Location type

Name and dates

Description

This is an island platform station, typical of the West Highland Railway. The station building was removed in the late 1990s/early 2000s after several years of being vacant. This was of the Swiss chalet style typical of the line. Access is via a subway and this also gives access to the hillside to the west.

The station is located at Ballyhennan and named for Arrochar, a village and former steamer pier (Arrochar Pier) to the west at the head of Loch Long, and Tarbet, a small settlement and pier on Loch Lomond, to the east (Tarbet Pier). The station is midway between the two villages. Ballyhennan was the name of the station used in the Act for the railway.

The signal box (opened with the station, closed 1986 and 'B' listed) remains to the west of the subway and a new waiting shelter in the style of a signal box has been provided to the east. On introduction of the Sprinters the platform was lengthened at the southern end, putting the station into a offset position on the platform.

There is a goods yard, sometimes used for timber loading and formerly for staging the oil from Oban. This is on the east side of the line and is accessed, by reversal, from the north.

There is a stationmaster's house, typical of the line and a railwayman's cottage on either side of the entryway. Both are now private houses.

The station was the northern end of a local service serving the lochside communities from Craigendoran Upper. For much of its existence this was operated with a push-pull service. This local service served the smaller stations allowing the longer distance trains to Fort William [1st] to pass by without calling. The service was withdrawn in 1964.

There is a small burial ground for 37 men who died building the railway ('Navvies') in the Arrochar area at Ballyhennan Burial Ground (to the east of the station). A memorial has been erected in recent years. Arrochar, Tarbet and Ardlui Heritage - Navvies Graveyard

The second Navvy Camp, coming north from Craigendoran, was located at Arrochar, at the head of Loch Long, with materials coming in by sea.

Local

The station was known, or at least signposted, as 'Arrochar and Tarbet For Argyll National Forest Park' when the park was first opened.

Argyll Forest Park

Tarbet Hotel

Arrochar Hotel

The route of the Three Lochs Way directly passes through the underpass entrance to the station. It may be followed north to Inveruglas (where there is no station) or south to Helensburgh.

The West Highland Way may be gained by taking a short ferry crossing over Loch Lomond from Tarbet Pier (east of the station).

The Cobbler is to the west, the starting point reached via the A83 around the head of Loch Long. This is one of the Arrochar Alps.

Tags

External links

Facilities