Connel Ferry railway station
Encyclopedia
Connel Ferry railway station is a railway station serving the village of Connel
in western Scotland
. This station is on the Oban
branch of the West Highland Line
, originally part of the Callander and Oban Railway
.
and Oban, came into use. The original layout at Connel Ferry comprised a crossing loop with platforms on either side
, with some sidings
on the north side.
Considerable enlargement of the station took place in 1903, with the opening of the branch line
to Ballachulish
. The original Down platform became an island platform
, with the Down Main line routed alongside the new south face, and the Up Main line (the original Down line) to its north. The former Up platform became the Branch Platform and a bay platform
was constructed at its west end. A goods loop ran to the south of the Down Main line. A turntable
was provided in the goods yard for turning the branch line locomotive
s.
A short distance beyond the junction
, the branch line spanned Loch Etive
by means of Connel Bridge
, a cantilever bridge
with a span length that was at the time second only to the Forth Bridge
. In 1940, additional sidings were laid in on the south side of the station for the wartime
traffic, these being removed in 1948. The Ballachulish branch closed in 1966. The extensive track layout was reduced to just a single line
routed via the former Branch Platform (the original Up platform). The island platform was taken out of use. The layout grew again in 1968 when an oil storage depot with two sidings was built on the site of the goods yard. A run-round loop was laid alongside the single line to the east of the station, connected at each end by points
controlled from a ground frame.
The disused island platform was demolished in 1985.
Signalling
From the time of its opening in 1880, the single line between Dalmally and Oban was worked by the electric token system
, this being the first ever application of that system in everyday service.
The enlarged layout of 1903 was controlled from two large wooden signal boxes
, the East box having 42 levers, and the West box 56. The latter controlled the branch line junction and a signal gantry located nearby spanned three tracks
. The signal gantry was replaced on 22 January 1953. Both signal boxes closed on 8 January 1967 and all signals were removed.
During the 1968 demolition of Connel Ferry West signal box, contractors burning the wooden remains set fire to the track formation. Despite efforts to put the fire out, it continued to burn for several days, causing the embankment to crumble and smoke to issue from fissures in the trackbed. This resulted in a 5 mph speed restriction being imposed and, at the time, caused concerns that the line may be forced to close.
In 1988, the station became a Token Exchange Point in connection with the new Radio Electronic Token Block
signalling system. The Train Protection & Warning System was installed in 2003.
Connel
Connel is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is situated on the southern shore of Loch Etive. The Lusragan Burn flows through the village and into the loch....
in western Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. This station is on the Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
branch of the West Highland Line
West Highland Line
The West Highland Line is considered the most scenic railway line in Britain, linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban on the west coast of Scotland to Glasgow. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the iconic...
, originally part of the Callander and Oban Railway
Callander and Oban Railway
The Callander and Oban Railway company was formed in 1864 with the objective of linking Callander, Scotland to the west coast port of Oban over challenging terrain, particularly at Glen Ogle and the Pass of Brander at Loch Awe. Callander had been reached in 1858 by the Dunblane, Doune and Callander...
.
Facilities
Station facilities are somewhat basic, consisting of a shelter and a telephone for obtaining train running information. Platform lighting is installed.History
Connel Ferry station opened on 1 July 1880, when the final section of the Callander and Oban Railway, between DalmallyDalmally
Dalmally is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located near the A85 road and is served by Dalmally railway station....
and Oban, came into use. The original layout at Connel Ferry comprised a crossing loop with platforms on either side
Side platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
, with some sidings
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
on the north side.
Considerable enlargement of the station took place in 1903, with the opening of the branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
to Ballachulish
Ballachulish
The village of Ballachulish in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, is centred around former slate quarries. The name Ballachulish was more correctly applied to the area now called North Ballachulish, to the north of Loch Leven, but was usurped for the quarry villages at East Laroch and West Laroch,...
. The original Down platform became an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
, with the Down Main line routed alongside the new south face, and the Up Main line (the original Down line) to its north. The former Up platform became the Branch Platform and a bay platform
Bay platform
Bay platform is a railway-related term commonly used in the UK and Australia to describe a dead-end platform at a railway station that has through lines...
was constructed at its west end. A goods loop ran to the south of the Down Main line. A turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
was provided in the goods yard for turning the branch line locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s.
A short distance beyond the junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
, the branch line spanned Loch Etive
Loch Etive
Loch Etive is a 30 km sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It reaches the sea at Connel, 5 km north of Oban. It measures 31.6 km in length and from 1.2 km to in width...
by means of Connel Bridge
Connel Bridge
Connel Bridge is a cantilever bridge that spans Loch Etive at Connel in Scotland. The bridge takes the A828 road across the narrowest part of the loch, at the Falls of Lora.- Construction :...
, a cantilever bridge
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
with a span length that was at the time second only to the Forth Bridge
Forth Bridge (railway)
The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, to the east of the Forth Road Bridge, and 14 kilometres west of central Edinburgh. It was opened on 4 March 1890, and spans a total length of...
. In 1940, additional sidings were laid in on the south side of the station for the wartime
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
traffic, these being removed in 1948. The Ballachulish branch closed in 1966. The extensive track layout was reduced to just a single line
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
routed via the former Branch Platform (the original Up platform). The island platform was taken out of use. The layout grew again in 1968 when an oil storage depot with two sidings was built on the site of the goods yard. A run-round loop was laid alongside the single line to the east of the station, connected at each end by points
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
controlled from a ground frame.
The disused island platform was demolished in 1985.
SignallingRailway signallingRailway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
From the time of its opening in 1880, the single line between Dalmally and Oban was worked by the electric token systemToken (railway signalling)
In railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track. The token is clearly endorsed with the name of the section it belongs to...
, this being the first ever application of that system in everyday service.
The enlarged layout of 1903 was controlled from two large wooden signal boxes
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
, the East box having 42 levers, and the West box 56. The latter controlled the branch line junction and a signal gantry located nearby spanned three tracks
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
. The signal gantry was replaced on 22 January 1953. Both signal boxes closed on 8 January 1967 and all signals were removed.
During the 1968 demolition of Connel Ferry West signal box, contractors burning the wooden remains set fire to the track formation. Despite efforts to put the fire out, it continued to burn for several days, causing the embankment to crumble and smoke to issue from fissures in the trackbed. This resulted in a 5 mph speed restriction being imposed and, at the time, caused concerns that the line may be forced to close.
In 1988, the station became a Token Exchange Point in connection with the new Radio Electronic Token Block
Radio Electronic Token Block
Radio Electronic Token Block is a system of railway signalling used in the United Kingdom. It is a development of the physical token system for controlling traffic on single lines.- How it works :...
signalling system. The Train Protection & Warning System was installed in 2003.