Oban (after the railway)

Category

Library Item

Item no

24541

Title

Oban (after the railway)

Description

View of Oban from south west showing the railway station and new pier.

Artist / maker

Valentine, James

Date

1880

Size

12.4 x 20.0 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Oban is a town and port in western Scotland. It's a gateway to the Hebridean islands. One of the most prominent features is McCaig's Tower (or McCaig's Folly). The Tower was built by a local banker, called McCaig, between 1895 and 1902. The aim was to provide work for local stonemasons and provide a lasting monument to his family.

Oban station opened on 1 July 1880. A ticket platform (long since disused but still in situ) was located on the west side of the single line, about half a mile to the south. Just south of there, a short branch line diverged to the east, towards a goods yard and engine shed.

Two additional platforms were constructed on the west side of the station in 1904, following the opening of the branch from Connel Ferry to Ballachulish.

Since 1982, only the platforms built in 1904 remain in use (still numbered as Platforms 3 and 4).

Exhibitions with this item

Other views of this item

Related images

Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Landscape > Land > Hills

Landscape > Water > Harbours

Places > Scotland > Argyll and Bute

Plants > Trees > Shrubs

Plants > Trees > Trees

Transport > Infrastructure > Rail tracks

Transport > Infrastructure > Railway

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