History Callander and Oban Railway

1 history

1.1 origins
1.2 construction
1.3 line in operation
1.4 extending tyndrum
1.5 dalmally
1.6 oban
1.7 rock falls in pass of brander
1.8 more crossing places
1.9 fish
1.10 competing line
1.11 killin railway
1.12 branch ballachulish
1.13 train services
1.14 closure
1.15 present day
1.16 ben cruachan quarry branch

history
origins

system map of callander , oban railway

the scottish central railway , caledonian railway were, many others, incorporated act of parliament on 1 july 1845. @ stage 2 companies collaborating, intention of connecting perth carlisle, , beyond emerging english railway network; scottish central had immediate plans allied companies reach aberdeen, , there on talk of reaching north-west highland area.

in 1846 dunblane, doune , callander railway proposed ten-mile (16 km) line along valley of river teith. false start, second attempt authorised on 21 july 1856. line opened on 1 july 1858.

callander western extremity of lowland terrain: beyond lay wild highland hills. promoters considered whether callander make starting location line penetrating highlands, , reaching western sea @ oban 71 miles (114 km) away, relatively few settlements in between. decided in november 1864 line should built, , called callander , oban railway.

from oban crianlarich route clear; there river clyde left route open; had calculated needed £600,000 build line, , there no possibility of local people investing kind of money. way forward persuade another, established line put money in: route determined fact. scottish central prepared put £200,000, , confirmed agreement of 17 december 1864; route crianlarich accordingly go east callander , dunblane. parliamentary bill submitted in 1865 session , railway authorised on 8 july 1865. authorised capital £600,000 loans of £200,000.

the dunblane, doune , callander railway absorbed scottish central railway on 31 july 1865, , scottish central amalgamated caledonian railway following day, 1 august 1865.

construction

the caledonian had expended lot of energy , money in securing leases of local railways; had committed perpetual annual lease charges; @ same time expanding hold in lanarkshire coal , iron fields. scottish central had committed major investment in callander , oban, , caledonian assumed obligation; when examined situation not happy had acquired. local investors in thinly populated area had find £400,000; if did not, caledonian asked make shortfall. policy of securing territory @ risk if cancelled project: rival north british railway might pick scheme.

the new company needed secretary, , man appointed john anderson, formerly of edinburgh , glasgow railway. remarkable energy , creativity saw little company through. company s act authorised raising of money; did not make happen. many subscribed shares in first place defaulted on being asked first call, , anderson hawked round west highlands selling shares. there no question of starting construction of whole line, start made callander glen ogle. contract £124,218 (equivalent £10,560,000 in 2016) let john mackay on 6 november 1866.

in 1868 board of caledonian railway came under heavy fire shareholders; caledonian had inherited scottish central railway obligation fund £200,000 of c&or s capital; many shareholders viewed honouring throwing money after bad, , board had difficult time; arrangement remained in place.

the work proceeded slowly, because company did not have funds pay contractor. hostility between original c&or directors , caledonian strengthened, , considering limited progress, cancellation of whole project discussed. @ length definite decision taken end railway @ tyndrum. needed variation authorising act of parliament, , callander , oban railway (abandonment) act passed in may 1870.

despite negative impact of act, first part of line nearing completion: ran top of glen ogle, @ altitude of 944 feet (288 m). station called killin, although town 3 miles (5 km) away down steep mountain track; killin had population of 1,836 in 1871. intermediate stations strathyre , lochearnhead, distance place served. original dunblane, doune , callander station @ callander unsuitable c&or built new station behind dreadnought hotel; dd&cr station became goods depot.

on 18 , 19 may 1870 captain tyler of board of trade inspected line , approved it. line opened business on 1 june 1870.

the line in operation

the caledonian had agreed work line; there 2 trains each way daily. caledonian paid c&or toll use of callander station , short section of line dd&cr section. anderson had arranged (road) coach connections @ killin tourists , others; described glen ogle khyber pass of scotland. summer passenger carryings better anderson had expected, , third daily return trip added timetable.

the population of kingshouse, between strathyre , lochearnhead, petitioned station. c&or refused, said might build 1 themselves. did , opened on 21 june 1871. guards of trains note persons joining there ensure @ next c&or station, fare taken them.

at end of summer timetable reverted 2 trains daily; season had brought income of £2,511 (equivalent £210,000 in 2016) , company able declare dividend of 1%.

at period north british railway ran excursion trains callander agreement. income c&or based on passenger numbers arriving, , in many cases 2 3 persons only, not compensating c&or business. anderson asked nbr pay more, nbr discontinued trains instead.

extending tyndrum

caledonian hostility c&or had abated in time, , persuaded, against wishes of of shareholders, proceed extension tyndrum. whereas killin station @ wild mountain top difficult roads, tyndrum strategically located in valley of strath fillan, @ 729 feet (222 m) @ junction of roads. 17 miles (27 km) in easier terrain posed no great engineering problem. extension opened in august 1873. small locomotive shed built @ tyndrum, service 2 trains day.

