Military Port Number 1 Railway

Introduction

Faslane Harbour was built during the Second World War as an additional docking facility to counter the possible destruction of Londons docks as well as docks of other cities. The port at Cairnryan was constructed at the same time to provide further capacity.

The line was built to connect Faslane to the West Highland Railway (owned by the London and North Eastern Railway at the time) at Faslane Junction. The branch ped from the West Highland Line as a double track before ending at a reversing spur at the west end of the Faslane Harbour. From here a series of sidings ran to the Faslane pierheads. The railway was built to European standards of track and signalling to give troops practise before the D-Day invasions. Due to the single track nature of the West Highland Railway the loop at Garelochhead was lengthed and a small marshalling yard installed at Dalmore (on the Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway) to the east of Craigendoran Junction.






Dates

27/04/1941West Highland Railway
Military Port Number 1 Railway
Faslane Junction junction and signal box opened with a loop on the main line, double track junction and exchange sidings for the railway to Military Port No 1, Faslane Military Port.
20/09/1953West Highland Railway
Military Port Number 1 Railway
Faslane Junction signal box closed replaced by a ground frame.
  /  /1980West Highland Railway
Military Port Number 1 Railway
Faslane Junction ground frame and junction taken out about this date.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Faslane Port Line

This station was a terminus with a long single platform over 300 yards long. It was located at the end of the Military Port Number 1 Railway in the north west of the site, close to the southern of two jetties in the northern part of the Gare Loch. The station opened to military passenger trains in 1943, Winston Churchill being a passenger on the first train.
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Looking across the Gareloch in 1957 with an aircraft carrier to the left and a battleship on the right, anchored awaiting their fate. On the far side ...
John McIntyre Collection //1957
1 of 1 images.


This Second World War period marshalling yard was on the Faslane branch just before it joined the West Highland Railway at Faslane Junction. Also known as Faslane Transfer Yard. It allowed trains to be joined together to run over the single track section to Craigendoran Junction (with only a passing place at Helensburgh Upper). There were further associated yards at ...

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Looking north west along the trackbed of the No.1 Military Port railway a short distance from Faslane Jct Yard (behind the photographer) on 6 July ...
John McIntyre 06/07/2021
Two single track bridges crossing a burn on the former railway built to serve No.1 Military Port during WW2. The line ran from Faslane Junction on the ...
John McIntyre 06/07/2021
West Highland Line, remains of trackbed on Faslane siding. ...
Alistair MacKenzie 17/04/2007
West Highland Line, remains of bridge on Faslane siding. ...
Alistair MacKenzie 17/04/2007
4 of 10 images. more


This junction was installed in the Second World War. It was a double track junction as a long loop was put in on the West Highland Railway and the connection to the Military Port Number 1 Railway yard was double track. Faslane Junction Yard was just to the north on the branch.
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See also
West Highland Railway
One of several buildings at Faslane Junction, that in May 2007 were starting to be camouflaged by the vegetation. The buildings were used railway ...
John McIntyre 28/05/2007
West Highland Line, bridge over stream at Glen Fruin. ...
Alistair MacKenzie 30/04/2007
West Highland Line, bridge over Glen Fruin road. ...
Alistair MacKenzie 30/04/2007
Remains of signalpost at former marshalling yard by Faslane Junction. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 9 images. more





Associated locations

This station is open. It is located in the north of Helensburgh, up above the town centre (better served by Helensburgh Central).
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See also
West Highland Railway
GBRF 66736 restarts from Helensburgh Upper, with the North Blyth to Fort William loaded alumina tanks, on a wet 24 June 2021. ...
John McIntyre 24/06/2021
The ex-12.22 service from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban and Mallaig, dividing at Crianlarich, calling at Helensburgh Upper on Wednesday, 7th September ...
David Bosher 07/09/2022
Vegetation between Craigendoran Junction and Helensburgh Upper. ...
Network Rail /01/2022
Platform sign at Helensburgh Upper on 2 June 2009. [The Gaelic version omits the 'Upper'.] ...
David Panton 02/06/2009
4 of 36 images. more


This wartime yard was to the north of Craigendoran Junction. It was part of the provision of marshalling yards for the Faslane Millitary Port. A series of sidings, mostly approached from the east, was laid out. Craigendoran East Yard could be reached by reversal.
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See also
Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway


This wartime yard was opened to the east of Craigendoran Junction along with Craigendoran West Yard. Access was controlled by Craigendoran East signal box. The yard was laid out on the north east side of the line. It had two sets of sidings and a turntable, all approached from the west. The yards were used in combination with Ardmore Yard for Faslane Military Port.
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See also
Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway