Corrour railway station
Encyclopedia
Corrour railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line
,
Scotland. It is situated near Loch Ossian
and Loch Treig
, on the Corrour Estate. It is the highest mainline railway station in the United Kingdom.
. The station is not accessible by any public roads – the nearest road is 10 miles (16.1 km) away. The original Station House reopened in May 2010, providing a cafe and bed and breakfast
accommodation run by the Scottish Youth Hostel Association. At 408 m (1,339 ft) above sea level the station provides a convenient starting point for hill-walkers and Munro
-baggers. Loch Ossian Hostel, one of the most remote youth hostels in the UK, is about one mile from the railway station.
) purchased Corrour Estate in 1891 and initially used it as a "playground" for gentlemen, primarily focusing on activities such as stalking and hunting. To make it accessible for his guests, Sir Stirling-Maxwell gave access to the West Highland Railway Company to build across his land on condition that they build a railway station for him on his estate. This station opened to passengers on 7 August 1894. It was originally built to serve the Corrour sporting estate, whose owners were investors in the railway. Guests visiting the estate for deer
stalking
and grouse
shooting were taken from the station to the head of Loch Ossian
by horse drawn carriage. A small steamer
then transported them to shooting lodge at the far end of the loch
.
The station was laid out with a passing loop
around an island platform
and a siding
on the east side. Since November 1985, all passenger trains have used the original Down platform. The Up loop remains but it is no longer used by passenger trains. There had been a footbridge
at Corrour station providing an exit to the east side, but it was moved to Rannoch railway station
following the downgrading of the Up loop at Corrour. Passengers now cross the line by way of a footpath.
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Corrour station is connected by regular services linking with and . These local services run generally thrice daily in each direction, but less frequently on Sundays.
Despite its remote location – Corrour boasts a direct connection to London
via the Caledonian Sleeper
to and from London Euston (daily except Saturday nights in each direction), The journey from London to Corrour takes just under twelve hours.
All services serving Corrour are run by First ScotRail
.
Signalling
The signal box
, which had 13 levers, was situated to the south of the island platform
. From the time of its opening in 1894, the West Highland Railway was worked throughout by the electric token system
. The semaphore signals
were removed in November 1985 in preparation for the introduction of Radio Electronic Token Block
(RETB). At the same time, the loop points came under the control of ground frames. The RETB system was commissioned between and Fort William Junction
on 29 May 1988. This resulted in the closure of Corrour signal box and others on that part of the route. The RETB is controlled from a Signalling Centre at Banavie railway station
.
, gained fame when they were featured in a scene from the film Trainspotting
. It also appeared in the fourth episode of the 2010 BBC
series Secret Britain
. The station also featured in the Young Guns (band)
video for the single "Weight Of The World". The station is the primary location in Jos Stelling's film De Wisselwachter
.
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...
,
Scotland. It is situated near Loch Ossian
Loch Ossian
Loch Ossian is narrow loch that is about 5 km long on the north eastern edge of Rannoch Moor, on The Corrour Estate, with its western corner 2 km east of Corrour railway station...
and Loch Treig
Loch Treig
Loch Treig is a 9 km freshwater loch situated in a steep-sided glen 20 km east of Fort William, in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland...
, on the Corrour Estate. It is the highest mainline railway station in the United Kingdom.
Location
The railway station is one of the most remote stations in the United Kingdom, at an isolated location on Rannoch MoorRannoch Moor
Rannoch Moor is a large expanse of around 50 square miles of boggy moorland to the west of Loch Rannoch, in Perth and Kinross and Lochaber, Highland, partly northern Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
. The station is not accessible by any public roads – the nearest road is 10 miles (16.1 km) away. The original Station House reopened in May 2010, providing a cafe and bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
accommodation run by the Scottish Youth Hostel Association. At 408 m (1,339 ft) above sea level the station provides a convenient starting point for hill-walkers and Munro
Munro
A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over . They are named after Sir Hugh Munro, 4th Baronet , who produced the first list of such hills, known as Munros Tables, in 1891. A Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a separate mountain...
-baggers. Loch Ossian Hostel, one of the most remote youth hostels in the UK, is about one mile from the railway station.
