Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)

Introduction

This line is closed. The line ran from Connel Ferry to Ballachulish and was built to carry slate away from the Ballachulish Quarries and delivery bauxite to the Kinlochleven Aluminium Works - although this was taken on by sea and later road. Today the nearest station is at Connel Ferry. In addition to the new line various improvements to the existing Callander and Oban Railway were made, (some already planned to improve capacity), such as the enlargement of Oban station, adding of loops to reduce the lengths of the single track sections and the introduction of short double track sections at Connel Ferry and Callander (Dreadnought) to Callander and Oban Junction. Further east the line was doubled between Doune and Dunblane.

Architecture

The architecture was Arts and Crafts, the stations noted for their large station buildings and surprisingly large signal boxes (contrast with those elsewhere on the line such as at Luib or Glenoglehead!).






Dates

07/08/1896Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Callander and Oban Railway (Ballachulish Extension) Act passed. (Alternative date 1/4/1896).
  /  /1897Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Authorisation of an extension further east to East Laroch, beside the Ballachulish Slate Quarries of East Laroch.
  /  /1897Callander and Oban Railway
Expansion of Oban and Oban Station Pier authorised in connection with the opening of the Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway). Alterations to sea wall authorised.
  /  /1901Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Pier at Leitir Mhor authorised. (This was Kentallen Pier alongside Kentallen station.)
  /  /1901Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Callander and Oban Railway granted more time to complete line.
  /  /1902Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Extension of time for land purchase for the line and at Oban.
12/08/1903Callander and Oban Railway
Glencruitten Crossing opened at Glencruitten Summit. Opened in anticipation of the opening of the Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway).
24/08/1903Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Line opened to passengers and goods. Stations opened at Benderloch, Creagan, Appin, Duror, Kentallen, Ballachulish Ferry, Ballachulish. For the opening Connel Ferry and Oban stations were rebuilt. Two large bridges were required Connel Ferry Bridge and Creagan Viaduct.
07/03/1904Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
North Connel halt opened.
  /  /1909Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Charabanc service introduced between Connel Ferry and Benderloch over the Connel Ferry Bridge.
  /  /1914Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Barcaldine Siding (a halt) opened.
  /  /1914Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Callander and Oban Railway company and council finally come to an agreement to allow cars, on payment of a toll, to cross the Connel Ferry Bridge when trains are not running.
  /  /1920Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
West Laroch Siding, serving the West Laroch Quarry, closed and lifted.
  /  /1927Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Duror loop taken out. Creagan signal box closed, loop accessed via ground frames.
14/06/1965Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Ballachulish (Glencoe) to Connel Ferry closed to goods. Traffic for the Kinlochleven Aluminium Smelter is diverted to the Lochaber Smelter (Fort William) and carried by road from there south to Kinlochleven.
26/03/1966Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Line closed completely between Connel Ferry and Ballachulish (Glencoe). North Connel, Benderloch, Barcaldine Halt, Creagan, Appin, Duror, Kentallen, Ballachulish Ferry, Ballachulish (Glencoe) closed.
28/03/1966Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Tracklifting begins.
  /  /1971Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
During road improvements of ~1970-72 the A828 was re-aligned and in places encroached on the trackbed between Appin and Duror.
  /  /1979Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Completion of A82 improvements with partial realignment onto the course of the line east of Ballachulish Ferry through to Ballachulish.
  /  /1991Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Realignment of the A828 for around half a mile north of the Connel Ferry Bridge onto the former trackbed. (Date approximate.)
  /10/1991 Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Ballachulish station building, having been renovated, opened as doctors' surgery.
  /  /2001 Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
The Creagan Viaduct is partly demolished and a new road deck placed on the piers, this saved road vehicles a five mile inland diversion road the head of the loch.
  /  /2010Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Bridge on never completed west to north curve at Connel Ferry demolished.
  /  /2013Ballachulish Branch (Callander and Oban Railway)
Ballachulish Shed demolished.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

This is a single platform station with a shelter. There is a car park on the north side of the station. At the east end of the station is a goods loop and oil siding (both out of use). The station was once far larger and a junction.
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See also
Callander and Oban Railway
Connel Ferry station, seen from a Glasgow Queen Street service, looking back towards Oban, on 14th September 2022. Until 1966, when the branch ...
David Bosher 14/09/2022
A Swindon DMU calling at Connel Ferry in September 1964 with an Oban-Glasgow service. The Ballachulish branch service alongside, headed by Type 2 ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
A Ballachulish-Oban service at Connel Ferry on 26th March 1966, the final day of services on the Ballachulish branch. ...
Brian Haslehust 26/03/1966
The BRCW Type 2 on the 16 20 Ballachulish-Oban has run round its train at Connel Ferry, and will continue its journey once the approaching 5.35pm Oban ...
Brian Haslehust 11/08/1965
4 of 43 images. more


