Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
Encyclopedia
The Glasgow to Aberfoyle Line was a railway line in Scotland
, now closed.
Starting from the Queen Street terminus in Glasgow
, it wound through Strathblane
taking in Killearn
and Balfron
, ultimately depositing travellers in Aberfoyle, where they could change to road transport to reach the Trossachs
and Loch Katrine
, or to make a circular tour, returning by Loch Lomond
.
The eventual line was the result of three stages of development: the Campsie Branch of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
, which opened in 1848 and went to Lennoxtown
; the Blane Valley Railway, which opened fully in 1867, extending the line to Killearn
; and finally the Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway, which opened in 1882 taking the line to Aberfoyle, including a stretch running over the existing track of the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
, which had opened in 1856.
The line was operated by the North British Railway
and then, after 1923, by the London and North Eastern Railway
. Unable to compete in the face of road competition, the line north of Kirkintilloch was closed to passengers by British Railways in 1951. Most of the line closed completely in 1959, with the last remainder, the original Campsie Branch section, closing in 1966.
, branching off at from its main line from Glasgow to Edinburgh, serving Kirkintilloch
and running as far as Lennoxtown
.
The railway company became part of the North British Railway
in 1865.
, extended the branch into the essentially rural countryside immediately south of the Campsie Fells
. Population was light, so the main item of carriage for the line was expected to be milk to be taken to Glasgow. An act for the new railway was obtained in 1861, and it opened for freight in November 1866 and passengers in July 1867, extending the line by eight and a quarter miles to Killearn
(in fact the station was about two miles short of the village), with a new station built at Lennoxtown to by-pass the previous terminus there.
In 1881 the railway company was absorbed by the North British Railway, which had operated the line and been a major shareholder from the start.
extended the line to Aberfoyle, running for part of the way between Buchlyvie Junction and Gartness Junction over the metals of the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
which had opened in 1856, and was also operated by the North British Company. A new station a little nearer the village took on the Killearn name, with the existing Killearn station renamed Dumgoyne after the celebrated hill
of that name. A focus for the line was very much on visitors coming to see the natural beauty of the area, the Trossachs
, and Loch Katrine
, which had been popularised by Sir Walter Scott since the 1810s.
This route had originally been proposed in the plans for the Blane Valley Railway, but had not been pursued when money had fallen short. Plans had also called for the railway to be extended along Loch Ard
towards Inversnaid
on Loch Lomond
, but this was blocked by the objections of the major landowner in the area, the Duke of Montrose
.
The Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway was also absorbed by the North British Railway, in 1891.
and then motor bus operators. Passenger services on the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway from Stirling to Loch Lomond were suspended entirely in 1934; and soon most services on the Aberfoyle line terminated at Blanefield, with passengers for Aberfoyle having to change there for a limited shuttle service operated by a Sentinel
steam railcar
.
By summer 1950 Kirkintilloch was being served by twelve trains a day; Lennoxtown by seven; Blanefield by five; and Aberfoyle by three. The line from Kirkintilloch to Aberfoyle closed to passengers the next year, on 1 October 1951. Both the Forth and Clyde Junction line and Aberfoyle line north from Campsie Glen closed completely eight years later, with the ending of the remaining goods services in October 1959.
The original Campsie Branch part of the line lasted a little longer, but in 1964 the last remaining passenger services to Kirkintilloch were ended, followed in April 1966 by the final remaining goods services to Lennoxtown, and the entire line was closed and soon lifted.
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...
, now closed.
Starting from the Queen Street terminus in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, it wound through Strathblane
Strathblane
Strathblane is a village and parish in the registration county of Stirlingshire, situated in the southwestern part of the Stirling council area, in central Scotland. It lies at the foothills of the Campsie Fells and the Kilpatrick Hills on the Blane Water, north of Glasgow, east-southeast of...
taking in Killearn
Killearn
Killearn is a small village of approximately 1700 people in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The village name stems from the Gaelic Cill Earnain, meaning Ernan's Church; the Ernan in question presumably being one of the canonised individuals of that name who were both relatives and followers...
and Balfron
Balfron
Balfron, is a village in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It is situated near Endrick Water on the A875 road, 18 miles west of Stirling and 16 miles north of Glasgow. Although a rural settlement, it lies within commuting distance of Glasgow, and serves as a dormitory town.-History:The name...
