Balloch

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Balloch (1988-)

Station code: BHC National Rail ScotRail
Where: West Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Opened on the Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway.

Description

This is a single platform station - the platform occupying what was the down track before it was lifted. The station is south of Balloch Road which was formerly crossed by a level crossing to reach Balloch Central.

Just to the south is the site of Forth and Clyde Junction [Balloch] where the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway met the former Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway at a north (Balloch) facing junction.

Local

Lomond Shores is to the north west of the station.

The former Balloch Central station is now the VisitScotland Balloch Information Centre .

The route of the Three Lochs Way starts at the station, the route visiting Loch Lomond before climbing the Stoneymollan Road crossing high ground, affording excellent views, to reach Helensburgh.

This route west is shared with the John Muir Way . To the east the route continues to Strathblane.

National Cycle Route 7 runs south, following the west bank of the River Leven to reach Dalreoch and, over the old Dumbarton Bridge, Dumbarton Central.

Tags

Station
07/12/2021

Facilities

Gaelic name: Am Bealach


Chronology Dates

01/10/1896Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway Dumbarton and Balloch Joint Railway (Caledonian Railway, Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway and North British Railway Joint)
The North British Railway is obliged to put its Dumbarton Central to Balloch Pier line into joint ownership with the Caledonian Railway to stop the Caledonian Railway from building a second railway (the proposed Dumbarton, Jamestown and Loch Lomond Railway) from Dumbarton to Balloch. The North British Railway now has to pay access charges for its section between Dalreoch Junction and Dumbarton East Junction. The Caledonian Railway is, from this date, admitted to the Balloch line.
23/09/1929Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
Sentinel Cammell Steam Railcars introduced on the Balloch - Stirling service. The railcars were named for stagecoaches. Quicksilver was based at Balloch Shed, Pearl, Flower of Yarrow and Fair Maid (relief) based at Stirling Shed [NB].
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.
24/04/1988Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway
Balloch station opened, replacing Balloch Central. Balloch signal box, level crossing and the remaining single track to Balloch Central taken out of use on 25th. (New station possibly named Balloch Central initially, although other sources suggest the old station was renamed Balloch prior to closure.)

News items

18/10/2023Works to repair Balloch (Inverness) rail bridge suspended ahead of Storm Babet [Inverness Courier]
06/10/2023Trains suspended in 'do not travel' weather warning for Scotland [BBC News]
06/10/2023Passengers urged to check their journeys as extreme weather hits Scotland [Network Rail]
13/04/2023Balloch Station set for park and ride, as part of local transport funding boost [Daily Record]
09/12/2022ScotRail 'letting down passengers', says MSP, as more strikes loom [The Lochside Press]
28/10/2022ScotRail: Broken down freight train disrupts Balloch and Helensburgh trains [Helensburgh Advertiser]
18/08/2022Clydebank train stations amongst list of 'no-go' lines [Clydebank Post]
26/05/2022RMT warns its members could refuse to work on Balloch trains [Dumbarton Reporter]
11/03/2022ScotRail Dumbarton-Balloch trains cancelled for 'urgent track repairs' [Dumbarton Reporter]
28/02/2022ScotRail push ahead with cuts to ticket office opening times in West Dunbartonshire [Daily Record]

Books


The Vanished Railways of Old Western Dunbartonshire (Britains Railways/Old Photos)