anderson continued expend considerable energy in arranging tourist excursions steamer , coach, making circular tours on railway several different routes. coaches completed journey oban, on 5 hours away, , fort william later on.

now dalmally

the extension tyndrum seems not have brought improvement hoped for, far financial results concerned, , clear extending oban resolve matter. decision taken , on 11 july 1874 callander , oban railway (tyndrum , oban) act received royal assent. before, raising money problem, , before anderson energetic in arranging it. caledonian subscribed £20,000. contract let section tyndrum dalmally; there no intermediate stations, tyndrum station relocated little further towards oban. earlier station not @ location suitable extension , through line have deviate terminus approach line.

the line opened far dalmally, @ head of loch awe, on 1 may 1877. coach connections oban made through tickets available; overnight stay @ dalmally required many journeys. complicated circular tours arranged, day tour carlisle (leaving @ 3.50 in morning).

finally oban

soon decision taken complete line oban. usual raising money problem. english london , north western railway had issued through tickets when dalmally extension started operating, , cemented interest in line taking £50,000 of shares.

the railway approach oban south, steamer pier @ north end of town, , george street, esplanade of oban, defended having beautiful outlook on sea. various schemes put forward locally, of have cost c&or money, , company resolved controversy deciding build own railway pier @ south end of town. displeased many people, including john stuart mccaig, furious in denunciation of scheme. mccaig had interest: owned existing (north) pier.

the line opened throughout great ceremony on 30 june 1880. there 5 through trains , callander daily, short working. before, anderson arranged comprehensive series of connections steamers tourist purposes. opening coincided summer season @ time when working people getting holidays pay, , huge numbers of passengers carried, cities , towns of central belt of scotland.

ordinary goods traffic not buoyant though built later. despatch of smoked fish, , fast conveyance of shellfish london, became important traffic.

at end of summer, 215,000 passengers had been carried, 250% more previously. winter traffic settled down; there few tourists, ordinary travellers, steamer service islands made oban railway steady supply of trade, , oban became charing cross of north.

rock falls in pass of brander

on 17 august 1881 train derailed in pass of brander; there no serious injuries, focussed on risk trains due boulders falling on line high hillside directly above railway. after consideration system of wire fences installed, such if wire broken falling boulder, special signals automatically return danger. system ready on 17 april 1883. network of wires produced humming sound in wind, , local railway people nicknamed system anderson s piano. system continues day , has worked well, although further derailments occurred in 1946 , 2010.

more crossing places

the line established limited number of crossing places trains on single line. route had trunk status virtue of steamer connections, delays 1 train expand serious delays elsewhere. staff , ticket system rather inflexible, , replaced tyers train tablet system, additional crossing places @ glenlochy (between tyndrum , dalmally), awe crossing between lochawe , taynuilt, glencruitten summit between connel ferry , oban, , st brides between callander , strathyre.

fish

in 1880s stornoway centre of fishing trade; product had transported market, , highland railway had had monopoly of rail traffic. had exploited monopoly , fish merchants dissatisfied. anderson offered cheap rates oban , number of facilities them free of charge. notwithstanding longer sea crossing stornoway oban, c&or route attracted traffic highland. highland railway reacted improving rates of traffic remained c&or.

a competing line

in 1889 interests in lochaber proposed railway fort william clyde. if approved erode c&or income: fort william business came oban steamer, , tyndrum, served new line, railhead considerable sheep traffic. proposed line became known west highland railway, , despite c&or opposition in parliament, received authorising act. c&or benefitted carrying construction materials, competing line opened on 7 august 1894.

the west highland railway crossed on c&or line @ crianlarich , proposed connecting line built; @ expense of west highland company, , exchange of wagons, not through line. of cattle , sheep traffic carried west highland destined stirling , perth, , routed via callander. short line built, actual commissioning long delayed. suspected west highland happy charge traders considerable mileage via glasgow. line opened on 20 december 1897.

people in oban saw there potential route glasgow 17 miles (27 km) shorter on west highland crianlarich on c&or via callander, apart few tourist excursions not agreed until situation forced in 1960s.

killin railway

the killin railway opened passenger operation on 1 april 1886. callander , oban killin station renamed glenoglehead on same day. ceased passenger station on 1 april 1889, passengers have trains stopped there notifying guard. facility withdrawn on 30 september 1891. until end of 1916, passengers killin morning down train on sundays alight @ glenoglehead, train stopped set down mail. on glenoglehead functioned private halt railway servants , crossing place.

a branch ballachulish

the ballachulish branch railway

the west highland railway opened fort william in 1894, , interest aroused in opening other areas of region. railways along great glen proposed, , attention turned tract of remote terrain between oban , fort william. several sea lochs made road travel in area difficult, , argyll county council had indicated co-operate c&or if railway build dual-use bridges; c&or considering ambitious railway oban inverness way of fort william. c&or decided decline idea, , make railway on own, , work itself. c&or had difficulty in raising enough money survey of proposed line, undaunted, presented parliamentary bill line in september 1894, following year s session.

