This line is partly open. The railway provides a service between Crianlarich and Oban. ScotRail provides a service on this line. The line ran between Callander and Glenoglehead Crossing (then called Killin station) until sufficient funds were found to extend it to Tyndrum. At Tyndrum there was a short continuation to lead mines. The next extension was to Dalmally. Finally enough money was raised to take the line on to Oban.
A branch took the company on to Ballachulish and other lines opened to Loch Tay and Comrie.
The line is signalled by RETB and controlled from Banavie, near Fort William. The line is notable for the Pass of Brander Stone Signals, an unusual set of semaphore signals which protect the line from rockfalls.
The line was a protege of the Caledonian Railway.
The remaining part of the line is supported by the Friends of the West Highland Lines who were formed in 1983 and have promoted the line ever since. The society publishes the excellent West Highland News Plus.
/ /1850 | [Scottish Central Railway] New Stirling locomotive shed opened; stone built four road shed replacing timber shed. The shed was originally single ended with the tracks running to the north. The shed was used for freight locomotives and the [Callander and Oban Railway]. |
22/06/1864 | [Callander and Oban Railway] First meeting of the Callander and Oban Railway Committee. |
05/07/1865 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Act receives Royal assent. |
01/09/1865 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Appointment of John Anderson as the company secretary. |
27/06/1866 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Contract for Callander to Glenoglehead section given to J McKay. |
01/06/1870 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Callander to Killin (Glenoglehead) opened. |
/08/1873 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Killin to Tyndrum opened. |
01/04/1877 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Tyndrum to Dalmally opened. |
/05/1877 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Single road stone shed opened to the south of Dalmally station with a 48ft turntable. |
/ /1880 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Dalmally shed ceases to be a key shed when the line to Oban opens completely. |
30/06/1880 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Opening ceremony for whole Callander to Oban line. |
20/06/1881 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Steamers start running from Ach-na-Cloich up Loch Etive. |
27/06/1882 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Large fence built stop boulders rolling onto the trackbed by Pass of Brander authorised. |
01/04/1886 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Killin station closed to public and becomes Glenoglehead crossing. |
02/02/1889 | West Highland Railway A blizzard covers Rannoch Moor and the party have to work their way through deep drifting to reach Tyndrum station on the Callander and Oban Railway. |
20/12/1894 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Spur from Crianlarich station ([West Highland Line]) to Crianlarich Junction opened. New passing loop at Crianlarich Junction allows removal of up platform and loop at Crianlarich (Callander and Oban) station. |
07/08/1896 | [Ballachulish Branch] ([Callander and Oban Railway]) Callander and Oban Railway (Ballachulish Extension) Act passed. (Alternative date 1/4/1896). |
20/12/1897 | West Highland Railway Connection to Callander and Oban Railway at Crianlarich opened, from Crianlarich Junction to Crianlarich Junction [CandO]. |
04/03/1903 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Oban station enlargement authorised. |
07/07/1905 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Introduction of C. & O. Hotel Express. |
/ /1906 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Water columns installed on the platforms at Balquhidder. |
31/07/1907 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Retirement of John Anderson. |
01/07/1909 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Charabanc operates over Connel Ferry Bridge; North Connel to Connel Ferry. |
22/06/1914 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Connel Ferry bridge altered for road vehicles and pedestrians. |
03/08/1914 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Maid of Morven observation car introduced. |
/02/1915 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Maid of Morven observation car withdrawn. |
/03/1919 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Maid of Morven observation car re-introduced. |
01/01/1923 | Dundee and Newtyle Railway
Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
Caledonian Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway
Callander and Oban Railway
Glasgow and Kilmarnock Joint Railway
Highland Railway
Cathcart District Railway
Killin Railway
Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Committee
Brechin and Edzell District Railway
Dornoch Light Railway
Wick and Lybster Light Railway Grouped into London, Midland and Scottish Railway. |
/ /1930 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Dalmally shed closed. |
/ /1938 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Dalmally shed still standing, but demolished at some date afterwards. |
07/06/1965 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Closed to freight. |
14/06/1965 | [Ballachulish Branch] ([Callander and Oban Railway]) Ballachulish (Glencoe) to Connel Ferry closed to freight. |
27/09/1965 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Landslide in Glen Ogle; line closed between Callander and Crianlarich. |
28/09/1965 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Crianlarich East Junction to Callander closed to all traffic. |
01/11/1965 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Crianlarich East Junction to Callander closed to passengers (landslide closed line on 28.9.65, bus service until end). |
26/03/1966 | [Ballachulish Branch] ([Callander and Oban Railway]) Line closed completely between Connel Ferry and Ballachulish. (Alternative date 1/3/1966). |
23/01/1989 | [Callander and Oban Railway] Sprinters introduced on line. |
~1902 capacity increased.
