Ben Cruachan Quarry
Location type
MineName and dates
Ben Cruachan Quarry (1885-1916)Served by the Ben Cruachan Quarries Branch (Callander and Oban Railway).
Description
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 pair of 0-4-0ST locomotives.
Granite from this quarry was used for, amongst other things, the building of the viaducts of the West Highland Railway (opened 1894) and the stork (at Strathyre) and heron (Dalmally) fountains. Quarrying was also carried out at Bonawe (Taynuilt).
Closure was in 1910 or 1916 (sources vary).
Tags
Quarry Granite
| Nearby stations Loch Awe Dalmally Falls of Cruachan Taynuilt Ach-na-Cloich Bridge of Orchy Tyndrum Lower Tyndrum [1st] Barcaldine Halt Upper Tyndrum Glen Falloch Platform Connel Ferry Creagan North Connel Ardlui | Quarry Quarry Drishaig Junction Orchy Viaduct Dalmally Shed Tourist/other Kilchurn Castle Level Crossing Kilchurn Castle Loch Awe Hotel Loch Awe Pier Sron an Isean Stob Garbh Stob Diamh Beinn Eunaich Beinn a^Chochuill Duncan Ban MacIntyre Monument [Dalmally] |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Chronology Dates
| 19/06/1885 | Callander and Oban Railway Drishaig Junction installed for the branch to Ben Cruachan Quarry and the zig-zag lines. |
| /05/1916 | Callander and Oban Railway Ben Cruachan Quarry branch closed and Drishaig Junction taken out. |