the autonomy of c&or evidently considerable, owner, caledonian railway announced oppose bill in parliament. untenable situation , when anderson consulted lord breadalbane made clear proposal not continue, , swiftly withdrawn.

the c&or converted proposal branch line ballachulish connel ferry; west highland railway proposed branch ballachulish north. ballachulish had population of 1,800 @ time, , industry chiefly quarrying.

both railways authorised act of parliament on 7 august 1896, west highland scheme subject serious limitations, , line never built. c&or line have triangular junction connel ferry, , cross loch etive connel bridge second in britain forth bridge in length of main span, , largest single-span steel bridge in britain. route approved north of bridge later changed substantially, , hotel built @ loch creran serve proposed station there; hotel never opened railway built did not go there. capital £210,000 of caledonian railway agreed fund £15,000.

connel bridge under construction, sphere, 15 august 1903

the connel bridge crossed channel rapid rip ran @ ebb tide, , intermediate piers or temporary staging impossible. constructed arrol bridge , roofing company, starting in 1898; done building out cantilevers each shore. there large bridge, creagan bridge, no other large engineering work on line, although considerable section of bad ground encountered. connel ferry station extended give additional bay platform ballachulish trains. western arm of authorised triangle never constructed. ballachulish station had two-platform terminal station.

the connel , creagan bridges had been provided footpath on 1 side, not public. anderson met argyll county council , offered open path on connel bridge in return payment of £800 per annum. council thought excessive , issue remained contentious several years.

in 1909 company instituted shuttle passenger service on bridge, between connel ferry , benderloch, motor charabanc converted railway wheels. service ran on sundays also, though c&or did not operate sunday service on remainder of network. charabanc conveyed flat truck request, on private motor cars conveyed, fare of 15 shillings. driver , passengers remained in own vehicle.

private motoring increased on years , c&or pressed permit motor cars drive on bridge, c&or declared impossible make roadway on bridge. demand permit pedestrians cross continued declined.

the matter resolved when in 1913 macalpine downie applied board of trade operate chain ferry @ crossing. c&or made arrangements open bridge motor cars , pedestrians, , achieved on 22 june 1914; special signalling arrangements made secure safety of operation. toll charge between 7s 6d , 10s. c&or continued make obstructions in usage of bridge: thomas states shepherds take flock of sheep across bridge, must lead animals 1 @ time. company s policy on bridge generated huge resentment on years.

from 1930s use of railway declined, , road network in area improved. time passed dominant use on line schoolchildren.

from 14 june 1965 goods service on line discontinued, , on 28 march 1966 line closed completely. connel , creagan bridges transferred county council, , became simple road bridges.

train services

over years summer passenger timetable became augmented tourism potential of route enhanced. sleeping cars , london introduced 1895, 6 nights week in summer , once week in winter. package holidays offered 1905, included hotel accommodation in oban or other towns served c&or.

in 1903 lochearnhead, st fillans , comrie railway completing link between crieff , c&or lochearnhead station, , through trains provided , oban.

goods traffic handled 2 trains each way daily in 1911, fast , slow service.

after world war motor charabanc excursions became increasingly popular; roads had improved enough these run independently of trains, although years journey time slower. however, in 1928 motor bus service operated between glasgow , oban, journey times comparable railway. c&or continued encourage excursion traffic, @ low fares.

on 10 june 1931 first through passenger train run via west highland line , crianlarich connection; special excursion , made journey in 83 minutes less fastest c&or scheduled service.

the summer timetable in 1947, prior nationalisation shows 4 daily trains glasgow oban 3 additional saturday-only services. ballachulish branch had 3 daily passenger services.

closure

the c&or, part of lms railway since 1923, passed national ownership in 1948.

in 1950s local use of line declined heavily, , contrast between summer , winter loadings became more extreme. traffic declined, decided closure take place between dunblane , crianlarich 1 november 1965, through traffic being diverted on west highland line , crianlarich connection.

the last excursion train planned on line 27 september 1965, in small hours rock fall took place in glen ogle. blockage considerable, , after engineering assessment obvious re-opening few weeks impracticable. new timetable instituted immediately, , oban residents pleasantly surprised find journey time glasgow quicker; , fares (calculated mileage) cheaper also. (the converse case edinburgh.) london sleeping car withdrawn.

the present day

the passenger service continues between oban , glasgow. there 6 daily trains (one not running on saturdays), taking 3 hours 6 minutes, additional train oban dalmally , on mondays fridays. 4 trains run each way on sundays. trains run combined fort william trains between crianlarich , glasgow.

ben cruachan quarry branch

a mineral branch built ben cruachan quarry, climbing hill connection east of loch awe station. referred ben cruachan quarry branch, closed in 1916.

glasgow - oban express in pass of leny, near callander in 1961

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