, symbol_location = gb , symbol = rail , image = LochAwe.jpg , caption = An Oban to Glasgow train approaching Loch Awe station , borough =

Loch Awe Loch Awe (Scottish Gaelic: ''Loch Obha'') is a large body of freshwater in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. It has also given its name to a village on its banks, variously known as Loch Awe or Lochawe. There are islands within the loch such ...

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute ( sco, Argyll an Buit; gd, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod (14 July 2020) ...

, country = Scotland , coordinates = , grid_name =

Grid reference A projected coordinate system, also known as a projected coordinate reference system, a planar coordinate system, or grid reference system, is a type of spatial reference system that represents locations on the Earth using cartesian coordin ...

, grid_position = , manager =

ScotRail ScotRail Trains Limited, trading as ScotRail ( gd, Rèile na h-Alba), is a Scottish train operating company that is publicly owned by Scottish Rail Holdings on behalf of the Scottish Government. It has been operating the ScotRail franchise a ...

, platforms = 1 , code = LHA , original =

Callander and Oban Railway The Callander and Oban Railway company was established with the intention of linking the sea port of Oban to the railway network. This involved a long line from Callander through wild and thinly populated terrain, and shortage of money meant that ...

, pregroup =

operated by

Caledonian Railway The Caledonian Railway (CR) was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century with the objective of forming a link between English railways and Glasgow. It progressively extended its network and reached Edinburgh an ...

, years = 1 July 1880 , events = Opened , years1 = 5 May 1902 , events1 = Second platform brought into use , years2 = 1 November 1965 , events2 = Closed , years3 = 10 May 1985 , events3 = Re-opened (using the newer platform) , years4 = 29 May 1988 , events4 = SC4494 delivered to be a

tea room A teahouse (mainly Asia) or tearoom (also tea room) is an establishment which primarily serves tea and other light refreshments. A tea room may be a room set aside in a hotel especially for serving afternoon tea, or may be an establishment whic ...

, mpassengers = , footnotes = Passenger statistics from the

Office of Rail and Road The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the economic and safety regulation of Britain's railways, and the economic monitoring of National Highways. ORR regulates Network Rail by setting its ...

Loch Awe railway station is a

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

serving the village of

Lochawe Loch Awe (Scottish Gaelic: ''Loch Obha'') is a large body of freshwater in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. It has also given its name to a village on its banks, variously known as Loch Awe or Lochawe. There are islands within the loch such ...

, on the northern bank of

, in western

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. This station is on the

Oban Oban ( ; ' in Scottish Gaelic meaning ''The Little Bay'') is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William. During the tourist season, th ...

branch of the

West Highland Line The West Highland Line ( gd, Rathad Iarainn nan Eilean - "Iron Road to the Isles") is a railway line linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban in the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow in Central Scotland. The line was voted the top rail journey in th ...

, originally part of the

. It is sited from

Callander Callander (; gd, Calasraid) is a small town in the council area of Stirling, Scotland, situated on the River Teith. The town is located in the historic county of Perthshire and is a popular tourist stop to and from the Highlands. The town ser ...

via

Glen Ogle Glen Ogle (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Ogail) extends 7 miles north westwards from Lochearnhead to Lix Toll, where it opens into Glen Dochart. The Ogle Burn flows within the steep sides of the glen, from the Lochan Lairig Cheile at the glen's head. ...

, between

Dalmally Dalmally (Scottish Gaelic: ''Clachan an Dìseirt'' or ''Dail Mhàilidh'') is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is near the A85 road and is served by Dalmally railway station. Former Labour Party leader John Smith was born in Dalmally ...

and Falls of Cruachan.

manage the station and operate all services.

History

This station was opened on 1 July 1880 by the

when it opened the to section of line. The station originally had one platform on a passing loop with sidings on both sides of the line, but a second platform, on the north side of the loop, was brought into use on 5 May 1902. On 8 August 1897, the station building was destroyed by fire. A camping coach was also positioned here by the

Scottish Region The Scottish Region (ScR) was one of the six regions created on British Railways (BR) and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and ex-London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) lines in Scotland. It existed from the creation o ...

from 1952 to 1958, and two coaches were here in 1959 and 1960. The station closed on 1 November 1965 but reopened on 10 May 1985 using only the more recent platform. The original platform remains in situ, but disused. The privately owned locomotive that worked the

Ben Cruachan Quarry Branch The Callander and Oban Railway company was established with the intention of linking the sea port of Oban to the railway network. This involved a long line from Callander through wild and thinly populated terrain, and shortage of money meant th ...

had authority to run over the main Callander and Oban Line between Loch Awe station and the branch junction, just over half a mile to the east.

Tea Train

An old Mark 1 carriage (which was formerly painted in green and cream "West Highland Line" livery and carried the number SC4494) sits on an isolated length of track immediately to the west of the station, on the south side. Having been brought to Loch Awe by a ballast train on 29 May 1988, it was until 2008 used as a

. The main single line had to be temporarily severed and slewed so that the carriage could be shunted onto its own track without the use of a crane.

Facilities

The station only comprises a shelter, a help point, a bench and a small car park. There is step-free access form the car park. As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.

Passenger volume

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

There are 6 departures in each direction on weekdays and Saturdays, eastbound to and westbound to . On weekdays only, an additional service in each direction between and Oban calls here in the late afternoon. On Sundays, there are 3 departures each way throughout the year, plus a fourth in the summer months only which operates to

Edinburgh Waverley Edinburgh Waverley railway station (also known simply as Waverley; gd, Waverley Dhùn Èideann) is the principal railway station serving Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the second busiest station in Scotland, after Glasgow Central. It is the north ...

from late June–August.eNRT December 2021 Edition, Table 218

References

Bibliography

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External links

Video footage of Loch Awe Railway Station
{{Railway stations served by Abellio Scotrail Railway stations in Argyll and Bute Railway stations served by ScotRail Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1880 Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1965 Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1985 Reopened railway stations in Great Britain Beeching closures in Scotland Former Caledonian Railway stations