be the...
(which was formerly painted in green and cream "West Highland Line" livery and carried the number SC4494) sits on an isolated length of track immediately to the west of the station, on the south side. Having been brought to Loch Awe by a ballast train on 29 May 1988, it was until 2008 used as a tea room. The main single line
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
had to be temporarily severed and slued so that the carriage could be shunted onto its own track without the use of a crane
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
.