Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway

Introduction

This railway is closed. A short section remains in place to the north of Dunblane station for use as a reversing spur, often with a track maintenance machine parked in it. The line was double track to Doune from Dunblane having been originally single track. Before closure the line reverted to single track.






Dates

  /  /1846Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Act receives Royal assent. (Not built at this time.)
  /  /1856Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Act receives Royal assent.
  /  /1858Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Stone engine shed with two roads opened, Callander Shed. The 40ft turntable was in the station. Sub-shed of Stirling Shed [CR] (Burghmuir).
01/07/1858Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Line opened from Dunblane to Callander [1st]. Stations opened at Doune and Callander [1st].
  /  /1860Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
The Caledonian Railway installs a 50ft turntable on the entry sidings to Callander Shed.
  /  /1865Dunblane, Doune and Callander RailwayScottish Central Railway
Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway absorbed by Scottish Central Railway.
  /  /1865Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
North British Railway gains running powers to Callander [1st] during amalgations of the year.
31/08/1893Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Drumvaich Crossing opened between Doune and Callander and Oban Junction.
  /  /1896Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Authorisation to enlarge and rebuild Doune station.
  /  /1899Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Doubling authorised. (Double track only reached Doune from Dunblane.)
  /  /1902Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Further alteration to Doune station authorised.
  /  /1902Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Extension of time to double line granted.
09/06/1902Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Doubled section between Dunblane and Doune opened. West and East signal boxes at Doune and Dunblane North box at Dunblane Junction replaced. Doune rebuilt as an island platform station.
02/11/1902Callander and Oban Railway
Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Callander Dreadnought to Callander and Oban Junction doubled. Callander and Oban Junction signal box replaced and junction remodelled with headshunt and loop around box.
  /  /1907Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Extension of time for doubling until 06/08/1910.
  /  /1924Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Callander Shed closed but remained standing.
10/04/1938Callander and Oban Railway
Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Callander and Oban Junction closed. The double track line to Callander Dreadnought becomes two single track lines with the former westbound line becoming access from Callander Dreadnought to Callander [1st] (goods) via the headshunt at the site of Callander and Oban Junction.
30/10/1955Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Doune to Dunblane singled. Between Dunblane and Springbank Mill Siding the westbound line was lifted, and the line slewed at Stockbridge to the west with the eastbound line lifted between there and Doune.
07/06/1965Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Callander Dreadnought to Dunblane Springbank Mill Siding, excluded, closed to freight. Callander Dreadnought to Callander [1st] via the headshunt at the former Callander and Oban Junction closed to goods.
01/11/1965Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Callander Dreadnought to Dunblane (Springbank Mill Siding, excluded) closed to passengers and completely. Doune station closed.
30/07/1971Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Springbank Mill Siding to Dunblane Junction (excluded) closed. A short length from the junction was retained as a permanent way siding.
  /  /1974Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Callander Shed still stood. The site was cleared for housing.
  /  /1988Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway
Re-ballasting beyond the end of the siding at Dunblane Junction, possibly as a stabling siding. Track laying was not proceeded with.

Route described

This line ran from by the Allan Water in Dunblane to cross slightly higher ground to the west to Doune and then followed the north of the River Teith to reach the east end of Callander.


Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

This is a three platform station. Dunblane is both a through station for services running north to Perth and a terminus for local services from Glasgow Queen Street High Level, Edinburgh Waverley and Newcraighall.
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See also
Scottish Central Railway
So, I took a morning walk into the Laighills at Dunblane and, bored by the current monotony of rolling stock, set the date on the digital camera back ...
Mark Dufton /07/1990
The signal box at the north end of Dunblane station, seen here in June 2005 looking particularly smart following a paint job. ...
John Furnevel 22/06/2005
West Coast Railway Mk1 coach 99371 'Victoria' passes through Dunblane on the evening of 3rd July 2023 as part of the consist of the 'Flying Scotsman ...
Mark Dufton 03/07/2023
170401 calls at Dunblane with the 15.15 from Dundee to Glasgow Queen Street on 20 December 2022.
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Bill Roberton 20/12/2022
4 of 116 images. more


This junction was immediately north of Dunblane station. Here the Scottish Central Railway was met by the Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway. The branch was to be extended by the Callander and Oban Railway to Oban.
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See also
Scottish Central Railway


This shed was located in the 'V' of the junction between the Scottish Central Railway and the Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway from which it branched. This was a one track single ended shed approached from the south. It was re-located.
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This siding served Springbank Mill, Dunblane. The siding was served from the east.
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Oban-Glasgow Pullman Express near Dunblane. C.R. 4-6-0 14622. Circa 1934. The view is from a minor road bridge just to the west of Dunblane Junction ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow //1934
1 of 1 images.




This was the intermediate station on the line between Dunblane and Callander [1st]. The station was in the north west of the village.
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Looking to Callander from the remains of the rather massive Doune station island platform. Site now occupied with housing. Compare with image ...
Ewan Crawford //1988
Looking to Callander at Doune. The entry was to the left with the footbridge overhead and station building on the right. Site now occupied with ...
Ewan Crawford //1988
Looking north in the old station square. The station platform has been demolished and replaced with a housing estate but the station house remains. ...
Ewan Crawford //2005
The fireman of Caledonian 123 collects the tablet from the Doune signalman on 12 April 1963. The train is Scottish Rambler No 2 on its way from ...
John Robin 12/04/1963
4 of 7 images. more





Capacity

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A signal pulley wheel can still be found near the site of the eastern distant signal for Drumvaich Crossing. ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
This overbridge crossed the line three quarters of a mile west of Drumvaich. The view looks south east at Cambusbeg. ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
View east from Drumvaich. The Wallace Monument is in the far distance. ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
View west towards Drumvaich Crossing where the combined signal box and railway cottage building still stands. ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
4 of 7 images. more


This goods siding was east of Callander and Oban Junction, in the east of Callander. The siding was on the north side of the line, approached from the west (over the Bridge of Keltie Viaduct). There was a loading bank and a saw mill.
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View west to Callander with the River Teith to the left. Cambusmore Siding was in the middle distance. ...
Ewan Crawford 24/09/2023
Looking west to Cambusmore Siding. The siding was to the east of Callander and the Keltie Water bridge. ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
View east to Drumvaich from near Cambusmore Siding ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
An old road over rail bridge near Cambusbeg, east of Callander, photographed in February 2011. View looks east towards Doune/Dunblane. ...
Michael Gibb 12/02/2011
4 of 4 images.


This was the junction between the Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway and the Callander and Oban Railway which extended it to Oban. Callander [1st] was left on a short branch being replaced by Callander (Dreadnought) further west. The original signal box was to the north of the junction at the point of division of the lines.
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More details

See also
Callander and Oban Railway
View east about quarter of a mile east of Callander and Oban Junction showing the partly landscaped former railway. The line ran down the left side of ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
View east at Callander and Oban Junction where the Callander and Oban Railway (on the left) met the Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway (right). The ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
View west at Callander and Oban Junction. This retaining wall held up the embankment on the right. The wall was probably built when the line from the ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
The railway entering Callander from the east can be seen bottom centre in this view, it is now a footpath. The site of the original terminus is now ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
4 of 4 images.


This was a terminus, the end of the line from Dunblane. It was left on a short branch when the line was extended west to, ultimately, Oban through a new Callander Dreadnought station to the west.
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The forecourt of the original station at Callander was on the left in this view. The view looks east along Main Street. This terminus was sidestepped ...
Ewan Crawford 24/08/2023
1 of 1 images.