Also known as Connel Ferry Viaduct. Bridge or Connel Bridge is used rather than viaduct as the structure has a long span crossing Loch Etive, and the Falls of Lora, and is not a series of similarly sized arches. The bridge is 'B' listed. The metalwork is painted light grey, the approach arches are granite. The line carried a single track railway.
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View from the 16 20 Ballachulish to Oban approaching Connel Ferry Bridge, behind a BRCW Type 2, in August 1965. ...
Brian Haslehust 11/08/1965
CR 0-4-4T 55196 approaching Connel Ferry Bridge. ...
G. H. Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow. 01/07/1950
Connel Ferry Bridge in 1961, with a Ballachulish branch train crossing. The loco looks to be an Ivatt 2-6-0. ...
Brian Haslehust 19/08/1961
A view east to the Connel Ferry Bridge from the approach to Dunnstaffnage Castle, North of Oban. ...
Bruce McCartney 17/11/2018
4 of 25 images. more


This was a timber built short single platform, with shelter, at the north end of the Connel Ferry Bridge. The shelter was at the north end of the platform. It opened a year after the line itself.
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The view north at the site of North Connel halt in 1990. The platform was on the right hand side of the line, roughly where the blue car is. (See ...
Ewan Crawford //1990
Ladies, young and old, on the platform at North Connel seemed cheerful enough, but sadly 26th March 1966 was the final day of services before closure ...
Brian Haslehust 26/03/1966
The site of North Connel halt looking south to the Connel Ferry Bridge in 1990. Nothing remained of the timber platform and waiting shelter. The ...
Ewan Crawford //1990
Leaving North Connel northbound having just crossed the Connel Ferry Viaduct on a train to Ballachulish in 1961. ...
David Murray-Smith 20/03/1961
4 of 9 images. more


This was a two platform station. The station had a large two storey station building, typical of the line, on the southbound platform and a large size signal box, also typical of the line. An example of the main building still stands in largely unmodified form at Duror. The southbound line was the faster line, the northbound curving off at each end to form the loop.
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BRCW Type 2 diesels, on Ballachulish branch services, cross at Benderloch in 1965. ...
Brian Haslehust 11/08/1965
A BRCW Type 2 calls at Benderloch, with an afternoon service from Ballachulish, on 11th August 1965. ...
Brian Haslehust 11/08/1965
An overgrown gate and a small piece of platform is all the remains I could find of Benderloch Station on 10 July 2013, although beyond the platform ...
John Gray 10/07/2013
Looking north at Benderloch. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 6 images. more


This was a short single platform in timber. There was also a goods siding here, approached from the south and on the east (landward) side of the line.
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Barcaldine Halt in 1964, seen from a southbound train on the Ballachulish branch. ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
Extract from the Scottish Region timetable winter 1960-61 showing the Glasgow to Oban line and branches. There is usually something inexplicable in ...
David Panton 12/09/1960
2 of 2 images.


This was an attractive and large structure with two girders (150ft each, 40ft over high water) crossing Caolas Chreagan the Creagan Narrows of Loch Creran, supported by a central masonry pier (the tidal race here being less than that at the Falls of Lora a central pier was possible) approached at either end by masonry arches. It was single track and carried a footway on its eastern side - ...

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Creagan Viaduct in view looking east from the beach on the south bank. The viaduct has since been partly demolished and now a road bridge. ...
Aitken Scott //
Creagan Viaduct, crossing the Loch Creran narrows, in 1992. The view looks north to Creagan station. A rather nice tudor arch crosses the road. ...
Ewan Crawford //1992
In this summer of 1998 view the remains of the disassembled deck of Creagan bridge are being cut on the shoreline at Barcaldine, prior to ...
Clive Meredith //1998
Work underway on Creagan Viaduct in 1998 to convert the bridge from rail to road use. Two of the three supports were completely dismantled and rebuilt ...
Colin Miller //1998
4 of 15 images. more


This was an island platform station, which bore a strong resemblance to stations on the West Highland Railway. Access was by a subway. The northbound platform was built on a straight alignment, to allow fast running of non-stop trains, and the southbound curved.
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Creagan station, seen from a southbound Ballachulish branch train in 1964. ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
Entrance to Creagan station, 2005. ...
John Furnevel /09/2005
Remains of the water tower at north end of Creagan station in September 2005. Loch Creran lies beyond. ...
John Furnevel 29/09/2005
Running in board at the west end of the platform at the former Creagan station on the Ballachulish branch in June 2012. Photographed from the adjacent ...
David Pesterfield 19/06/2012
4 of 11 images. more


This was a two platform station located at Portnacroish with a passing loop and goods yard to the west. There was a two storey station building on the southbound platform, of a style which survives largely unaltered at Duror, and a large signal box which was typical of the line. The southbound line was the faster line, the northbound curving off at each end to form the loop. At the south end, ...

