Kentallen Station Water Tower, Cameron Brae

Kentallen Station Water Tower is a railway water tower built in 1903 at Kentallen Station, located behind Station Cottage. It was constructed by the Callander and Oban Railway Company as part of the Connell Bridge to Ballachulish branch line extension, which was operational from 1903 to 1966.

The water tower features a rectangular base made of red brick, with paired round-arch openings on either side. On top of the base is a concrete slab that supports a cast-iron water tank made by the Anderston Foundry in Glasgow. The tank has rounded corners, a curved lip, and a repeating geometric pattern on all four sides, with a capacity of 2,500 gallons.

Attached to the north elevation is a small maintenance store that has a textured render and a lean-to roof. This store includes a stove flue pipe that extends through the roof, rising above the height of the tank.

The Callander and Oban Railway Company, part of the Caledonian Railway, began building the 27.5-mile Ballachulish branch line in 1898, completing it in 1903 with eight station stops. This line was one of the last branch lines constructed in the UK and made extensive use of concrete in its construction.

Historic photographs from around 1920 show the water tower at Kentallen Station. However, the branch line did not achieve the expected commercial success due to competition from cheaper imports, the effects of two world wars, and the rapid growth of road transport. The Ballachulish slate quarries closed in 1955. The water tower continued to be operational even after the branch line closed in 1966 and remains largely intact as of 2024.