This railway runs from Craigendoran (near Glasgow) to Fort William. The line had a branch to Banavie Pier.
It is a single track railway running through superb scenery; by sea lochs, mountains and moorland.
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.
Engineers: Forman and McCall.
Contractors: Lucas and Aird.
Stations on the West Highland are noted for their 'Swiss Chalet' style station buildings and diminutive signal boxes. The wooden shingles on the outside of the buildings were imported from Switzerland. Original station buildings remain at Garelochhead, Upper Tyndrum, Bridge of Orchy, Rannoch, Tulloch, Spean Bridge and a closed station at Banavie Pier. Fort William's terminus had a building of a different style which has not survived. Most stations had island platforms, although some had two separate platforms; those at Rhu, Tulloch, Roy Bridge and Spean Bridge; and these had a different style of building, since only one side faced the platform. Stationmaster's cottages and other railway cottages also had a standardised pattern.
/ /1889 | West Highland Railway Fort William [Fort]'s wall breached for railway building. |
29/01/1889 | West Highland Railway Charles Forman (of engineers Forman & McCall), James Bulloch (Formans chief engineer), J.E. Harrison (assistant engineer), Robert McAlpine (contractor), John Bett (factor of the Breadalbane Estates), Major Martin (factor of the Poltalloch estates) and N.B. MacKenzie (solicitor, local agent for the railway company) meet at a hotel in Spean Bridge to conduct a survey of the proposed route of the line over Rannoch Moor |
30/01/1889 | West Highland Railway The party are taken by coach from Spean Bridge to Inverlair Lodge. The party set out to walk from Inverlair Lodge to the north end of Loch Treig. The party are rowed from the north end of Loch Treig to the south end and stay overnight at Lord Abingers Craig-uaine-ach lodge. |
31/01/1889 | West Highland Railway The party set out to walk to Rannoch Lodge, the change their minds and decide to continue to Inveroran. The party split in poor weather conditions as it darkens, McAlpine decided to go on to Inveroran and Bulloch heads to Gorton cottage. Bulloch reaches Gorton. Forman, McKenzie, Martin, Harrison and Bett are taken to a nearby hut by shepherds from Gorton. |
01/02/1889 | West Highland Railway McAlpine reaches a cottage by Loch Tulla. Forman, McKenzie, Martin, Harrison and Bett are taken to Gorton to join Bulloch. The party are taken to Inveroran, via Loch Tulla to pick up McAlpine. |
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. |
12/08/1889 | West Highland Railway Act passed and West Highland Railway authorised. |
23/10/1889 | West Highland Railway First sod cut by Lord Abinger near Fort William. |
20/07/1890 | West Highland Railway Banavie [1st] branch authorised. |
/07/1891 | West Highland Railway Runs out of money when the contractor requests further funds, and construction is abandoned. |
/08/1891 | West Highland Railway In a court case held in Dumbarton the contractor is told that the line must be built for the amount specified in the contract. |
14/10/1891 | West Highland Railway Work re-starts, though the West Highland Railway agrees to pay an extra £10,000. |
/ /1893 | West Highland Railway Financial crisis; Mr John Harrison Renton, a director of the line, used part of his personal fortune to get the line completed. |
05/09/1893 | West Highland Railway Last spike driven by Mr John Hattison Renton]] on Rannoch Moor. |
31/07/1894 | West Highland Railway West Highland Railway (Mallaig Extension Railway) Act Passed. |
03/08/1894 | West Highland Railway Opened from Craigendoran Junction to Fort William and Banavie Pier. |
03/08/1894 | West Highland Railway Inspection by Board of Trade. |
07/08/1894 | West Highland Railway Public opening from Fort William to Craigendoran. Stations opened at Craigendoran Upper, Helensburgh Upper, Row, Garelochhead, Arrochar and Tarbet, Ardlui, Crianlarich, Tyndrum [WHR], Bridge of Orchy, Gortan (private), Rannoch, Corrour (private), Inverlair, Roy Bridge, Spean Bridge and Fort William [1st]. |
11/08/1894 | West Highland Railway Ceremonial opening. |
04/09/1894 | West Highland Railway Helensburgh to Garelochhead train de-railed at Woodend Farm Crossing by a stone placed on the line. |
01/11/1894 | West Highland Railway Refreshment baskets available at Arrochar and Tarbet. |