This line is divided into a number of portions.
Single track passenger and goods line from Callander and Oban Junction to Glenoglehead.
The original 1870 station here had two platforms, a loop and a timber building. It replaced the original Callander [1st] terminus in the east of the town. This station was on the northern edge of the town.
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This was a passing loop, added in 1893 due to the increase in traffic. Little remains to be seen of the loop, the line itself is now a dirt road, except a bridge over a stream which clearly carried two tracks. John Anderson's proposal to open a public station here was rejected by the landowner.
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This platform was for the use of railway staff and their families. It was a single platform built in timber alongside Rock Cottage. The platform was on the west side of the line.
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Early in the history of the Callander and Oban Railway trains could halt at the north end of Loch Lubnaig for fishermen. There were probably no facilities and the location is uncertain. ...
More detailsThis single track girder viaduct was to the south Strathyre station, crossing the River Balvag a little north of Loch Lubnaig.
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This was a two platform station with a loop. It was originally a single platform station, possibly doubled not long after opening. The station was noted for the ornate stork fountain of Cruachan granite, the choice of the stationmaster as a reward for many years of service. After station closure this was moved to the garden of a house in the village.
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This was a halt serving the nearby Kingshouse Inn (to the east) and road to Balqhidder Glen (to the west).
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This was a three platform station where the Callander and Oban Railway met the branch east to St Fillans and Comrie. It replaced Balquhidder [1st].
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The original station here had a single platform with a timber building on a curve and a goods yard. The yard was to the north of the station, on the east side of the line. This yard opened to goods and mineral traffic before the railway was completed. A loop and second platform was added later (probably 1890 when Lochearnhead signal box opened). The main station building, at this time, was on the ...
More detailsThis single track viaduct carried the Callander and Oban Railway over the Kendrum Burn west of Edinchip House.
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This 'B' listed cast iron accommodation footbridge with a wooden deck crosses the trackbed of the former Callander and Oban Railway just north of Edinchip Viaduct [C and O] and west of Edinchip House.
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A landslide which had occurred in the very early hours of the morning in Glen Ogle was discovered on Monday the 27th of September 1965. The site was south of the Glen Ogle Viaduct on a section where rockfalls had occurred many times over the life of the railway. Trains that day were cancelled and redirected.
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This is a disused 12 arch, 139 ft long overall, 44 ft high single track viaduct in Glen Ogle running along the steep eastern hillside of Meall Reamhar and Scorrach Nuadh. It may just about have been possible for the line to have followed the hillside but would have involved very tight curves. The viaduct flies out from the hillside and then rejoins it. To the immediate south is a three arch ...
More detailsThis was the original terminus of the Callander and Oban Railway and located somewhat far away from its namesake the town of Killin which required a connecting stagecoach. Stagecoaches also continued the journey to other points west such as Tyndrum and Oban.
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Single track passenger and goods line from Glenoglehead to Tyndrum [1st].
This was the original terminus of the Callander and Oban Railway and located somewhat far away from its namesake the town of Killin which required a connecting stagecoach. Stagecoaches also continued the journey to other points west such as Tyndrum and Oban.
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This was a three platform station with two platforms and a loop on the mainline, the up platform being an island the outer face of which chiefly served the Killin Railway and had a loop. Trains from the main line could access the branch platform line and loop from either end.
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This is a disused single track three arch viaduct just west of the former Killin Junction station crossing the Ardchyle Burn. The burn is very much lower than the surrounding ground making this a viaduct which is about the same height as it is in length.
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This is an out of use single track three arch viaduct above Ledcharrie Farm which is to the north. The arches are reinforced with rails.
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This was a single girder bridge above Edravinoch Farm, which is to the north. The former bridge is east of the former Luib station and west of Ledcharrie Viaduct.
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This was a two platform station. The main station building was on the eastbound platform, the building being of the typical style of the extension of the Callander and Oban Railway from Glenoglehead to Tyndrum [1st].
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This was a two platform station. The station building on the down platform was a typical later Callander and Oban Railway timber building but with a canopy along the length of the building.
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This junction remains open - just. A short somewhat grassy siding runs east.
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Crianlarich Junction [CandO] had an elaborate layout. The Callander and Oban Railway was doubled from west of the junction through the junction and further east, and the West Highland Railway was also double on approach to the junction.
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[This location name is somewhat artificial.] In 1877 the railway was extended west to Dalmally via a replacement Tyndrum station (now called Tyndrum Lower) and the original Tyndrum [1st] station became a goods yard and its signal box [1st box] closed. A new box was provided for the goods and passenger station [2nd box].
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This was the terminus at Tyndrum of the extension of the Callander and Oban Railway west from Killin [1st].
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Single track passenger and goods line from Tyndrum Goods Ground Frame to Dalmally. This extension left the original Tyndrum station on a short branch, the original became a goods yard.
[This location name is somewhat artificial.] In 1877 the railway was extended west to Dalmally via a replacement Tyndrum station (now called Tyndrum Lower) and the original Tyndrum [1st] station became a goods yard and its signal box [1st box] closed. A new box was provided for the goods and passenger station [2nd box].
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This is a single platform station. The platform is on the north side of the running line. There is a car park at the west end and an occupational crossing. The station is south of Tyndrum, a small settlement at the west end of Strath Fillan.
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This was a passing loop opened in 1882 to increase capacity of the line. It broke the single track section between Tyndrum Lower and Dalmally.
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This is a two platform station. The main station building is on the eastbound (up) platform and is a red stone built two storey house with single storey offices. Gables are crow-stepped. The building is fitted with a full length glass canopy over the platform. The very fine building is due to the use of the station by the Duke of Argyll. The original timber station building burned down in 1898. ...
More detailsSingle track passenger and goods line from Dalmally to Oban.
This is a two platform station. The main station building is on the eastbound (up) platform and is a red stone built two storey house with single storey offices. Gables are crow-stepped. The building is fitted with a full length glass canopy over the platform. The very fine building is due to the use of the station by the Duke of Argyll. The original timber station building burned down in 1898. ...
More detailsThis is a seven single track span girder viaduct crossing the River Orchy. It is the longest viaduct on the Callander and Oban Railway route.
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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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This is a single platform station alongside the north east shore of Loch Awe [Loch] with a footbridge over the line giving access to a pier, Loch Awe Pier. Only the former eastbound platform remains in use. High above is the Loch Awe Hotel which may be reached by a staircase up a cliff.
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This is a small single platform near the Falls of Cruachan and Cruachan Hydro Electric Scheme visitor's centre.
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This is a single track three arch viaduct with castellated parapets. It crosses at the Falls of Cruachan where the Allt Cruachan drops into Loch Awe, just west of Falls of Cruachan station.
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This was a passing loop on the single track Callander and Oban Railway. The loop broke the section between Taynuilt, to the west, and Loch Awe to the east. Prior to the loop the single track length was 9.1 miles, broken into 4.5 miles to the west and 4.6 miles to the east).
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A series of 17 stone signals over a length of 3.2 miles are controlled by a rock screen uphill from the railway. The hillside above, the lower slope of Ben Cruachan, is sheer and rockfalls not uncommon. The portion of protected railway is on the north bank of Loch and includes Falls of Cruachan station and the former Awe Crossing.
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This is a two platform station which retains its 1921 signal box. There is a small car park. The station has a passing loop and sidings. It opened on the 1880 extension of the Callander and Oban Railway from Dalmally to Oban.
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This was a single platform station with a station building. The building was a smaller style C&O building. The platform was on the north side of the line.
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This is a single platform station with a shelter. There is a car park on the north side of the station. At the east end of the station is a goods loop and oil siding (both out of use). The station was once far larger and a junction.
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This was an extensive set of Wartime sidings laid out at Connel Ferry station in 1940 for the Admiralty. The sidings ran south east from the west end of the station, making a trailing connection by the west box.
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This crossing was opened to break the single track section between Oban and Connel Ferry at Glencruitten Summit.
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Oban Goods Junction was south of Oban station and provided access to Oban's principal goods yard, Lochavullin Goods, and locomotive shed Oban Shed. Both opened with the Oban extension in 1880.
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This shed was south of Oban station and access from the junction for the Lochavuillin Goods at Oban Goods Junction. Access to the goods yard was from the south and a reversal was necessary to reach the shed.
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A closed goods yard south of the passenger terminus in Oban. The location is also known as Oban Goods or Oban High Level Goods. There were a number of sidings here and the Oban Shed, of which the turntable pit remains. An oil siding remained in use here until the early 1990s. ...
More detailsThis is a terminus at a ferry pier on Oban Bay. Oban is a major port for the islands with Caledonian MacBrayne operating services to Mull, Lismore and beyond.
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