Chatelherault railway station

Chatelherault
National Rail
General information
LocationFerniegair, South Lanarkshire
Scotland
Coordinates55°45′54″N 4°00′16″W / 55.7651°N 4.0044°W / 55.7651; -4.0044
Grid referenceNS743542
Managed byScotRail
Transit authoritySPT
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeCTE
History
Pre-groupingCaledonian Railway
Key dates
1 December 1866Opened as Ferniegair, as a terminus
2 October 1876Re-located as a through station
1 January 1917Closed
9 December 2005Re-opened
Passengers
2019/20Increase 0.114 million
2020/21Decrease 13,102
2021/22Increase 45,960
2022/23Increase 61,912
2023/24Increase 73,122
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Chatelherault railway station serves the villages of Ferniegair and Allanton on the outskirts of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is named Chatelherault after the nearby Chatelherault Country Park.

History

The station was opened as Ferniegair on 1 December 1866 as a terminus for trains approaching from the south on the Caledonian Railway's Coalburn Branch. Passengers for Glasgow had to transfer to Hamilton by coach. It was rebuilt and relocated as a through station on 2 October 1876, with trains continuing to Motherwell railway station on the Clydesdale Junction Railway. The Caledonian Railway closed the station on 1 January 1917,[1] though the line itself continued to carry passengers until October 1965 and freight until 1968.

Re-opening

The station is on the Argyle Line, and was officially re-opened on 9 December 2005 by First Minister Jack McConnell as part of the extension of the Argyle Line to include Larkhall.

Services

From the re-opening in December 2005, trains ran on Mondays and Saturdays every 30 minutes north-west to Dalmuir via Singer and south to Larkhall. A trial (for one year) Sunday service commenced from December 2007 with an hourly service in each direction, and due to high uptake was made permanent in December 2008.

As of May 2016, the frequency remains unaltered, but northbound trains now run to Milngavie (southbound trains still start from Dalmuir). The hourly Sunday service runs to/from Balloch via Clydebank.[2]

References

  1. ^ Quick, M E (2002). Railway passenger stations in England, Scotland and Wales – a chronology. Richmond: Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 181. OCLC 931112387.
  2. ^ Table 225, & 226 National Rail timetable, May 2016
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Merryton   ScotRail
Argyle Line
  Hamilton Central
  Historical railways  
Larkhall Central
Line and station open
  Mid Lanark Lines
Caledonian Railway
  Motherwell
Line and station open
(except section between
Chatelherault and Ross Junction)
Larkhall East
Line partially open;
station closed
  Coalburn Branch
Caledonian Railway