01/01/1895 | West Highland Railway Inverlair renamed Tulloch. |
27/05/1895 | West Highland Railway Glen Douglas siding opened. |
01/06/1895 | West Highland Railway Banavie [1st] branch opened. |
/07/1895 | West Highland Railway Refreshment baskets available at Crianlarich [NBR] . |
01/05/1896 | West Highland Railway Whistlefield opened. |
06/05/1896 | West Highland Railway De-railment at Banavie Junction [1st] (now Fort William Junction). |
/08/1896 | West Highland Railway West Highland Railway (Ballachulish Extension Act) passed, but not built. |
21/01/1897 | West Highland Railway First sod of Mallaig Extension (West Highland Railway) cut at Corpach by Lady Margaret Cameron of Lochiel. |
20/12/1897 | West Highland Railway Connection to Callander and Oban Railway at Crianlarich opened, from Crianlarich Junction to Crianlarich Junction [CandO]. |
01/04/1901 | Mallaig Extension (West Highland Railway) Line opened from Banavie to Mallaig, extending the West Highland Railway to Mallaig. Engineer; Robert McAlpine. |
22/07/1901 | West Highland Railway Sleeper cars from Kings Cross to Fort William commence. |
08/08/1906 | West Highland Railway Accident at Pulpit Rock, by Loch Lomond. |
31/12/1908 | North British RailwayWest Highland Railway North British Railway formally takes over the West Highland Railway line from Craigendoran to Mallaig and the branch to Banavie [1st]. |
06/12/1909 | West Highland Railway Accident at Glen Douglas. |
01/06/1924 | West Highland Railway Row renamed Rhu. |
01/05/1926 | West Highland Railway Gortan renamed Gorton. |
08/07/1929 | West Highland Railway Restaurant car introduced. |
/10/1929 | West Highland Railway Sleepers start to operate all year round. |
27/01/1931 | West Highland Railway De-railment in Rannoch Moor. |
06/07/1931 | West Highland Railway A loop added at Rhu. |
01/08/1931 | West Highland Railway Fersit Halt and branch opened, Loch Treig was to be converted into a reservoir to serve the smelter at Fort William. |
07/08/1932 | West Highland Railway Loch Treig diversion and tunnel opened. The line was re-aligned at a higher level as the Loch became a reservoir, part of the Lochaber Smelter scheme. |
15/09/1934 | West Highland Railway Corrour opened to the public having been a private halt. |
01/01/1935 | West Highland Railway Fersit closed. |
02/09/1939 | West Highland Railway Banavie [1st] branch closed to passengers. |
04/09/1939 | West Highland Railway Banavie Pier to Fort William (Banavie Junction [2nd]) closed to passengers. |
02/10/1939 | West Highland Railway Sleeper withdrawn. |
27/04/1941 | West Highland Railway Faslane Junction (Croy) opened with exchange sidings for a double track railway to Military Port #1, Faslane Military Port. |
21/12/1941 | West Highland Railway New signal box and longer loop opened at Helensburgh Upper to help with Faslane traffic. |
15/11/1942 | West Highland Railway Camus-na-ha Signal Box opened. |
26/03/1943 | West Highland Railway Corpach Naval Sidings opened. |
05/04/1944 | West Highland Railway Restaurant cars withdrawn. |
26/08/1945 | West Highland Railway Faslane Platform opened, for moving prisoners of war to the halts at Inveruglas Platform and Glenfalloch Platform in connection with the building of the Loch Sloy Hydro Electric scheme. |
29/10/1945 | West Highland Railway Inveruglas Platform, signal box and loop opened. |
10/04/1946 | West Highland Railway Glenfalloch Platform opened. |
/06/1946 | West Highland Railway Restaurant cars re-start. |
23/05/1949 | West Highland Railway Passenger services between Glasgow Queen Street High Level, Crianlarich and Oban start. |
06/08/1951 | West Highland Railway Banavie Pier to Fort William (Banavie Junction [2nd]) closed to freight. |
17/04/1954 | West Highland Railway Collision at Bridge of Orchy. |
09/01/1956 | West Highland Railway Rhu closed. |
24/09/1956 | West Highland Railway Television train runs. |
04/04/1960 | West Highland Railway Rhu re-opened. |
14/06/1964 | West Highland Railway Craigendoran (West Highland, high level), Rhu, Shandon, Whistlefield and Glen Douglas closed as the local service from Craigendoran to Arrochar and Tarbet is withdrawn. |
21/07/1968 | West Highland Railway Glasgow bound track at Helensburgh Upper lifted and signal box closed. |
13/06/1975 | West Highland Railway New Fort William station opened, old station Fort William [1st], by the pier, closed. |
