Station code BNV 2011/12 5,328 Number of platforms 1 | Grid reference NN112767 2012/13 6,524 | |
 | ||
Similar Spean Bridge railway st, West Highland Museum, Treasures of the Earth, Neptune's Staircase, Roy Bridge railway station | ||
Banavie railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line serving the village of Banavie, although it is much closer to Caol, Scotland. To continue on to the next station at Corpach, trains must pass over the Caledonian Canal at Neptune's Staircase, a popular tourist attraction.
Contents
History
Banavie station opened along with the Mallaig Extension Railway on 1 April 1901. It comprises a single platform on the north side of the line.
Services
In the May 2016 timetable, four trains a day call here in either direction (plus steam specials, though these do not stop). Three of them are through trains to/from Glasgow Queen Street, whilst the other starts/finishes at Fort William.
Services are operated by Abellio ScotRail.
Signalling
From the time of its opening in 1901, the Mallaig Extension Railway was worked throughout by the electric token system. A signal box, named "Banavie Canal Bridge", was located at the west end of the station, on the north side of the line. It did not become a token station until 4 February 1912, but originally existed to control the nearby level crossings and the adjacent swing bridge over the Caledonian Canal.
Because of the continuing requirement to operate the swing bridge locally, Banavie was chosen as the location for the control centre for the West Highland Line's new radio signalling system. Banavie signalling centre opened on 14 June 1987 when it replaced the old Canal Bridge signal box. The Radio Electronic Token Block signalling was commissioned on 6 December 1987. The control centre covers train movements as far south as Helensburgh and Oban and Mallaig to the west. Local train movements in Fort William and the nearby freight yard at Inverlochy are controlled by the mechanical signal box at Fort William Junction.