RETB Banavie South

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Introduction

Banavie Signalling Centre has two workstations for controlling the RETB signalling on the West Highland Line:

  • The 'South' workstation controls Helensburgh to Upper Tyndrum, and Crianlarich to Oban
  • The 'North' workstation controls Upper Tyndrum to Fort William Junction, and Fort William Junction to Mallaig.
Banavie South Workstation and Interlocking were modernised in November 2010.

Trials of RETB Next Generation commenced in April 2015, and legacy system was taken out of use at the end of July 2016.

Banavie 'South'

This page describes the track layout and signalling. Stations are shown in bold type.

The Radio Channels noted below relate to the legacy radio system, and lineside signage has now been removed. The on-train RETB-NG equipment has auto tuning, only requiring a manual change between North and South areas at Upper Tyndrum.


RETB Signalling: Helensburgh - Upper Tyndrum

RETB controlled by Banavie Signalling Centre (south workstation)

Tokens from Garelochhead to Helensburgh Upper can only be issued by Banavie SC in cooperation with Yoker SC.

At Helensburgh Upper, down directions trains must follow the procedure for entering the RETB area, before obtaining the section token.

Up direction trains must return the token on arrival at Helensburgh Upper.

Location
 
Mileage    
 
Radio Channel
Signalling     
 
Remarks
 
Craigendoran Junction -0mi 01ch
 
TCB (Yoker) West Highland Loop (275m/735ft)
 
Helensburgh
Signal YC652  End of Radio Token working (Up Direction)
 Upper 02mi 08ch
105
TEP Single Platform. Start of Radio Token Working (Down Direction)
 
Garelochhead
08mi 76ch
105
TEP (TPWS) Island platform. Right-hand crossing loop (238m/780ft). Up Siding, facing.
 
 
12mi 00ch
105/108
Change of radio channel
 
Glen Douglas
15mi 21ch
108
TEP-i (TPWS) Left-hand crossing loop (210m/690ft). Up sidings, trailing.
 
Arrochar & Tarbet
19mi 45ch
108
TEP (TPWS) Island platform. Left-hand crossing loop (227m/745ft) Up Siding, facing.
 
Ardlui
27mi 43ch
108/125
TEP-i (TPWS) Island platform. Right-hand crossing loop (174m/570ft) Down Siding, facing
 
Crianlarich
36mi 23ch
125
TEP (TPWS) Island platform. Left-hand crossing loop (212m/695ft) Up Sidings, trailing. Down Sidings, facing.
Crianlarich Junction Power operated junction points. Setting: Down plunger, Up track circuit.
Indications: B (Branch: Oban), M (Main: Fort William)
 
Fillan
36mi 67ch
125
TEP-i (TPWS) Up direction only. Combined with Distant board for Crianlarich
 
Upper Tyndrum
41mi 25ch
125/101
TEP (TPWS) Island platform. Left-hand crossing loop (190m/625ft) Down Siding, trailing.

Upper Tyndrum is the change-over location between Banavie South and North RETB areas. On arrival drivers return the token, change radio channel, and follow the procedure for entering the new RETB area, before obtaining the next token.

The Intermediate TEP stop boards at Fillan and Lower Crianlarich are used for joining southbound trains at Crianlarich station.

The first train enters the Crianlarich, stops at the south end of the Up loop, and returns its token. The second train, stopped at the Intermediate TEP, can then be given a 'Loop Occupied' token and permission to proceed into Crianlarich station to attach to the first train.

RETB Signalling: Crianlarich - Oban

RETB controlled by Banavie Signalling Centre (south workstation)

Location
 
Mileage    
 
Radio Channel
Signalling     
 
Remarks
 
 
Crianlarich
125
TEP (TPWS) Island platform. Left-hand crossing loop (212m/695ft) Up Sidings, trailing. Down Sidings, facing.
Crianlarich Junction 00mi 00ch Power operated junction points. Setting: Down plunger, Up track circuit
Indications: B (Branch: Oban), M (Main: Fort William)
 
Lower Crianlarich
00mi 36ch
125
TEP-i (TPWS) Up direction only. Combined with Distant board for Crianlarich
Lower Crianlarich Junction 00mi 44ch
30mi 23ch
125
Sdg-i (TPWS) Timber Siding, Up, facing.
Miles from Callander via Glen Ogle
 
Tyndrum Lower
34mi 70ch
125
TEP Single Platform, Up side
 
 
39mi 00ch
125/109
Change of radio channel
 
Dalmally
46mi 76ch
109
TEP-i (TPWS) Two platforms. Left-hand crossing loop (197m/640ft) Up Siding, facing.
 
Loch Awe
49mi 48ch Single Platform, Up side
 
Pass of Brander
51mi 60ch Automatic Stone Signals (to 56mi 00ch)
 
Falls of Cruachan
52mi 70ch Single Platform, Down side
 
53mi 60ch
109/105
Change of radio channel
 
Taynuilt
58mi 55ch
105/119
TEP (TPWS) Two platforms. Right-hand crossing loop (229m/750ft) Up Siding, facing
 
Connel Ferry Sdgs
62mi 10ch Up siding, run-round loop. Within Connel Ferry Station Limits.
Connel Ferry 65mi 30ch
119
TEP-i (TPWS) Single Platform, Up side (TPWS up direction only)
 
Oban Oil Depot
71mi 10ch Up siding, trailing. Within Oban Station Limits.
Oban 71mi 44ch
119
TEP (TPWS) Two platform Terminal. Access to Platform 4 by Ground Frame. Engine release crossover. Down sidings.

The Automatic Stone Signals in the Pass of Brander are 17 semaphore signals connected by a number of wires forming a screen which runs along the top of the railway slope on the hill side of the line. With the exception of the signals at each end of the section, each signal post has both Up and Down arms. As long as the screen wires remain intact, the signals remain clear, but in the event of a stone falling from the mountain and one or more wires being broken, Up and Down signals go to danger. A more detailed description can be found on Railsigns.co.uk.

Trains at Oban normally arrive and depart from Platform 3 ('Up Platform' in the RETB system).

Signalling Notes

  • TCB: Track Circuit Block, with colour light signals. Controlled from Yoker IECC.
  • TEP: RETB Token Exchange Point with stop boards
  • TEP-i: Intermediate RETB Token Exchange Point. Trains with a 'Long Section' token may pass the stop board.
  • Sdg-i: Intermediate Siding with shut-in facillity.
  • TPWS: TEP equiped with Train Protection and Warning System. Blue light below Stop Board.
Crianlarich » North end of Crianlarich station, with the junction points set for Fort William direction. M = Main line. (August 2007) Photo by Dysgraphyk

The driver of the train in the down loop (out of picture) has pressed the plunger to set the junction points for the main line north, and has returned to his cab to contact the signaller at Banavie for permission to proceed.

BanavieSth.jpg » The South RETB workstation in Banavie Signalbox, which controls from Helensburgh Upper to Oban including Crianlarich. Photo taken in June 2005. The workstation was modernised in 2010. (See photo on Flickr) Photo by Aitken