 Alva was a significant manufacturing town, especially of woollens and textiles, located north of the Stirling and Dunfermline Railway, under the Ochil hills.The Alva Railway was incorporated by Act of Parliament on 22 July 1861; it was to be a 3½ mile branch to Alva from Cambus on the S&DR main line, with an intermediate station at Menstrie.It opened on 11 June 1863.