Arisaig railway station
Encyclopedia
Arisaig railway station serves the village of Arisaig
on the west coast of the Highland region of Scotland
.
This station is on the West Highland Line
, 54 kilometres (33.6 mi) west of Fort William
on the way to .
It is the westernmost station on the National Rail network.
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Arisaig station opened on 1 April 1901. The station was laid out with two platforms, one on either side of a crossing loop. There is a siding
on the south side of the line, east of the Down platform.
Opened by the North British Railway
, it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
during the Grouping
of 1923. The station then passed on to the Scottish Region of British Railways
on nationalisation in 1948.
When Sectorisation
was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by ScotRail
until the privatisation of British Rail
ways.
Arisaig station is also served by "The Jacobite
" steam trains in the summer for the benefit of tourists, attracted to its views of the small isles, such as Eigg
and Muck
.
was worked throughout by the electric token system
. Arisaig signal box
was situated at the east end of the Down platform, on the south side of the line.
On 14 March 1982, the method of working on the section between Arisaig and Mallaig
was changed to One Train Working (with train staff).
The crossing loop and siding at Arisaig were temporarily put out of use on 13 November 1983 and all the semaphore signals
were removed. All trains then used the Down loop. The One Train Working section became Glenfinnan
- Mallaig.
On 29 April 1984, the crossing loop was reinstated to cater for the steam trains, but with train-operated points
at each end. Arisaig token station could be switched in or out as required. When it was switched out, the Arisaig - Mallaig train staff would be padlocked to the Glenfinnan - Arisaig key token.
The Radio Electronic Token Block
(RETB) system was commissioned between Mallaig Junction
(now called 'Fort William Junction') and Mallaig on 6 December 1987. This resulted in the closure of Arisaig signal box (amongst others). The RETB is controlled from a Signalling Centre at Banavie railway station
.
The Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) was installed in 2003.
Arisaig
Arisaig is a village in Lochaber, Invernessshire, on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands.-History:On 20 September 1746 Bonnie Prince Charlie left Scotland for France from a place near the village following the failure of the Jacobite Rising. The site of his departure is marked by the Prince's...
on the west coast of the Highland region of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
This station is on the West Highland Line
West Highland Line
The West Highland Line is considered the most scenic railway line in Britain, linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban on the west coast of Scotland to Glasgow. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the iconic...
, 54 kilometres (33.6 mi) west of Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
on the way to .
It is the westernmost station on the National Rail network.
History
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
on the south side of the line, east of the Down platform.
Opened by the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
, it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
during the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1923. The station then passed on to the Scottish Region of British Railways
Scottish Region of British Railways
The Scottish Region was one of the six regions created on British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway and ex-London and North Eastern Railway lines in Scotland...
on nationalisation in 1948.
When Sectorisation
British Rail brand names
British Rail was the brand image of the nationalised railway owner and operator in Great Britain, the British Railways Board, used from 1965 until its breakup and sell-off from 1993 onwards....
was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by ScotRail
ScotRail
ScotRail was a brand name used for all Scottish regional and commuter rail services, including some cross-border services, from 1997 to 2004....
until the privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
ways.
Services
Monday to Saturdays currently, four trains a day call at Arisaig on the way to Fort William, and three of them go on further to Glasgow.Arisaig station is also served by "The Jacobite
The Jacobite (Steam Train)
The Jacobite is a steam locomotive hauled tourist train service that operates over part of the West Highland Railway Line in Scotland. It has been operating under various names and with different operators every summer since 1984...
" steam trains in the summer for the benefit of tourists, attracted to its views of the small isles, such as Eigg
Eigg
Eigg is one of the Small Isles, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. With an area of , it is the second largest of the Small Isles after Rùm.-Geography:The main...
and Muck
Muck
Muck can refer to:*Muck *Muck, Scotland, an island in Scotland*Isle of Muck, a small island connected by sand spit to Portmuck, County Antrim, Northern Ireland*Muck , a number of actions...
.
Signalling
From the time of its opening in 1901, the Mallaig Extension RailwayMallaig Extension Railway
The Mallaig Extension Railway is a railway line in Highland, Scotland. It runs from Banavie Junction on the Banavie Pier branch of the West Highland Railway to Mallaig. The previous "Banavie Junction" closer to Fort William was renamed "Mallaig Junction" upon opening of the Mallaig Extension Railway...
was worked throughout by the electric token system
Token (railway signalling)
In railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track. The token is clearly endorsed with the name of the section it belongs to...
. Arisaig signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was situated at the east end of the Down platform, on the south side of the line.
On 14 March 1982, the method of working on the section between Arisaig and Mallaig
Mallaig
Mallaig ; is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland railway line , completed in 1901, and the town is linked to Fort William by the A830 road – the "Road to the Isles".The village of Mallaig...
was changed to One Train Working (with train staff).
The crossing loop and siding at Arisaig were temporarily put out of use on 13 November 1983 and all the semaphore signals
Railway semaphore signal
One of the earliest forms of fixed railway signal is the semaphore. These signals display their different indications to train drivers by changing the angle of inclination of a pivoted 'arm'. Semaphore signals were patented in the early 1840s by Joseph James Stevens, and soon became the most...
were removed. All trains then used the Down loop. The One Train Working section became Glenfinnan
Glenfinnan
Glenfinnan is a village in Lochaber area of the Highlands of Scotland. It is located at the northern end of Loch Shiel, at the foot of Glenfinnan.- Glenfinnan Monument :...
- Mallaig.
On 29 April 1984, the crossing loop was reinstated to cater for the steam trains, but with train-operated points
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
at each end. Arisaig token station could be switched in or out as required. When it was switched out, the Arisaig - Mallaig train staff would be padlocked to the Glenfinnan - Arisaig key token.
The Radio Electronic Token Block
Radio Electronic Token Block
Radio Electronic Token Block is a system of railway signalling used in the United Kingdom. It is a development of the physical token system for controlling traffic on single lines.- How it works :...
(RETB) system was commissioned between Mallaig Junction
Fort William Junction
Fort William Junction is a railway junction on the West Highland Line in Scotland, located to the east of Fort William railway station. It is where the railway to Mallaig connects with the Glasgow to Fort William railway....
(now called 'Fort William Junction') and Mallaig on 6 December 1987. This resulted in the closure of Arisaig signal box (amongst others). The RETB is controlled from a Signalling Centre at Banavie railway station
Banavie railway station
Banavie railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line serving the village of Banavie, although it is much closer to Caol. To continue on to the next station at , trains must pass over the Caledonian Canal at Neptune's Staircase, a popular tourist attraction.- History :Banavie...
.
The Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) was installed in 2003.