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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 North Workstation and Interlocking were modernised in November 2010.

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

Banavie 'North'

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 at Upper Tyndrum.

RETB Signalling: Upper Tyndrum - Fort William Junction

RETB controlled by Banavie Signalling Centre (north workstation)

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.

Location	Mileage	Radio Channel	Signalling	Remarks
Upper Tyndrum	41mi 25ch	125/101	TEP (TPWS)	Island platform. Left-hand crossing loop (190m/625ft) Down Siding, trailing.
Bridge of Orchy	48mi 68ch	101	TEP (TPWS)	Island platform. Right-hand crossing loop (209m/685ft) Down Siding, facing.
Gorton	57mi 40ch	101	TEP-i	Through siding, Down side.
Rannoch	64mi 36ch	101	TEP (TPWS)	Island platform. Right-hand crossing loop (171m/560ft) Up Siding, facing.
Corrour	71mi 54ch	101	TEP-i	Single platform, Up side. Through siding, Up side.
	79mi 43ch	101/102		Change of radio channel
Tulloch	81mi 59ch	102	TEP (TPWS)	Two platforms. Left-hand crossing loop (235m/780ft) Down Siding, trailing.
Roy Bridge	87mi 35ch	102/104	TEP-i	Single platform, Down side
Spean Bridge	90mi 56ch	104	TEP (TPWS)	Two platforms. Right-hand crossing loop (285m/935ft) Down Siding, trailing.
	98mi 09ch		Signal FW12 (semaphore)	End of Radio Token Working (Down direction).
BAC Siding GF	98mi 33ch		Signal FW23 (semaphore)	Start of Radio Token Working (Up direction). Alcan Sidings: Down trailing connection.
Fort William Junction	98mi 67ch	104	TCB (FW) Semaphore	Junction with Mallaig Line. Yard and Loco depot. Signal Box
Fort William	99mi 37ch	104	TCB (FW) Colour light	Two platform terminal. Sidings on Up side. Engine release from platform 1 by ground frame.

Tokens to Fort William Junction can only be issued by Banavie SC with the co-operation of Fort William Junction signal box.

Fort William station area has colour light signalling and is controlled by a panel in Fort William Junction signal box.

Trains can enter the RETB system and obtain a token anywhere in the Fort William Junction TCB area. Authority to proceed towards Spean Bridge or Annat will be the clearing of the appropriate section signal (FW23 or FW25) at Fort William Junction.

RETB Signalling: Fort William Junction - Mallaig

RETB controlled by Banavie Signalling Centre (north workstation)

Location	Mileage	Radio Channel	Signalling	Remarks
Fort William Junction	00mi 00ch	104	TCB (FW) Semaphore	Junction with Glasgow Line. Fort William Jn Signal Box.
				Left-hand Crossing Loop (260m, 865ft)
	00mi 21ch		Signal FW6 (semaphore)	End of Radio Token Working (Up direction). Up facing connection to Yard.
	00mi 25ch		Signal FW25 (semaphore)	Start of Radio Token Working. (Down direction)
(Site of Banavie Jn)	01mi 27ch 00mi 00ch			Change of mileage
Banavie LC	00mi 18ch		2 Aspect Signal (Down direction)	LC controlled by Banavie SC
Banavie	00mi 22ch			Single platform, Up side. Banavie Signalling Centre.
Banavie Canal Bridge	00mi 27ch		2 Aspect Signal (Up direction)	Swing Bridge controlled by Banavie SC
Corpach	01mi 30ch			Single platform, Up side. (Up trains must radio Banavie SC.)
Corpach LC	01mi 33ch		AOCL+B
Annat East LC	02mi 14ch		2 Aspect LED Signal B3 (Down direction)	LC controlled by Banavie SC (CCTV)
Annat West LC	02mi 22ch		2 Aspect LED Signal B4 (Up direction)	LC controlled by Banavie SC (CCTV)
Annat Pulp Mill GF	02mi 28ch	104	Sdg-i (TPWS)	Down facing connection.
Loch Eil Outward Bound	04mi 20ch	104/108	TEP-i (TPWS)	Single platform. (TPWS Up direction only)
Locheilside	07mi 79ch			Single platform, Up side.
Glenfinnan	14mi 58ch	108	TEP (TPWS)	Two platforms. Left-hand crossing loop (139m/455ft) Down Siding, trailing.
Lochailort	23mi 67ch	108/102		Single platform, Down side.
Beasdale	28mi 49ch			Single platform, Up side.
Arisaig	32mi 40ch	102	TEP-i (TPWS)	Two platforms. Left-hand crossing loop (180m/590ft) Down Siding, trailing.
Morar LC	36mi 56ch		AOCL+B	Driver's plunger on Morar Platform
Morar	36mi 59ch			Single platform, Down side.
Mallaig	39mi 36ch	102	TEP (TPWS)	Two platform terminal. Access to platform 2 by ground frame. Sidings on Up and Down sides. Engine release from platform 1 by ground frame.

Trains at Mallaig normally arrive and depart from Platform 1 ('Down Platform' in the RETB system).

Signalling Notes

• TCB: Track Circuit Block, controlled from Fort William Junction Signal Box (FW).
• 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.
• GF: Ground Frame (controls points).
• LC: Level Crossing.
• AOCL: Automatic Open Level Crossing, locally monitored by train driver (flashing white signal).
• AOCL+B: Modified AOCL with addition of half barriers.

See also

Internal Links

• RETB Inverness
• RETB Banavie South
• RETB Banavie North