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The fine station building at Appin, seen in 1964 from a departing southbound branch service. ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
A BRCW Type 2 waits in Appin station to cross an incoming Ballachulish service, from which the picture was taken, on 3rd September 1964. ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
Gap for the signal box rodding and wires in the northbound platform at Appin station on the Ballachulish branch in 2010. See image 29772 ...
Colin Miller 28/06/2010
It wasn't just the Mallaig Extension that used concrete for its major structures as this bridge that carried the Ballachulish branch near Appin shows. ...
Malcolm Chattwood 26/02/2011
4 of 6 images. more


This former two platform station survives as a house, the platforms being the garden. The station building is almost unaltered from the railway period, with some additions. The platforms survive. It is the most intact station surviving on the former line. A number of railway cottages also remain nearby making this an unusually well preserved location.
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The fine station building at Duror, viewed in 1964 from a southbound branch service. ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
Duror station building. ...
Les Hewitt Collection //
John Chalmers, stationmaster of Duror, circa 1923. ...
Les Hewitt Collection //1923
Both the platforms at Duror station remain intact. Restored and converted station building behind me. ...
Alasdair Mulhern 14/11/2007
4 of 5 images. more


This siding served the estate of the Auchindarroch House (since demolished), just to the east. The siding was closer to Duror than Duror station. It was north of an overbridge.
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This was a two platform station alongside a pier from which interconnecting steamers operated. The main station building was on the southbound platform and still stands in much extended form. There was a smaller shelter on the northbound platform. (The building at Duror shows a less altered version of how the main station building looked.)
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The enlarged former Kentallen station building, now a hotel and holiday centre, on 25 June 2021.
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Bill Roberton 25/06/2021
View of the main building and remains of the southbound platform from the south end of the former Kentallen station in 1996. ...
Ewan Crawford //1996
Looking south to the former station at Kentallen on 25 June 2021. It is much enlarged and now a hotel and holiday centre. The nearer building is ...
Bill Roberton 25/06/2021
The water tower at Kentallen, behind Station Cottage, on 25 June 2021. The former station is beyond, over the A828 road.
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Bill Roberton 25/06/2021
4 of 13 images. more




This was a single platform station west of Ballachulish. The station was around half a mile south of the ferry slip, the ferry crossing now being replaced by the Ballachulish Bridge.
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Ballachulish Ferry station, viewed from a southbound branch service. ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
The north end of the platform at Ballachulish Ferry in 1995, before the trackbed became a footpath. Northwards from here to the terminus the trackbed ...
Ewan Crawford //1995
BRCW Type 2 D5356 calls at Ballachulish Ferry with a Ballachulish branch service in 1964. ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
The Pap of Glencoe is prominent in this view from the branch train nearing the end of its journey to Ballachulish. The locomotive is a BRCW Type 2 ...
Brian Haslehust 26/06/1962
4 of 11 images. more




This was a timber locomotive shed on the north side of the station at Ballachulish.
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Chisholm's Garage, the former shed at Ballachulish, seen in 1995. (Probably shortly after relocation of the garage.) The view looks west and the ...
Ewan Crawford //1995
Ballachulish loco shed in use as Chisholm's Garage in 1985. The shed was demolished in 2013.
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Bill Roberton //1985
The old locomotive shed at Ballachulish. Still standing in May 2009, having seen several years use as a garage.
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Tony White /05/2009
The former Ballachulish locomotive shed in 2005. ...
John Furnevel 29/09/2005
4 of 8 images. more


This was a two platform terminus opened at East Laroch next to the Ballachulish Slate Quarries and their tramways. Unusually a house which predated the station ended up on the platform and now, with the station gone, still stands. The Ballachulish Medical Practise is based in the former station building.
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Last day at Ballachulish, 25th March 1966. A BRCW Type 2 is on the service for Connel Ferry and Oban. ...
Brian Haslehust 25/03/1966
Ballachulish in 1965, with a BRCW Type 2 ready to take the 4.20pm service to Connel Ferry and Oban. ...
Brian Haslehust 11/08/1965
A rather evocative photograph of Ballachulish on 26th March 1966, the final day of services before closure of the branch from Connel Ferry. A BRCW ...
Brian Haslehust 26/03/1966
BRCW Type 2 D5356 at Ballachulish with an afternoon service for Connel Ferry and Oban. ...
Brian Haslehust 03/09/1964
4 of 27 images. more