When the West Highland Line was built across Rannoch Moor, its builders had to float the tracks on a mattress of tree roots, brushwood and thousands of tons of earth and ashes to prevent the heavy steel tracks sinking in the bog.
Rannoch station opened to passengers on 7 August 1894.
The station was laid out with a crossing loop and an island platform. There were sidings on both sides, and a turntable on the east side of the line. The siding on the east side has been removed. The station was host to a LNERcamping coach from 1937 to 1939.
At the north end of the platform is a sculptured head, carved in stone by the navvies (workmen) who built the line. It commemorates James Renton, a director of the West Highland Railway, who gave part of his personal fortune to save the line from bankruptcy during construction when the brushwood raft was continually sinking into Rannoch Moor.
In 2017, Simon Jenkins reported it to be one of the best 10 stations in Britain.
There was formerly another crossing point on Rannoch Moor, at Gorton near where the railway crossed the Rannoch Drove Road, and operationally dividing the long section between Bridge of Orchy and Rannoch stations. It remains today as an engineer's siding.
Location
Although the railway links the station with Glasgow and Fort William on the West Highland Line, the station area is otherwise more closely linked, by road, with central Highland towns and villages on or near the A9 road. Its remote location on Rannoch Moor is picturesque and makes it attractive to walkers.
Facilities
The station is well equipped despite its rural location, with a café and visitor centre, toilets, a phone and a car park and bike racks. However, the only access is via a stepped footbridge, so the station does not have step-free access. 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 Rannoch
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
2023–24
2024–25
Entries and exits
11,251
11,453
11,214
17,093
15,028
10,312
10,344
9,130
8,266
9,486
9,434
8,378
7,780
7,980
8,834
7,290
966
6,246
5,818
7,304
7,802
The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.
Services
156493 and 156453 standing at Rannoch with a ScotRail service bound for Mallaig
Monday to Saturday, ScotRail operates three services north to Mallaig and three services south to Glasgow Queen Street. On Sundays, this decreases to just two each way. Caledonian Sleeper run six services per week (not Saturday nights) each way to Fort William, and London Euston via Edinburgh. The sleeper also carries seated coaches and can therefore be used by regular passengers to/from stations towards Edinburgh, as it is booked to pick up/set down at some stations.
McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol.Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. ISBN1-870119-48-7.
966
6,246
