Crieff and Methven Junction Railway

Crieff and Methven Junction Railway
Overview
Locale	Scotland
Dates of operation	14 July 1864–26 July 1869
Successor	Caledonian Railway
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

Crieff and Methven
Junction Railway

Legend

Perth, Almond Valley

and Methven Railway

Methven Junction

Crieff Junction Railway

Crieff

Crieff and Comrie Railway

The Crieff and Methven Junction Railway was a Scottish railway, opened in 1866, connecting Crieff with a branch line that ran from Methven to Perth.

As a purely local concern, the line was dependent on local traffic, and when that declined in the middle of the twentieth century, the railway became unsustainable. It closed to passengers in 1951 and completely in 1967.

History[edit]

The company received parliamentary authorisation to build the line on 14 July 1864, with the line being completed in 1867.^[1] Perth was linked to the growing Scottish railway network when the Scottish Central Railway opened its main line from Castlecary, near Falkirk, in 1848. The Scottish Central was allied with the Caledonian Railway, connecting with Glasgow and Carlisle, and the Scottish Midland Junction Railway built northwards from Perth, also opening in 1848, giving connection to Forfar and over other lines to Aberdeen.^[2]

Places served by these main lines experienced an economic benefit: the prices of commodities such as lime and coal brought in fell considerably, and the cost of delivering their manufactured goods and agricultural products to market also reduced. By contrast, towns not yet connected experienced a worsening in their position, and business interests in Methven proposed a railway to their town, and the Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Railway opened from a junction north of Perth to Methven on 1 January 1858.

The important town of Crieff also suffered from the lack of a railway connection, and in 1856 the Crieff Junction Railway opened, from a location then called Crieff Junction, on the main line between Stirling and Perth: it is now known as Gleneagles station. This more southerly connection was convenient for transits towards Glasgow and Edinburgh, but Perth was a major commercial and agricultural centre at this period, and passengers from Crieff to Perth preferred to travel by road coach to Methven, continuing their journey over the Almond Valley line.^[3]

A railway link was suggested and on 14 July 1864 the Crieff and Methven Junction Railway obtained Parliamentary authorisation. The company's capital was £66,000.^[4] The line opened on 21 May 1866, from a junction with the Methven line a mile south of the Methven terminus.^[1] The line ran broadly west, following the Pow Water, entering the eastern margin of Crieff alongside the Crieff Junction line, and using that company's station facilities.

The Crieff Junction line was absorbed by the Scottish Central Railway in 1865, and the Crieff and Methven Junction Railway was worked by the Scottish Central Railway until absorption by the Caledonian Railway in 1868.

In the latter half of the century tourism developed considerably and Strathearn became a destination of great importance. Road tours were arranged from Crieff, and in 1893 the Crieff and Comrie Railway built westward from Crieff; this involved a new and more commodious station at Crieff. The Comrie line was extended still further, eventually reaching Lochearnhead and Balquhidder on the route of the Callander and Oban Railway.

The importance of the town of Methven was considerably reduced in the later years of the nineteenth century, and the decline continued in the twentieth; the section from Methven Junction to Methven terminus closed to passengers on 27 September 1937. The remaining line was continuous from Crieff to Perth (Almond Valley Junction) and was operated by the Caledonian Railway as a single route. However carryings on the line declined as well, and on 1 October 1951 passenger traffic on the line ceased. Goods traffic continued until that too was discontinued on 11 September 1967.^[5]

Topography[edit]

Passenger stations on the line were:

Methven Junction (station); it was an unadvertised exchange station from 1889 until closure of the Methven section in 1937;
Balgowan;
Madderty;
Abercairny; certain early publications spelt the station Abbercairny and also Abercairney;
Innerpeffray; closed 1 January 1917; re-opened 2 June 1919;
Crieff; Crieff Junction Railway station; relocated on the opening of the Comrie line on 1 June 1893.^[6]^[7]

Connections to other lines[edit]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Christopher Awdry, Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies, Patrick Stephens Limited, Wellingborough, 1990, ISBN 1 85260 049 7
^ Peter Marshall, The Scottish Central Railway: Perth to Stirling, Oakwood Press, Usk, 1998, ISBN 0-8536-1522-5
^ John Thomas and David Turnock, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 15: North of Scotland, David & Charles (Publishers), Newton Abbot, 1989, ISBN 0 946537 03 8
^ E F Carter, An Historical Geography of the Railways of the British Isles, Cassell, London, 1959
^ Bernard Byrom, The Railways of Upper Strathearn, Oakwood Press, Usk, 2004, ISBN 0 85361 622 1
^ Col M H Cobb, The Railways of Great Britain -- A Historical Atlas, Ian Allan Publishing Limited, Shepperton, 2003, ISBN 07110 3003 0
^ M E Quick, Railway Passenger Stations in England Scotland and Wales—A Chronology, The Railway and Canal Historical Society, 2002

Sources[edit]

Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0049-7. OCLC 19514063. CN 8983.
Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC 22311137.

