Oban railway station

Oban

Scottish Gaelic: An t-Òban[1]
National Rail
General information
LocationOban, Argyll and Bute
Scotland
Coordinates56°24′44″N 5°28′30″W / 56.4121°N 5.4749°W / 56.4121; -5.4749
Grid referenceNM857298
Managed byScotRail
Platforms2 (numbered 3 & 4)
Other information
Station codeOBN[2]
History
Original companyCallander and Oban Railway
Pre-groupingCallander and Oban Railway operated by Caledonian Railway
Key dates
30 June 1880Opened
Passengers
2019/20Decrease 0.169 million
2020/21Decrease 89,004
2021/22Increase 0.155 million
2022/23Increase 0.186 million
2023/24Increase 0.222 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Oban railway station is a railway station serving Oban in Scotland. It is the terminus of one branch of the highly scenic West Highland Line, sited 71 miles 44 chains (115.1 km) from Callander, via Glen Ogle.[3] It was originally the terminus of the Callander and Oban Railway. All services are operated by ScotRail, who also manage the station.

Oban station provides interchange with the adjacent ferry terminal, offering connections to a number of destinations in the Inner and Outer Hebrides via ferry services operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac). Oban is CalMac's busiest ferry terminal.

History

Oban station in 1948

Oban station opened on 30 June 1880 as the terminus of the Callander and Oban Railway,[4] which joined the present railway at Crianlarich, and which was absorbed into the LMS Railway in 1922.[5] Two additional platforms were constructed on the west side of the station in 1904, following the opening of the branch from Connel Ferry to Ballachulish. The route from Dunblane and Callander to Crianlarich closed in 1965, as well as the Ballachulish line.[6] Formerly, a branch to Ballachulish railway station diverged just east of Connel Ferry railway station. A triangular junction was planned at Connel, but never completed.

Facilities

The station is well-equipped with a ticket office, toilets, a help point, a car park, bike racks and a pay phone. All of the station has step-free access.[7]

Passenger volume

Passenger Volume at Oban[8]
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 101,553 113,830 110,000 109,053 108,903 126,676 119,876 121,746 125,900 122,568 129,311 170,682 176,104 164,332 181,172 177,522 169,174 89,004 154,970 186,138

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April

Services

On Monday to Fridays, there are six trains per day to Glasgow Queen Street, plus an additional afternoon service that runs only as far as Dalmally, primarily for schools traffic. On Saturdays, the service is very similar to that on weekdays, with the exception of the Dalmally train, which does not run. On Sundays there are four trains per day to Glasgow Queen Street all year round.[9][10]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Connel Ferry   ScotRail
West Highland Line 		  Terminus
  Historical railways  
Connel Ferry
Line and station open 		  Callander and Oban Railway
Caledonian Railway
   Terminus

Oban Ferry Terminal

Legend
 Lochboisdale, South Uist
Caledonian MacBrayne to Mallaig
Eriskay
Ardmore, Barra
Castlebay, Barra
Baile Mòr, Iona
Fionnphort, Mull
Tobermory, Mull Right arrow Kilchoan
Fishnish, Mull Right arrow Lochaline
Craignure, Mull
Scarinish, Tiree
Arinagour, Coll
Achnacroish, Lismore
Scalasaig, Colonsay
Caledonian MacBrayne to Port Askaig & Kennacraig
Oban
 A85  National Rail to Glasgow Queen Street

Oban station is located next to Oban ferry terminal. Caledonian MacBrayne ferries sail daily from here to the islands of Lismore, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree, to Craignure on Mull, to Castlebay on Barra and to Lochboisdale (winter only) on South Uist. Ferries also operate to Mallaig. The times of connecting trains to/from Glasgow Queen Street are included on CalMac timetables.[11]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
"boat icon" Ferry services
Scalasaig   Caledonian MacBrayne
Oban – Colonsay 		  Terminus
Craignure   Caledonian MacBrayne
Oban – Mull 		  Terminus
Achnacroish   Caledonian MacBrayne
Oban – Lismore 		  Terminus
Scarinish   Caledonian MacBrayne
Oban – Coll & Tiree 		  Terminus
Arinagour    
Castlebay   Caledonian MacBrayne
Oban – Barra 		  Terminus
Lochboisdale   Caledonian MacBrayne
Oban – South Uist (winter only) 		  Terminus

References

  1. ^ Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (December 2017) [1987]. "Gaelic/English Station Index". Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. ISBN 978-0-9549866-9-8.
  2. ^ Deaves, Phil. "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  3. ^ 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. 87. ISBN 978-1909431-26-3.
  4. ^ Quick 2023, p. p=348.
  5. ^ Thomas, John; Turnock, David (1989). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 15: North of Scotland. Newton Abbot: David & Charles (Publishers). ISBN 0-946537-03-8.
  6. ^ Thomas, John (1966). The Callander and Oban Railway (1st ed.). Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles. OCLC 2316816.
  7. ^ "National Rail Enquiries -". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  9. ^ eNRT May 2022 Edition, Table 218
  10. ^ eNRT December 2021 Edition, Table 218
  11. ^ "Oban". CalMac Ferries. Retrieved 19 September 2022.

Bibliography

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