Glenfinnan railway station

Glenfinnan Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Fhionnainn [1]
The platforms at Glenfinnan in August 2022, looking west
General information
Location	Glenfinnan, Highland Scotland
Coordinates	56°52′21″N5°26′58″W / 56.8725°N 5.4495°W / 56.8725; -5.4495
Grid reference	NM898809
Managed by	ScotRail
Platforms	2
Other information
Station code	GLF [2]
History
Original company	Mallaig Extension Railway of West Highland Railway
Pre-grouping	North British Railway
Post-grouping	LNER
Key dates
1 April 1901	Station opened
Passengers
2019/20	13,864

Glenfinnan signal box

From its opening in 1901 the Mallaig Extension Railway was worked throughout by the electric token system. Glenfinnan signal box, which had 15 levers, was at the east end of the Down platform, on the south side of the line.

On 13 November 1983, the method of working from Glenfinnan to Mallaig became One Train Working (with train staff). Electric token block was reinstated to Arisaig on 29 April 1984, but One Train Working continued to be used when Arisaig token station was switched out. The Arisaig - Mallaig train staff would then be padlocked to the Glenfinnan - Arisaig key token.

Glenfinnan lost its semaphore signals on 13 April 1986, in preparation for Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) signalling. RETB was commissioned between Mallaig Junction (now Fort William Junction) and Mallaig on 6 December 1987. This resulted in the closure of Glenfinnan signal box (amongst others). The RETB is controlled from a Signalling Centre at Banavie railway station.

The Train Protection & Warning System was installed in 2003.

Glenfinnan Station Museum

The Glenfinnan Station Museum is located in the station building, on the Down platform. The museum's exhibits focus on the construction, impact and operation of the Mallaig Extension Railway in the late 19th century. The restored booking office includes the original tablet instruments and, again since early 2012, various artefacts specific to the local area. There is also a changing exhibition of railway photography and a gift shop. The museum is open seasonally.

During 2011 and early 2012, the entire museum site underwent extensive refurbishment. This included major work on the original signal box; a new external staircase, repairs to cladding; and installation of a reference theatre^{[ clarification needed ]}/teaching space. The main station building underwent alterations to meet current access requirements and to add new weather proofing on the roof. Ongoing work includes rebuilding the link path between the station and Glenfinnan Viaduct, site of filming for several Harry Potter films, and expansion of the museum archives.

Facilities

Platform 1 is equipped with a waiting room and a bench (the only facilities on platform 2), a help point and cycle racks. It is also adjacent to the car park, to which there is step-free access. The only access to platform 2 is via one of two barrow crossings. ^[8] As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.

Passenger volume

Passenger Volume at Glenfinnan ^[9]

	2002–03	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14	2014–15	2015–16	2016–17	2017–18	2018–19	2019–20	2020–21	2021–22	2022–23
Entries and exits	3,667	3,853	4,584	5,420	5,307	5,750	6,682	7,402	7,172	8,246	7,736	8,778	9,418	9,122	11,620	12,486	13,864	1,876	7,924	13,420

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

156474 and 156476 arrive at Glenfinnan with a ScotRail service bound for Mallaig.

There are four trains per day to Mallaig and three to Glasgow Queen Street, plus a fourth to Fort William that connects with the overnight Caledonian Sleeper to London Euston on weekdays. On Sundays there are three trains per day each way. ^{[10] [11]}

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Locheilside		ScotRail West Highland Line Fort William and Mallaig route		Lochailort
	Historical railways
Locheilside Line and Station open		North British Railway Mallaig Extension Railway of West Highland Railway		Lochailort Line and Station open

References

1. Brailsford (2017), Gaelic/English Station Index.
2. Deaves, Phil. "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
3. "Glenfinnan Railway Station, ticket office/ waiting room and signal box".
4. Bridge, Mike, ed. (2017). TRACKatlas of Mainland Britain: A Comprehensive Geographic Atlas Showing the Rail Network of Great Britain (3rd ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. p. 89. ISBN   978-1909431-26-3.
5. Butt (1995), p. 104.
6. McRae (1997), p. 11.
7. McRae (1998), pp. 28–29.
8. "National Rail Enquiries -". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
9. "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
10. eNRT May 2022 Edition, Table 218
11. eNRT December 2021 Edition, Table 218

Bibliography

• Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (December 2017) [1987]. Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. ISBN   978-0-9549866-9-8.
• Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN   978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC   60251199. OL   11956311M.
• McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. ISBN   1-870119-48-7.
• McRae, Andrew (1998). British Railways Camping Coach Holidays: A Tour of Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part Two). Foxline. ISBN   1-870119-53-3.

• Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN   978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC   22311137.
• Jowett, Alan (2000). Jowett's Nationalised Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Penryn, Cornwall: Atlantic Transport Publishers. ISBN   978-0-906899-99-1. OCLC   228266687.

External links

• Train times and station information for Glenfinnan railway station from National Rail
• Glenfinnan Station Museum - official site
• RAILSCOT on Mallaig Extension Railway