[awdry-1] Christopher Awdry, Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies, Patrick Stephens Limited, Wellingborough, 1990, ISBN 1 85260 049 7

[marshall-2] Peter Marshall, The Scottish Central Railway: Perth to Stirling, Oakwood Press, Usk, 1998, ISBN 0-8536-1522-5

[turnock-3] John Thomas and David Turnock, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 15: North of Scotland, David & Charles (Publishers), Newton Abbot, 1989, ISBN 0 946537 03 8

[carter-4] E F Carter, An Historical Geography of the Railways of the British Isles, Cassell, London, 1959

[byrom-5] Bernard Byrom, The Railways of Upper Strathearn, Oakwood Press, Usk, 2004, ISBN 0 85361 622 1

[cobb-6] Col M H Cobb, The Railways of Great Britain -- A Historical Atlas, Ian Allan Publishing Limited, Shepperton, 2003, ISBN 07110 3003 0

[quick-7] M E Quick, Railway Passenger Stations in England Scotland and Wales—A Chronology, The Railway and Canal Historical Society, 2002

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v t e Historical Scottish railway companies
Primary companies	Caledonian Railway Glasgow and South Western Railway Great North of Scotland Railway Highland Railway North British Railway
Caledonian Railway	Aberdeen Railway Alloa Railway Alyth Arbroath and Forfar Busby Railway Cathcart District Clydesdale Junction Crieff Junction Crieff and Comrie Crieff and Methven Junction Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Dunblane, Doune and Callander Dundee and Perth Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen Forfar and Brechin General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Garnkirk and Glasgow Glasgow Central Railway Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Greenock and Wemyss Bay Hamilton and Strathaven Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Leadhills and Wanlockhead Lesmahagow Railway Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie Paisley and Barrhead District Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Polloc and Govan Rutherglen and Coatbridge Scottish Central Scottish Midland Junction Scottish North Eastern Solway Junction Symington, Biggar and Broughton Talla Railway Wishaw and Coltness Lines built by the Caledonian Railway Balerno line CR Cleland and Midcalder CR Main Line CR Douglas Branch CR Hamilton Branch CR Hamiltonhill Branch CR The Switchback Independent lines worked by the Caledonian Railway Callander and Oban Killin Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway	Ardrossan Railway Ardrossan and Johnstone Ayr and Dalmellington Ayr and Maybole Junction Ayr to Mauchline Ayrshire and Wigtownshire Barrhead Branch Bridge of Weir Railway Cairn Valley Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Castle Douglas and Dumfries Dalry and North Johnstone Darvel Branch Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Greenock and Ayrshire Kilmarnock and Troon Largs Branch Maidens and Dunure Maybole and Girvan Paisley and Renfrew Paisley Canal Line
Great North of Scotland Railway	Aberdeen and Turriff Aboyne and Braemar Alford Valley Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Boddam Branch Deeside Denburn Valley Formartine and Buchan Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Keith and Dufftown Moray Coast Morayshire St Combs Light Railway Strathspey Railway
Highland Railway	Buckie and Portessie Branch Dingwall and Skye Duke of Sutherland Findhorn Railway Fortrose Branch Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Inverness and Aviemore Direct Inverness and Nairn Inverness and Perth Junction Inverness and Ross-shire Kyle of Lochalsh Extension Perth and Dunkeld Sutherland and Caithness Sutherland Railway Independent lines worked by the Highland Railway Dornoch Light Railway Wick and Lybster Light Railway
North British Railway	Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick Anstruther and St Andrews Railway Ballochney Bathgate and Coatbridge Blane Valley Border Counties Railway Border Union Railway Campsie Branch Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company Charlestown Railway and Harbour Company Coatbridge Branch Devon Valley Railway Dunfermline and Queensferry East of Fife Railway Edinburgh and Bathgate Edinburgh and Dalkeith Edinburgh and Glasgow Edinburgh and Hawick Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway Edinburgh and Northern Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Esk Valley Eyemouth Railway Fife and Kinross Railway Forth and Clyde Junction Gifford and Garvald Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Glasgow City and District Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank Kelvin Valley Railway Kincardine Line Kinross-shire Railway Kirkcaldy and District Railway Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton Leven Railway Leven and East of Fife Railway Macmerry Branch Monkland and Kirkintilloch Monkland Railways Montrose and Bervie Mallaig Extension Newburgh and North Fife Railway (worked by NBR) Newport Railway North Berwick Branch North British, Arbroath and Montrose Peebles Railway The St. Andrews Railway Stirling and Dunfermline Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Slamannan Slamannan and Borrowstounness Wemyss and Buckhaven Railway West Highland Railway West of Fife Mineral Railway Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness
Joint lines	Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction City Union Dundee and Arbroath Darvel and Strathaven Glasgow and Paisley Joint Glasgow and Renfrew District Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Kilsyth and Bonnybridge Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint
Other lines	Brechin and Edzell District Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway Dundee and Arbroath Hagdale Chromate Railway Invergarry and Fort Augustus Lealt Valley Diatomite Railway Lochaber Narrow Gauge Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Rothesay and Ettrick Bay Light Railway Skye Marble Railway Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway