Banavie: 45407 brings The Jacobite east through Banavie station on 25 September 2005 on its way back to Fort William.
John Furnevel 25/09/2005
This is a single platform station. At the north end of the platform is Banavie Swing Bridge and the modern signalling centre, built in the style of a signal box. Unfortunately the West Highland extension style station building (similar to those at Glenfinnan and Arisaig) was demolished in the early 1980s. It had remained unused, after staff were withdrawn, but was ruined by vandalism.
To the north, over the swing bridge, was Tomonie Signal Box and to the south Banavie Junction [2nd].
The original signal box here, 'Banavie Canal Bridge', operated the level crossing and the swing bridge. The block posts were at Tomonie Signal Box and Banavie Junction [2nd] at the insistence of the Board of Trade who had the box chiefly control the swing bridge. With the closure of Tomonie Signal Box in 1912 it became a block post.
During construction of the new signalling centre the old box remained intact, just to the north. The original box closed in 1987. The new building is considerably larger. It is often described as in the style of an Victorian signal box or similar to the original timber signal box. The former has some truth, it's a matter of opinion, the latter is inaccurate.
To the south of the station is a level crossing with barriers where Kilmallie Road crosses the line.
To the east is Neptune's Staircase, a series of connected locks on the Caledonian Canal.
Nearby stations Banavie Pier Corpach Fort William Fort William [1st] Loch Eil Outward Bound Gairlochy Spean Bridge Locheilside Roy Bridge Invergloy Platform Ballachulish Ferry Ballachulish (Glencoe) Kentallen Glenfinnan Fersit Halt | Banavie Swing Bridge Neptune^s Staircase Banavie Junction [2nd] Lochy Viaduct [Fort William] Corpach Basin Tom-na-Faire Depot Inverlochy Footbridge Base Camp Tourist/other Tomonie Signal Box Old Inverlochy Castle Ben Nevis Distillery Corpach Pier Corpach Beacon Inverlochy Farm Level Crossing Tom na Faire Viewpoint |
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. |
Station in the snowA snowy scene of the station showing the signal box, building and Ben Nevis was used for publicity, at the very time that the building was demolished. |
16/01/2023 | Firm that made 200 million cold calls put lives at risk' by clogging lines [MSN] |