Note: text in square brackets is added for clarity and was not part of the location's name.
Station code: National RailThis was a two platform station. The station building on the down platform was a typical later Callander and Oban Railway timber building but with a canopy along the length of the building.
The station opened in 1873 when the line was extended from Glenoglehead to Tyndrum [1st]. For the opening interconnecting coaches were organised such as one which ran down Glen Falloch to Ardlui Pier and Arrochar Pier to pick up steamer traffic.
There was a goods yard, approached from the east. The signal box, 1890, was at the east end of the westbound platform.
The loop was lifted around 1921, the up platform line being removed, largely due to the opening of a loop further west at Crianlarich Junction [CandO] in 1897. The box closed, replaced with a ground frame to the east.
After closure of the line east from Crianlarich to Callander Dreadnought and Dunblane in 1965 (due to the Glen Ogle Rockfall), the station and goods yard became a timber depot. The depot was called Lower Crianlarich from 1967. (Goods continued briefly to Luib until 1966.) The loop was re-installed operated by a ground frame. A buffer was placed on the line east of the station, behind Inverardran Cottage just to the east of the bowstring bridge over the Allt Coire Ardrain (surprisingly, given the need to maintain the bridge!).
The yard has closed and line cut back to a short stub at Lower Crianlarich Junction in 1993. The site is now part car park, partly built upon and the Crianlarich community garden. The bridge over the Allt Coire Ardrain is still there, the timber decking totally rotten and fenced off.
28/09/1965 | Callander and Oban Railway Killin Railway Due to the extent of the Glen Ogle Rockfall, Crianlarich Lower (excluded) to Callander (excluded) closed to all traffic. |
01/11/1965 | Callander and Oban Railway Crianlarich Lower to Callander Dreadnought officially closed to passengers (the Glen Ogle Rockfall closed the line on 28/09/65 and beyond Callander there was a replacement bus service until the end, trains continuing on the portion east of Callander). Following withdrawal of the bus service no public passenger service at all (bus or train) was available between Crianlarich and Killin [2nd]. Official closure of Callander Dreadnought, Strathyre, Kingshouse Platform, Lochearnhead, Killin Junction, Luib, Crianlarich Lower and Killin [2nd]. Crianlarich Lower to Luib remains open to goods. |
/ /1966 | Callander and Oban Railway Dismantling between Crianlarich Lower and Callander Dreadnought begins at Glen Ogle Rockfall. |
16/02/1966 | Callander and Oban Railway Crianlarich Lower (excluded) to Luib closed to goods. |
09/06/1980 | West Highland Railway
Mallaig Extension (West Highland Railway) Final timber train leaves Crianlarich Lower for the Scottish Pulp and Paper Mills, Corpach. |
22/05/2006 | Callander and Oban Railway New timber terminal at Crianlarich Lower proposed by Argyll Timber Transport Group, English, Welsh and Scottish Railway, Network Rail and Kronospan, taking 6,500 trucks off the road annually. (Not opened.) |