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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.

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.