Achaleven Sidings
Location type
PlaceName and dates
Achaleven Sidings (1940-1948)Opened on the Callander and Oban Railway.
Description
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.
This group of parallel single end sidings had ramps at the buffers.
The sidings, and those at St Brides Crossing, were laid for the Admiralty as a backup to the sidings and facilities added to the Kyle of Lochalsh line. A minefield was laid in the Second World War between Scotland and Iceland with the mines being taken to Kyle of Lochalsh and onwards by sea. As an emergency precaution the Callander and Oban Railway route was prepared as a backup.
The sidings were used for a variety of purposes. There was a ship repair depot at Dunstaffnage, from around 1942, and Connel Airfield was just to the north.
The sidings were lifted in 1948. The portion near Connel Ferry station has been built over, but much remains, although overgrown.
Tags
Sidings Second World War AdmiraltyExternal links
Canmore site recordNLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
| Nearby stations Connel Ferry North Connel Ach-na-Cloich Benderloch Oban Oban Ticket Platform Taynuilt Barcaldine Halt Creagan Appin Falls of Cruachan Torosay Castle Craignure Duror Loch Awe | Connel Ferry Unused Curve Connel Ferry Bridge Glencruitten Crossing Glencruitten Railway Cottage Tourist/other Achaleven Level Crossing Falls of Lora Oban Airport Loch Etive Achnacloich House Dunstaffnage Castle Achnacloich Pier Ardchattan Priory Tralee Beach McCaig^s Tower Barcaldine Castle |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Chronology Dates
| 07/07/1940 | Callander and Oban Railway Achaleven Sidings opened at Connel Ferry for the Admiralty. |
| /06/1948 | Callander and Oban Railway Achaleven Sidings at Connel Ferry closed. |