History
Sir John Stirling-Maxwell (10th Baronet of Pollok, KTOrder of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
) purchased Corrour Estate in 1891 and initially used it as a "playground" for gentlemen, primarily focusing on activities such as stalking and hunting. To make it accessible for his guests, Sir Stirling-Maxwell gave access to the West Highland Railway Company to build across his land on condition that they build a railway station for him on his estate. This station opened to passengers on 7 August 1894. It was originally built to serve the Corrour sporting estate, whose owners were investors in the railway. Guests visiting the estate for deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
stalking
Game stalker
Defined narrowly, a game stalker is a hunter who for sport, approaches close to its timid quarry before making a kill. The practice is commonly associated with the moors of Scotland where the principal quarry is red deer. However, the skill is found worldwide and is of extremely long standing...
and grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
shooting were taken from the station to the head of Loch Ossian
Loch Ossian
Loch Ossian is narrow loch that is about 5 km long on the north eastern edge of Rannoch Moor, on The Corrour Estate, with its western corner 2 km east of Corrour railway station...
by horse drawn carriage. A small steamer
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
then transported them to shooting lodge at the far end of the loch
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
.
The station was laid out with a passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
around an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
and a siding
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 east side. Since November 1985, all passenger trains have used the original Down platform. The Up loop remains but it is no longer used by passenger trains. There had been a footbridge
Footbridge
A footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
at Corrour station providing an exit to the east side, but it was moved to Rannoch railway station
Rannoch railway station
Rannoch railway station, on the West Highland Line, serves the area of Rannoch in Perth and Kinross. Its remote location on Rannoch Moor is picturesque and makes it attractive to walkers...
following the downgrading of the Up loop at Corrour. Passengers now cross the line by way of a footpath.
Services
Despite its remote location – Corrour boasts a direct connection to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
via the Caledonian Sleeper
Caledonian Sleeper
The Caledonian Sleeper is a sleeper train service operated by First ScotRail and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of Great Britain, the other being the Night Riviera....
to and from London Euston (daily except Saturday nights in each direction), The journey from London to Corrour takes just under twelve hours.
All services serving Corrour are run by First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
.
SignallingRailway signallingRailway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
The signal boxSignal 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...
, which had 13 levers, was situated to the south of the island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
. From the time of its opening in 1894, the West Highland 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...
. 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 in November 1985 in preparation for the introduction of 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). At the same time, the loop points came under the control of ground frames. The RETB system was commissioned between and Fort William 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....
on 29 May 1988. This resulted in the closure of Corrour signal box and others on that part of the route. 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...
.
In popular culture
The station, and the nearby mountain Leum UilleimLeum Uilleim
Leum Uilleim is a mountain in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland which is best known for its appearance in the film Trainspotting. It is situated about 3 km south-west of the remote Corrour railway station, but is considerably further from any road....
, gained fame when they were featured in a scene from the film Trainspotting
Trainspotting (film)
Trainspotting is a 1996 British satirical/drama film directed by Danny Boyle based on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. The movie follows a group of heroin addicts in a late 1980s economically depressed area of Edinburgh and their passage through life...
. It also appeared in the fourth episode of the 2010 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series Secret Britain
Secret Britain
Secret Britain is a 2010 BBC documentary series presented by Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury which first aired on BBC One Sunday 15 August 2010 at 9:00pm...
. The station also featured in the Young Guns (band)
Young Guns (band)
Young Guns are an English alternative rock band from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. On 22 June 2009 they released their debut EP Mirrors, and their debut album All Our Kings Are Dead was released a year later on 12 July 2010, peaking at #43 in the UK Albums Chart, and #3 in both the UK Rock and...
video for the single "Weight Of The World". The station is the primary location in Jos Stelling's film De Wisselwachter
De Wisselwachter
De Wisselwachter is a 1986 Dutch film directed by Jos Stelling....
.
Sources
- Scotland: the Movie Location Guide – Trainspotting, Rannoch Moor Information on the station as it appears in "Trainspotting".
- Corrour Further details on the station.
- Hidden Europe magazine – an article about Corrour from Hidden Europe magazine.
- Article on the station by Ian Futers, four pages including track plan, photos, and description in Railway Modeller magazine for April 2008.