Crianlarich Lower railway station
Encyclopedia
Crianlarich Lower was a railway station located in Crianlarich
, Stirling (district).
. It was the first railway station in Crianlarich. The station was originally laid out with two platforms, one on either side of a crossing loop. There were sidings
on the south side of the station.
After the West Highland Railway
opened in 1894, Crianlarich could boast two railway stations. The West Highland Railway crossed over the Callander and Oban Railway by means of a viaduct
located a short distance west of the Lower station. The West Highland Railway's Crianlarich station
was (and still is) located a short distance south of this viaduct.
On 15 November 1921, the loop and one of the platforms at Crianlarich Lower were taken out of use. The platform on the south side was retained, it being located on the same side of the railway as the village.
Following nationalisation of the railways in 1948, both stations at Crianlarich came under the ownership of British Rail
. It was not until 1953 that the suffixes "Upper" and "Lower" were added to the station names.
Signalling
Crianlarich signal box
, which replaced the original box on 18 March 1890, was located on the Down platform. It had 14 levers.
The signal box closed on 15 November 1921 when the crossing loop was removed. The sidings were retained, access to them being controlled from a ground frame released by the single line tablet.
in Glen Ogle
, however the site was used as a timber terminal for several years afterwards. The site of the station is now occupied by the Crianlarich Community Centre.
was located at one end of a short link line that ran to Crianlarich
station on the West Highland Railway.
There were two signal boxes: "Crianlarich Junction East" (32 levers) and "Crianlarich Junction West" (18 levers).
Following closure of the line east from Crianlarich Lower, the line between there and Crianlarich Junction was retained as a siding, with the link line becoming the main line for trains to and from Oban.
Crianlarich
Crianlarich is a village in the Stirling district and registration county of Perthshire, Scotland, about six miles north-east of the head of Loch Lomond...
, Stirling (district).
History
This station was opened on 1 August 1873 by the Callander and Oban RailwayCallander and Oban Railway
The Callander and Oban Railway company was formed in 1864 with the objective of linking Callander, Scotland to the west coast port of Oban over challenging terrain, particularly at Glen Ogle and the Pass of Brander at Loch Awe. Callander had been reached in 1858 by the Dunblane, Doune and Callander...
. It was the first railway station in Crianlarich. The station was originally laid out with two platforms, one on either side of a crossing loop. There were sidings
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 station.
After the West Highland Railway
West Highland Railway
The West Highland Railway was one of the last main lines to be built in Scotland. It is one of the most scenic railway lines in Britain, linking Fort William on the west coast to Glasgow. It was originally operated by the North British Railway.- History :...
opened in 1894, Crianlarich could boast two railway stations. The West Highland Railway crossed over the Callander and Oban Railway by means of a viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
located a short distance west of the Lower station. The West Highland Railway's Crianlarich station
Crianlarich railway station
Crianlarich railway station is a railway station serving the village of Crianlarich in Scotland. It is located on the West Highland Line. The routes to Fort William/Mallaig and Oban diverge after this station...
was (and still is) located a short distance south of this viaduct.
On 15 November 1921, the loop and one of the platforms at Crianlarich Lower were taken out of use. The platform on the south side was retained, it being located on the same side of the railway as the village.
Following nationalisation of the railways in 1948, both stations at Crianlarich came under the ownership of British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
. It was not until 1953 that the suffixes "Upper" and "Lower" were added to the station names.
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...
Crianlarich 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 replaced the original box on 18 March 1890, was located on the Down platform. It had 14 levers.
The signal box closed on 15 November 1921 when the crossing loop was removed. The sidings were retained, access to them being controlled from a ground frame released by the single line tablet.
Closure
Crianlarich Lower station was closed to passengers on 27 September 1965 following a landslideLandslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
in Glen Ogle
Glen Ogle
Glen Ogle extends 7 miles north westwards from Lochearnhead to Lix Toll, where it opens into Glen Dochart....
, however the site was used as a timber terminal for several years afterwards. The site of the station is now occupied by the Crianlarich Community Centre.
Crianlarich Junction
Crianlarich Junction was situated half a mile west of Crianlarich Lower station. Opened on 20 December 1897, the junctionJunction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
was located at one end of a short link line that ran to Crianlarich
Crianlarich railway station
Crianlarich railway station is a railway station serving the village of Crianlarich in Scotland. It is located on the West Highland Line. The routes to Fort William/Mallaig and Oban diverge after this station...
station on the West Highland Railway.
There were two signal boxes: "Crianlarich Junction East" (32 levers) and "Crianlarich Junction West" (18 levers).
Following closure of the line east from Crianlarich Lower, the line between there and Crianlarich Junction was retained as a siding, with the link line becoming the main line for trains to and from Oban.