Aberfoyle

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Aberfoyle (1882-1951)

Opened on the Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway.
Opened on the Aberfoyle Slate Quarries Tramway.

Description

This was a single platform terminus with a run round loop, station building with small canopy, small signal box (akin to those on the original section of the West Highland Railway), water tank, turntable, single road, single ended locomotive shed and loading bank lines, north of the line into the station and, like the station, approached from the east. The station was in Aberfoyle itself, which was very small when the railway arrived.

To reduce costs railcars were introduced. These operated a service from here to Blanefield where a conventional train could be caught for the onward journey to Glasgow Queen Street High Level.

Alongside the station, and to the south of the run round loop, was the terminus of the Aberfoyle Slate Quarries Tramway.

The LNER introduced Sentinel railcars on the line, with the railcars working through to Blanefield from which conventional trains could be taken to Glasgow.

The station closed to passengers in 1951 but remained open for goods and minerals. It could still be visited by railtours. The box closed in 1956. The line closed in 1959.

The site is now a car park, although the infilled turntable pit may still be found to the east. Also east of the station are railwaymen's cottages on the north side of the line, in use as houses. The line terminated behind what is now The Forth Inn.

Local

To the north west, and once served by a coach from the station, is Loch Katrine. The Sir Walter Scott steamship still plies Loch Katrine Loch Katrine - Loch Cruises from Trossachs Pier.

Aberfoyle was very small when the railway arrived. It was largely clustered around the Bailie Nicol Jarvie Hotel at a road junction. The Aberfoyle Quarries to the north were already in operation.

Tags

Terminus footpath

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map




Chronology Dates

01/10/1882Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
Line opened for passengers and freight from Dumgoyne to Gartness Junction and Buchlyvie Junction to Aberfoyle. Stations at Killearn, Gartmore and Aberfoyle.
01/05/1930Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
Sentinel-Cammell Steam Railcar shuttle introduced meeting trains from Glasgow Queen Street at Blanefield and running on to Aberfoyle. Eastfield Shed's railcar Retaliator was based at Aberfoyle shed.
01/10/1934Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
Closed to passengers from Balloch (Forth and Clyde Junction [Balloch]) to Gartness Junction and from Buchlyvie Junction to Stirling. The Gartness Junction to Buchlyvie Junction section was used by trains to Aberfoyle and Balfron and Buchlyvie stations remained open. Jamestown, Caldarvan, Drymen, Gartness, Port of Menteith, Kippen and Gargunnock closed to passengers.
04/10/1941Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
Sentinel-Cammell Steam Railcar shuttle from Blanefield to Aberfoyle withdrawn and replaced with locomotive hauled stock.
  /  /1947Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
Tramway from Aberfoyle station to Aberfoyle Quarries closed.
29/09/1951Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway Forth and Clyde Junction Railway Blane Valley Railway Campsie Branch (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)
Aberfoyle to Kirkintilloch [2nd] (excluded) closed to passengers. Passenger stations closed at Aberfoyle, Gartmore, Buchlyvie, Balfron, Killearn, Dumgoyne, Blanefield, Strathblane, Campsie Glen, Lennoxtown [2nd], Milton of Campsie closed.
15/05/1958Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
Blane Valley Railway
Campsie Branch (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)
Stevenson Locomotive Society Railtour travels from Glasgow to Aberfoyle. (Also visiting Kilsyth (Old)). [189]
16/05/1959Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway Forth and Clyde Junction Railway Blane Valley Railway Campsie Branch (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)
A University of Glasgow (Department of Extra Mural Education!) railtour visits Aberfoyle, the last passenger train to the station. Hauled by K2 61788 Loch Rannoch and with an LNER observation coach on the rear. [157]
05/10/1959Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway
Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
Blane Valley Railway
Campsie Branch (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)
Aberfoyle to Buchlyvie Junction to Gartness Junction to Campsie Glen (Lennox Castle Siding) (excluded) closed completely (although a final railtour ran on the 17th). Track not lifted until early 1960s.

News items

15/08/2021Walter Scott: the man who invented Scotland [History Extra]