Ben Cruachan Quarries Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)

Introduction

This standard gauge branch served the Ben Cruachan Grantire quarries on the east side of the mountain. The mineral line ran from Drishaig Junction on the Callander and Oban Railway north west to the mountain where a series of zig-zags allowed the line to climb and reach different level of the quarry. The quarry was operated by Ben Cruachan Granite Quarries Ltd. The company operated two shunters of its own, 0-4-0STs The quarry and line closed in 1910, the line dismantled around 1916. Much of the formation remains intact and can be walked. The formation of the zig-zags still exists.





Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

This was the junction for the Ben Cruachan Granite Quarries. The branch opened in 1885, five years after the main line. Trains from the branch ran on to Loch Awe to use the goods yard there as exchange sidings. The junction was released using the tablet for the Loch Awe to Dalmally section on which the junction lay. The junction closed in 1916.
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See also
Callander and Oban Railway
Looking down the quite steep Ben Cruachan Quarry branch to Drishaig Junction. With views of mountains, Kilchurn Castle and Loch Awe it must have been ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2022
A view south overlooking Kilchurn Castle and Drishaig Junction, where the Ben Cruachan Quarry line met the Callander and Oban Railway. The quarry line ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2022
2 of 2 images.


This quarry, on the eastern slopes of Ben Cruachan, was served by a line from Drishaig Junction which zig-zagged to gain height at the quarries (four reversals reached the highest level). The ground frame for this short Ben Cruachan Quarries Branch (Callander and Oban Railway) was released by a tablet from Loch Awe station for the section to Dalmally. The quarry had its own ...

More details
This photograph shows the lowest of the Ben Cruachan Quarries. The railway came from Drishaig (the dirt road centre distance) and ran to the bottom ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2022
A section of rail remains in place at Ben Cruachan Quarry. This came as quite a surprise as the line closed in 1916. ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2022
This is Cruachan Quarry reached by a branch from Drishaig Junction near Loch Awe and with final approach via a reversing spur. The stone for the heron ...
Ewan Crawford 08/11/2012
This is the trackbed of the former Ben Cruachan Quarries branch looking to Drishaig Junction in 2012. This portion of the branch has been reused. The ...
Ewan Crawford 08/11/2012
4 of 5 images. more