Balloch
Location type
StationName 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
Station07/12/2021
Facilities
Gaelic name: Am Bealach
| Nearby stations Balloch [1st] Balloch Pier Jamestown Alexandria Renton Caldarvan Dalreoch Dumbarton Central Cardross Dumbarton East Craigendoran Upper Craigendoran Craigendoran Pier Langbank Helensburgh Ticket Platform | Balloch Shed Loch Lomond Factory (Silk Dyeing) Forth and Clyde Junction [Balloch] Drumkinnon Sand Pit Croftengea Siding Jamestown Viaduct [Balloch] Levenbank Print Works Levenfield Works Milton Works (Dyeing) [Riverside] Lomond Galleries Tourist/other Sea Life Loch Lomond Lomond Shores Tullichewan Castle Balloch Castle Loch Lomond Distillery |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Chronology Dates
| 01/10/1896 | Caledonian 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. |
| 23/09/1929 | Forth 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]. |
| 01/10/1934 | Forth 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. |
| 24/04/1988 | Caledonian 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
Books
 The Vanished Railways of Old Western Dunbartonshire (Britains Railways/Old Photos) |