, ultimately depositing travellers in Aberfoyle, where they could change to road transport to reach the Trossachs
Trossachs
The Trossachs itself is a small woodland glen in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It lies between Ben A'an to the north and Ben Venue to the south, with Loch Katrine to the west and Loch Achray to the east. However, the name is used generally to refer to the wider area of wooded glens and...
and Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine is a freshwater loch in the district of Stirling, Scotland. It is roughly 8 miles long by 2/3 of a mile wide and runs the length of Strath Gartney...
, or to make a circular tour, returning by Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
.
The eventual line was the result of three stages of development: the Campsie Branch of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was a railway built to link Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Act of Parliament for building the railway received its Royal Assent in 1838 which was open on 28 July 1863. Services started between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket on 21 February 1842. The line was...
, which opened in 1848 and went to Lennoxtown
Lennoxtown
Lennoxtown is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland at the foot of the Campsie Fells, which are just to the north.It is now part of the East Dunbartonshire council area but prior to 1975 was in the county of Stirling....
; the Blane Valley Railway, which opened fully in 1867, extending the line to Killearn
Killearn
Killearn is a small village of approximately 1700 people in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The village name stems from the Gaelic Cill Earnain, meaning Ernan's Church; the Ernan in question presumably being one of the canonised individuals of that name who were both relatives and followers...
; and finally the Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway, which opened in 1882 taking the line to Aberfoyle, including a stretch running over the existing track of the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
The Forth and Clyde Junction Railway was a railway line in Scotland which ran from Balloch to Stirling.It shared a short stretch from Gartness Junction to Buchlyvie Junction with the Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway.- Opening :...
, which had opened in 1856.
The line was operated by the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
and then, after 1923, by the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
. Unable to compete in the face of road competition, the line north of Kirkintilloch was closed to passengers by British Railways in 1951. Most of the line closed completely in 1959, with the last remainder, the original Campsie Branch section, closing in 1966.
Campsie Branch
The first section of the route opened in 1848 as the five and a half mile long Campsie Branch of the Edinburgh and Glasgow RailwayEdinburgh and Glasgow Railway
The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was a railway built to link Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Act of Parliament for building the railway received its Royal Assent in 1838 which was open on 28 July 1863. Services started between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket on 21 February 1842. The line was...
, branching off at from its main line from Glasgow to Edinburgh, serving Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch is a town and former burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal, about eight miles northeast of central Glasgow...
and running as far as Lennoxtown
Lennoxtown
Lennoxtown is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland at the foot of the Campsie Fells, which are just to the north.It is now part of the East Dunbartonshire council area but prior to 1975 was in the county of Stirling....
.
The railway company became part of the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
in 1865.
Blane Valley Railway
The second stage of development, the Blane Valley RailwayBlane Valley Railway
The Blane Valley Railway was a railway line in Scotland, now closed.The line was operated by the North British Railway. After the 1923 railway grouping the line was operated by the London and North Eastern Railway...
, extended the branch into the essentially rural countryside immediately south of the Campsie Fells
Campsie Fells
The Campsie Fells are a range of hills in central Scotland, stretching east to west, from Denny Muir to Dumgoyne, in Stirlingshire. . The highest point in the range is Earl's Seat which is 578 m high...
. Population was light, so the main item of carriage for the line was expected to be milk to be taken to Glasgow. An act for the new railway was obtained in 1861, and it opened for freight in November 1866 and passengers in July 1867, extending the line by eight and a quarter miles to Killearn
Killearn
Killearn is a small village of approximately 1700 people in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The village name stems from the Gaelic Cill Earnain, meaning Ernan's Church; the Ernan in question presumably being one of the canonised individuals of that name who were both relatives and followers...
(in fact the station was about two miles short of the village), with a new station built at Lennoxtown to by-pass the previous terminus there.
In 1881 the railway company was absorbed by the North British Railway, which had operated the line and been a major shareholder from the start.
Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
In 1882 the Strathendrick and Aberfoyle RailwayStrathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
The Glasgow to Aberfoyle Line was a railway line in Scotland, now closed.Starting from the Queen Street terminus in Glasgow, it wound through Strathblane taking in Killearn and Balfron, ultimately depositing travellers in Aberfoyle, where they could change to road transport to reach the Trossachs...
extended the line to Aberfoyle, running for part of the way between Buchlyvie Junction and Gartness Junction over the metals of the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
The Forth and Clyde Junction Railway was a railway line in Scotland which ran from Balloch to Stirling.It shared a short stretch from Gartness Junction to Buchlyvie Junction with the Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway.- Opening :...
which had opened in 1856, and was also operated by the North British Company. A new station a little nearer the village took on the Killearn name, with the existing Killearn station renamed Dumgoyne after the celebrated hill
Dumgoyne
Dumgoyne is a hill prominent on the edge of the Campsie Fells and is a well known landmark visible from Glasgow. It is a volcanic plug and is 427 m high...
of that name. A focus for the line was very much on visitors coming to see the natural beauty of the area, the Trossachs
Trossachs
The Trossachs itself is a small woodland glen in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It lies between Ben A'an to the north and Ben Venue to the south, with Loch Katrine to the west and Loch Achray to the east. However, the name is used generally to refer to the wider area of wooded glens and...
, and Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine is a freshwater loch in the district of Stirling, Scotland. It is roughly 8 miles long by 2/3 of a mile wide and runs the length of Strath Gartney...
, which had been popularised by Sir Walter Scott since the 1810s.
This route had originally been proposed in the plans for the Blane Valley Railway, but had not been pursued when money had fallen short. Plans had also called for the railway to be extended along Loch Ard
Loch Ard
Loch Ard is a body of fresh water in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park of the Stirling District in Scotland. -Overview:...
towards Inversnaid
Inversnaid
Inversnaid is a village on the east bank of Loch Lomond in Scotland, near the north end of the loch. It has a pier and a hotel, and the West Highland Way passes through the village. A small passenger ferry runs from Inversnaid to Inveruglas on the opposite shore of the loch. To reach Inversnaid by...
on Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
, but this was blocked by the objections of the major landowner in the area, the Duke of Montrose
Duke of Montrose
The title of Duke of Montrose was created twice in the peerage of Scotland, firstly in 1488 for David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford. It was forfeited and then returned, but only for the period of the holder's lifetime...
.
The Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway was also absorbed by the North British Railway, in 1891.
Run-down and closure
By the 1920s the rail services were increasingly suffering in comparison with cheaper and more flexible alternatives offered by charabancCharabanc
A charabanc or "char-à-banc" is a type of horse-drawn vehicle or early motor coach, usually open-topped, common in Britain during the early part of the 20th century. It was especially popular for sight-seeing or "works outings" to the country or the seaside, organised by businesses once a year...
and then motor bus operators. Passenger services on the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway from Stirling to Loch Lomond were suspended entirely in 1934; and soon most services on the Aberfoyle line terminated at Blanefield, with passengers for Aberfoyle having to change there for a limited shuttle service operated by a Sentinel
Sentinel Waggon Works
Sentinel Waggon Works Ltd was a British company based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire that made steam-powered lorries, railway locomotives, and later, diesel engined lorries and locomotives.-Alley & MacLellan, Sentinel Works, Jessie Street Glasgow:...
steam railcar
Railmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
.
By summer 1950 Kirkintilloch was being served by twelve trains a day; Lennoxtown by seven; Blanefield by five; and Aberfoyle by three. The line from Kirkintilloch to Aberfoyle closed to passengers the next year, on 1 October 1951. Both the Forth and Clyde Junction line and Aberfoyle line north from Campsie Glen closed completely eight years later, with the ending of the remaining goods services in October 1959.
The original Campsie Branch part of the line lasted a little longer, but in 1964 the last remaining passenger services to Kirkintilloch were ended, followed in April 1966 by the final remaining goods services to Lennoxtown, and the entire line was closed and soon lifted.
External links
- RAILSCOT pages:
- Alison Dryden, Strathblane and Blanefield stations, and the story of the line, Strathblane Historical Society, 2004