25 Places with two stations: 11 Tyndrum

Tuesday 27th May 2025

The following blogpost has been brought forward from its intended slot this Saturday as it describes the perfect place to reflect on the weekend’s sad news.…..

So here I am in the tiny hamlet of Tyndrum in Stirling, exploring its two lovely stations: Tyndrum Lower on the line to Oban and Upper Tyndrum on the line to Fort William and Mallaig.

These two separate lines diverge at the previous station, Crianlarich, 5 miles south east of Tyndrum.

Three trains a day from Glasgow Queen Street split at Crianlarich continuing to either Oban via Tyndrum Lower or to Fort William and Mallaig via Upper Tyndrum. Another three trains go direct from Glasgow to Oban without splitting at Crianlarich meaning Lower Tyndrum has six westbound departures to Oban while Tyndrum Upper has just the three to Mallaig although also sees the once a day Caledonian Sleeper as far as Fort William.

In the Glasgow direction Tyndrum Lower has seven trains a day with Upper Tyndrum just three and the Sleeper.

It’s quite something that, by a quirk of location, such a tiny hamlet (Tyndrum’s population is just 167) has two stations offering a fair number of departures including a direct train service to and from London. Obviously it helps to be on the way to one of Britain’s most beautiful scenic areas.

Tyndrum Lower opened first in 1873 being the line’s original terminus until the Caledonian and Oban Railway extended the track as far as Oban four years later in 1877. See the map below for context.

The section of line between Callander and Crianlarich, closed in 1965.

Upper Tyndrum came on the scene in 1894 thanks to the West Highland Railway running between Glasgow and Fort William and on to Mallaig.

Initially both stations were called Tyndrum but were renamed in 1956 to Tyndrum Lower and Tyndrum Upper with the latter renamed again in 1988 to Upper Tyndrum – I’m not sure why.

Tyndrum Lower is the busier of the two stations seeing 6,382 passengers in 2023/24 with Upper Tyndrum hosting 5,878 but tickets, from say Glasgow, can be purchased to either station so these figures must be broad estimates.

It’s not surprising Tyndrum Lower is busier as it has almost double the number of trains and is more conveniently sited at a lower altitude near the main A85 road whereas Upper Tyndrum, as its name implies, is at the top of a steep hill.

Despite the rail lines diverging significantly after Crianlarich (see earlier map), by the time they reach Tyndrum they’re under a 1,000 yards apart. It took me little more than 10 minutes to walk between the two…

…albeit I chose to go from Lower (above) to Upper (below)…

… so had to stop for breath a couple of times going up the steep incline! And what a lovely walk it is. The best I’ve yet had between station pairs in this fortnightly explorative blog series.

Tynrdum Lower has just one platform on the single track line to Oban with some plant tubs…

… a couple of bench seats…

… a shelter…

… a cycle rack and dot matrix departure sign…

… and a small car parking area.

There’s also an onward travel poster; but that’s about it.

But it is a wonderful setting and such a peaceful and quiet spot to wait and contemplate, especially on a lovely sunny day, as it was when I visited last Tuesday.

Upper Tyndrum offers even more wonderful views of the amazing scenery in this part of the country.

It’s a typical West Highland Line station comprising an island platform accessed via a subway…

… and stone staircase…

… with the single track becoming double and passing either side so allowing trains to cross if needed….

…. and one of the usual Swiss chalet style of buildings which characterise this line can be found on the island.

This building doesn’t look as though it’s found any alternative uses so remains locked up.

There’s a bench seat on platform 2

… bur not on platform 1…

… and there are some well kept trees and plants at the southern end of the station.

As with Tyndrum Lower, there’s a very small car park…

… and some cycle stands…

… and an Onward Travel poster.

But most of all there are some spectacular views.

And, of course, trains. Well, just a few.

Tyndrum is just the place to sit, enjoy the views and soak up the atmosphere of two idyllically located stations for that all important and precious peace and quiet, and time for reflection.

Tyndrum’s 167 residents are truly blessed with railway gold.

Roger French

Did you catch the ten previous blogs in this series? 1: Hertford; 2: Canterbury. 3: Wigan, 4 Dorchester, 5 Windsor, 6 Wakefield, 7 Reddish, 8 Yeovil, 9 Newark-on-Trent, 10 New Mills.

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