/ /1980 | West Highland Railway As the Pulp Mill at Scottish Pulp and Paper Mills, Corpach, closes much traffic is lost. |
/ /1983 | Mallaig Extension Railway (West Highland Railway) Re-introduction of observation cars in the summer. |
/ /1983 | West Highland Railway Sunday service introduced. |
/ /1984 | West Highland Railway Steam trains return to the line. |
/ /1984 | Mallaig Extension Railway (West Highland Railway) Steam trains return to the line. This is now a regular occurrence each summer. |
26/09/2001 | West Highland Railway Fort William Oil Depot re-opened. |
The West Highland is a line apart. Despite fears over the years that it will lose its identity, it retains a certain something - probably a reflection of how different the West Highlands are from the rest of Scotland. Grander, sheerer mountains, sea and inland lochs, islands ... The line is 99 miles long from Craigendoran Junction, itself 23 miles from Glasgow.
This line is divided into a number of portions.
This was the main line of the original line running from Craigendoran Junction to Fort William [1st].
The pier platform lines bet the Helensburgh line east of Craigendoran station. This was remodelled in 1894 into a junction proper when the West Highland Railway opened. This was a double track junction, the West Highland becoming single track north of Craigendoran Upper station.
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This was an island platform station of the West Highland Railway Swiss chalet style directly alongside the station on the Helensburgh line and pier station. The West Highland joins the Helensburgh line just to the east of the station at Craigendoran Junction.
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The west box was a tall structure, which was described as looking like a pagoda - a six sided building approached by a walkway from the West Highland Railway trackbed. It controlled the northern approach to the West Highland Craigendoran station. The box was closed in 1937 when Craigendoran Junction box took over. ...
More detailsA set of sidings above Craigendoran Junction approached from the junction were associated with the construction of the West Highland Railway. Lucas and Aird's Depot.
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This goods yard, a simple single siding with a loading bank approached from the west, was immediately east of Helensburgh Upper. A typical West Highland railway cottage stands to the north of the site. ...
More detailsThis station is open. It was an island platform station with a typical West Highland Railway chalet style station building and, originally, a typical West Highland signal box.
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This was a two platform station, more typical of the stations on the northern section of the line. The main station building was on the west/northbound platform. To its west was the footbridge conecting to the eastbound platform and signal box.
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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 Faslane Branch yard was double track. Faslane Junction Yard was just to the north on the branch.
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This was a single platform halt. It was built in connection with the nearby Faslane Military Port. The halt was also used to facilitate the transport prisoners of war to Inveruglas which was a halt for the Loch Sloy Hydroscheme (construction of Inveruglas Power Station and Loch Sloy Dam).
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This was an island platform station in the typical West Highland Swiss Chalet style, passenger access was by subway. There was a loading bank siding on the east side of the line, served from the Helenburgh direction. The signal box was on the platform, at its south end.
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This is an island platform station with an original West Highland Railway chalet-style building and signal box ('B' listed, closed 1986). A parcels building and short platform (both demolished 2017) were on the west side of the station. Access to the station is by means of a subway. The ironmongery typical of West Highland station subways remains intact - fencing round the pit of the subway ...
More detailsThis lattice girder viaduct is between Garelochhead (to the south) and the former Whistlefield (to the north) stations.
