Blackford

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Blackford (1851-1956)

Station code: BLF National Rail
Opened on the Scottish Central Railway.

Description

This was a two platform station with a goods yard at the west end, south side of the line. The station building also survives on the former westbound platform, its extension to the east removed. From the platform side, this resembled a house with dormer windows (removed since closure of the station). A similar building exists at the former Kinbuck station. A small timber waiting room was on the Perth platform. There was a water tank at the west end of the westbound platform.

The signal box (replacing one on the west side of the level crossing by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1933) survives here, on the east side of the level crossing to the east of the former station. It is a LMS Type 12.

Close by the station is Highland Spring for whom sidings have been laid in at the former goods yard.

Blackford Mail Apparatus was to the east of the level crossing.

Local

Highland Spring has a bottling plant nearby the former station, just to the south.

At the other, south, end of Blackford from the former station is the Tullibardine Distillery .

Tags

Station LMS Type 12

External links

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




Nearby stations
Gleneagles [1st]
Gleneagles
Carsebreck
Tullibardine
Auchterarder
Greenloaning
Muthill
Strageath Halt
Highlandman
Innerpeffray
Kinbuck
Abercairny
Pittenzie Halt
Crieff [2nd]
Dunning
Highland Spring
Blackford Mail Apparatus
Gleneagles Summit
Gleneagles Tip
Kincardine Glen Viaduct
Machany Water Viaduct
Tourist/other
Blackford Old Parish Church
Gleneagles Hotel
Tullibardine Chapel
Ardoch Roman Fort
Strathallan Castle
Strathallan Airfield
Braco Castle
Muthill Old Church and Tower
Innerpeffray Chapel
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.


Chronology Dates

  /  /1851Scottish Central Railway
Blackford station opened.
  /12/2005Scottish Central Railway
Possibility of reopening of Blackford to provide relief to Dunblane station discussed by Perth and Kinross Council and First ScotRail.
  /04/2010Scottish Central Railway
Petition to the Scottish Parliament to re-open Blackford station to reduce A9 traffic and for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
  /02/2011Scottish Central Railway
With the withdrawal of a Freight Facilities Grant, Highland spring abandons plan for a depot at Blackford.
20/07/2022Scottish Central Railway
First freight train to the Highland Spring crane served sidings, Blackford.

News items

20/10/2023A modest Scottish rail freight terminal is an industry pathfinder [RailFreight]
08/08/2023Overspeed incidents at blanket emergency speed restrictions [RAIB]
05/12/2022First Revenue Earning Train at Blackford [Highland Spring]
08/09/2022Edinburgh's South Suburban Railway: Why an Edinburgh railway line closed 60 years ago today [Edinburgh News]
31/08/2022Highland Spring rail freight facility capable of transporting thousands of bottles of water opens [STV]
20/07/2022First train visits Blackford Highland Spring sidings [Twitter - Railfreight Scotland]
18/01/2022Increase in rail freight may become familiar feature - Phil Smart [The Scotsman]
23/11/2021Real action and achievement on climate taking place on Scotland's tracks - Phil Smart [The Scotsman]
16/04/2020Harry Potter line steam train firm blasted by Ian Blackford for not suspending bookings [Scotsman]

Books


A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The North of Scotland v. 15 (Regional railway history series)

An Illustrated History of Tayside's Railways

Bradshaw's Guides Scotlands Railways West Coast - Carlisle to Inverness: 5

Scottish Central Railway (Oakwood Library of Railway History)

The Railways of Stirling