Balquhidder railway station


Balquhidder was a railway station around two miles south of Lochearnhead, Stirling. It was where the Callander and Oban Railway was joined by the Comrie, St Fillans & Lochearnhead Railway from Crieff.

History

Opening and development

When opened as part of the Callander and Oban Railway on 1 June 1870, Balquhidder station was called Lochearnhead. The station was laid out with two platforms, one on either side of a crossing loop. There were sidings on the east side of the station. The station was renamed as Balquhidder on 1 July 1904.
Balquhidder station was relocated slightly further south on 18 December 1904 in preparation for it becoming a junction with the Comrie, St Fillans & Lochearnhead Railway. Upon the opening of the junction on 1 May 1905, the station boasted two signal boxes and an engine shed.

Closure

When the line to Crieff closed on 1 October 1951, the station ceased to be a junction.
The crossing loop was taken out of use on 21 March 1965.
This station was closed with the Callander and Oban line on 28 September 1965, six weeks before the scheduled closure on 1 November 1965 due to a landslide in Glen Ogle.

Routes

Current status

The site is now a holiday park with log cabins, caravans, camping etc. Recently the station steps were repainted and repairs were undertaken to the crumbling wall of the remains of the waiting room. The pedestrian tunnel can still be accessed though is blocked half way through. Across the road, the old post office is now the site of the Golden Larches Restaurant.