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This was a single platform station with a station building different to others on the line. It did not open with the line and was built to serve Portincaple and the surrounding district.
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This is a three girder viaduct carrying a single track over the Allt Darach. The viaduct is above Finnart Oil Terminal on Loch Long. ...
More detailsThis was a halt on the West Highland Railway, opening one year after the line opened. For many years it was private. The loop remains here but the platform and building have been removed. There was a combined signal box and building such as those found at Corrour and, formerly, Gorton. This is a summit of the line at 560 ft.
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This government munitions depot is located in Glen Douglas. It is rail served and a private road connects it to Glen Mallan Jetty.
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This is an island platform station, typical of the West Highland Railway. The station building was removed in the late 1990s/early 2000s after several years of being vacant. This was of the Swiss chalet style typical of the line. Access is via a subway and this also gives access to the hillside to the west.
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This shed was by Arrochar and Tarbet station. It was used for overnight storage of the push-pull service to Craigendoran Pier. ...
More detailsThis was a one platform workman's halt. There was a passing loop, sidings and a loading bank. This halt was built for halt for the Loch Sloy Hydroscheme (construction of Inveruglas Power Station and Loch Sloy Dam).
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This is an 8 arch castellated 396 ft long viaduct on the west side of Loch Lomond. It is 58 ft high.
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This was the only tunnel on the main line of the West Highland Railway. It is 147 ft long and located just north of the Craigenarden Viaduct.
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This is an island platform station, typical of the West Highland line. The station building was demolished due to subsidence but was of the 'Swiss chalet' style typical of the line. Before demolition the building had developed a distinct lean to the east. Access is via a subway from the east (road) side. The signal box (closed 1986) remains in use as a waiting shelter.
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This was a single platform halt. Traces of the foundation of the platform remain. ...
More detailsThis is a 426 ft 7 span single track lattice girder viaduct crossing the Dubh Eas. The viaduct is on a curve. It is located between Ardlui and Crianlarich.
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This is an island platform station on the West Highland Railway famous for its tearoom. Crianlarich Station Tearoom . The station is in Perthshire. Entry is by a subway at the north end of the station. The former signal box (closed 1985) is also at the north end of the station.
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This junction is immediately north of Crianlarich station. Here the the lines to Oban and Fort William separate. The junction faces south. Just to the north, on the Fort William route, is the Glenbruar Viaduct.
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This viaduct is just north of Crianlarich station and Crianlarich Junction where the lines to Oban and Fort William divide. Just to the north is the Fillan Viaduct.
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This lattice girder bridge is just north of the Glenbruar Viaduct, Crianlarich Junction and Crianlarich station on the West Highland Railway. The viaduct crosses the River Fillan and has two spans of 55 ft and four spans of 40 ft.
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This is a 300 ft lattice girder viaduct on a gentle curve. The viaduct has a 101 ft central span and four 40 ft spans.
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This is an island platform station in the West Highland Swiss Chalet style. The station building, signal box (closed 1984, 'B' listed and restored), stationmaster's cottage and railwaymen's cottage survive. Entry to the station is by a subway. There is a very small parking area. The station is east of Tyndrum, a small settlement at the west end of Strath Fillan. It is high above the village, as a ...
More detailsThis is a summit at 1,024 ft between Tyndrum Upper and Bridge of Orchy.
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This is a single track five span girder viaduct of 318 ft on a curve, a viaduct with five 60 ft spans. The viaduct is on the 'Horseshoe Curve', south of Bridge of Orchy and north of County March Summit [West Highland].
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This is a single track girder viaduct on a curve of 576 ft, consisting of nine spans of 60 ft. The viaduct is on the Horseshoe Curve, south of Bridge of Orchy and north of County March Summit [West Highland].
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This is an island platform station in the West Highland Swiss Chalet style. At the south end of the platform is the disused signal box, closed 1985, which is 'B' listed. The station master's house and railwaymen's cottage also survive. Entry to the station is by a subway.
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This former island platform station is now Gorton Crossing, a passing place on the line with ground frames to operate the points.
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This is a five girder single track viaduct south of Rannoch station. ...
