Station code UTY 2011/12 3,472 Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference NN333302 2012/13 3,396 | |
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Similar Tyndrum Lower railway st, Crianlarich railway station, Ardlui railway station, Bridge of Orchy railway st, Arrochar and Tarbet railway st | ||
Upper tyndrum railway station fort william and mallaig line
Upper Tyndrum railway station is one of two railway stations serving the small village of Tyndrum in Scotland. It is on the Fort William route of the highly scenic West Highland Line. Services are operated by Abellio ScotRail. In 2005/06 it was the least used station on the West Highland Line, probably because of its position up a hill above the village, as opposed to Tyndrum Lower on the Oban branch, which also offers services to and from Crianlarich and destinations to the south (usually at about the same time, as the trains tend to connect at Crianlarich). Following a timetable change in 2014, Tyndrum Lower gets extra services so this station gets fewer services
Contents
- Upper tyndrum railway station fort william and mallaig line
- History
- 2011 services
- 2016 services
- Signalling
- References
History
Originally named "Tyndrum", this station opened concurrently with the West Highland Railway in 1894, as the second station in the village. In 1956, British Rail added the suffix "Upper" to the station's name, to distinguish it from the station on the Callander and Oban Line which then became known as Tyndrum Lower.
The station name was altered to "Upper Tyndrum" upon the introduction of RETB (see below), to reduce the risk of it being confused with "Tyndrum Lower" in radio communications.
2011 services
Monday to Saturday, northbound, Upper Tyndrum has three services to Mallaig and one service to Fort William (Highland Caledonian Sleeper). Southbound, there are three services to Glasgow Queen Street and one service to London Euston (Highland Caledonian Sleeper, Saturdays excepted). On Sundays, there is just one service northbound to Mallaig and two services southbound to Glasgow Queen Street and London Euston.
2016 services
Monday to Saturday, northbound, Upper Tyndrum has three services to Mallaig and one service to Fort William. Southbound, there are three services to Glasgow Queen Street and one service to London Euston (Saturdays excepted).
On Sundays, there is just one service northbound to Mallaig in winter and two in summer, one service southbound to Glasgow Queen Street (two in summer) and one service to London Euston. The Highland Sleeper also calls at Glasgow Queen Street Low Level to set down only on each evening that it operates, so passengers can use this train to reach Glasgow (and Edinburgh).
Signalling
The signal box, which had 15 levers, was situated on the island platform. From its opening in 1894, the West Highland Railway was worked throughout by the electric token system.
In 1967, the method of working between Crianlarich and Rannoch was changed to the Scottish Region Tokenless Block system. The Down loop at Tyndrum Upper was signalled for running in either direction and the signal box was able to 'switch out' when not required.
In August 1985, the method of working between Crianlarich and Rannoch reverted to the electric token block system. The semaphore signals were removed on 22 December 1985 in preparation for the introduction of Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB).
The RETB system was commissioned by British Rail between Helensburgh Upper and Upper Tyndrum on 27 March 1988. On 29 May of the same year, the RETB spread north to Fort William Junction, resulting in the closure of Upper Tyndrum signal box (amongst others). The RETB is controlled from a purpose-built Signalling Centre at Banavie railway station. Upper Tyndrum station is the boundary between the two signalling interlockings and the areas of control of the two signalmen.
The Train Protection & Warning System was installed in 2003.