This Second World War period marshalling yard was on the Faslane branch just before it joined the West Highland Railway at Faslane Junction. Also known as Faslane Transfer Yard. It allowed trains to be joined together to run over the single track section to Craigendoran Junction (with only a passing place at Helensburgh Upper). There were further associated yards at Craigendoran West Yard, Craigendoran East Yard and Ardmore Yard. There were seven looped sidings, the connection to the West Highland was double track and at the Faslane end was a short section of single line over a bridge before the branch continued as a double track downhill to the port.
Construction of the level ground for the yard required the tipping of a huge amount of material on the hillside.
To the side of the sidings, at either end, were the yard's offices and other buildings.
From the yard to Faslane port the line was double track, but steeply graded. The line was operated and signalled in continental fashion to allow practice for driving trains on the continent.
The yard survived the war and was used by trains involved in shipbreaking activity at Faslane. It dropped to four tracks having been considerably larger. The branch was reduced to a single track.
It fell out of use and was disconnected from the main lane around 1980, surviving much overgrown while a while afterwards.
The large flat area and former offices remain, partly overgrown.
Nearby stations Faslane Platform Shandon Rhu Faslane Port Garelochhead Helensburgh Upper Helensburgh Central Helensburgh Ticket Platform Whistlefield Halt Craigendoran Pier Craigendoran Upper Craigendoran Gourock Fort Matilda Greenock Princes Pier [2nd] | Faslane Junction Timbacraft Yard Hattonburn Yard Tourist/other Shandon Pier Shandon House Gare Loch Shandon Castle Laigh Balernock Level Crossing West Shandon House Blairvadach House High Balernock Level Crossing Balernock Pier Barremman Pier Belmore Level Crossing Henry Bell^s Grave |
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. |