More detailsThis island platform station retains its original building and signal box (closed 1985 and 'B' listed) to the north of the station building. Access is by means of a footbridge, not the original footbridge but a replacement (from Corrour) installed in the 1980s after entry was by means of a pedestrian level crossing to the south end of the platform for several years. Parking is on the east side ...
More detailsThis is a single track lattice girder viaduct just north of Rannoch station.
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This is deep cutting with a roof to prevent drifting snow from blocking the line.
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This small station on the West Highland Railway is only accessible by train, or via a very long private road. In summer the station is a B+B and restaurant Corrour Station House Restaurant . This replaced the former stationmaster's cottage in 1998.
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Corrour Summit, 1,350ft, is immediately north west of Corrour station.
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This single platform halt was at the north end of Loch Treig. It was a workman's halt built during the construction of Loch Laggan Dam, just to the east, and associated tunnels. The dam is part of the scheme which provides the head of water for electricity generation at the Lochaber Aluminium Works in Fort William. There was a worker's camp at Fersit, cement shed, stores and machine ...
More detailsThis is a two platform station typical of the northern portion of the West Highland Railway. The main building, on the up (southbound) platform is Swiss Chalet in style. The north side of the building has been modified with the addition of three small wings - two being extensions of gables and the third being wholly new.
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This was a two platform station, now reduced to one platform with the loss of the up loop in 1964. The southbound (up) platform, disused, remains and the site of the station building and goods yard has been built over. These houses are built close to the platform.
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This is a two platform station with a passing loop. The main station building on the eastbound platform (for the south), altered at the road side, remains standing. There is a disused signal box ('C' listed) dating from 1949.
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This distillery is in Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis. The distillery was formerly railway served.
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This is the junction between the Glasgow to Fort William line and the Mallaig Extension Railway (originally the Banavie Branch of the West Highland Railway).
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This is a terminus with an island platform. The station replaced Fort William [1st] when the line was cut back in 1975. The platform is canopied at the buffer end.
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This shed was built within the fortifications at Fort William. The loading bank was to the south and south of that the line ran, via a number of loops, to the station.
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This was a three platform terminus alongside the seafront and steamer pier in Fort William. It was replaced by Fort William when the line was cut back in 1975. Nothing remains of the station and the site is now a dual carriageway. It is ironic that the townsfolk were disappointed the railway separated the town from the beach and now a substantial road does.
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The West Highland Railway terminated alongside the southern of the two town piers in Fort William, the line running south west from the station alongside Loch Linnhe to reach the pier where there was a loop.
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This branch ran from Banavie Junction [1st] in Fort William (and since renamed twice) to Banavie Pier on the Caledonian Canal.
This is the junction between the Glasgow to Fort William line and the Mallaig Extension Railway (originally the Banavie Branch of the West Highland Railway).
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A pair of sidings in Fort William are served from the loop on the Mallaig line at Fort William Junction. These oil sidings have seen irregular use with the flow from Grangemouth New Oil Terminal starting and ceasing several times. At present, 2018, the sidings are not used, oil travels by road. ...
More detailsThis yard and locomotive shed replaced the original Fort William Shed when the line was cut back to the present Fort William station.
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This is a single track girder viaduct crossing the River Lochy just outside Fort William. A footbridge on the side of the viaduct connects Lochyside and Caol on the north bank to Inverlochy on the south bank.
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The signal box here controlled the junction between the Banavie [1st] branch and the West Highland's extension west to Mallaig. Both lines were single track.
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This station was the terminus of a short branch built by the West Highland Railway to the Caledonian Canal at Banavie. The branch allowed interchange with the steamers operating on the route to Inverness. The station was intentionally above Neptune's Staircase to minimise the number of locks in the onward journey to Inverness, Muirtown Basin.
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This junction is immediately north of Crianlarich station. Here the the lines to Oban and Fort William separate. The junction faces south. Just to the north, on the Fort William route, is the Glenbruar Viaduct.
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This junction remains open - just. A short somewhat grassy siding runs east.
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This is the only remaining aluminium smelter in the United Kingdom.
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