West Kilbride railway station

West Kilbride

Scottish Gaelic: Cille Bhrìghde an Iar[1]
National Rail
General information
LocationWest Kilbride, North Ayrshire
Scotland
Coordinates55°41′48″N 4°51′05″W / 55.6967°N 4.8514°W / 55.6967; -4.8514
Grid referenceNS208484
Managed byScotRail
Transit authorityStrathclyde Partnership for Transport
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeWKB
History
Original companyG&SWR Largs Branch
Post-groupingLMS
Key dates
1 May 1878Opened[2]
Passengers
2019/20Decrease 0.171 million
2020/21Decrease 14,658
2021/22Increase 78,254
2022/23Increase 0.111 million
2023/24Increase 0.125 million
Listed Building – Category B
Designated17 February 1989
Reference no.LB14312[3]
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

West Kilbride railway station is a railway station that serves the village of West Kilbride, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line.

History

The former station building

The station was opened on 1 May 1878 by the Glasgow and South Western Railway as part of the extension of the former Ardrossan Railway to Largs.[2] The present station building was designed in 1900 by the noted architect James Miller.[4] A camping coach was positioned here by the Scottish Region from 1954 to 1957, two coaches were here in 1964 and three from 1965 to 1967.[5]

Originally a two platform station, the southbound platform was demolished as part of the electrification works in 1985. The former northbound line (to Largs) is electrified and signalled for bi-directional working, being used by passenger trains for both directions, and by northbound freight trains to the Hunterston Terminal. The former southbound track is signalled for southbound working only and is not electrified, being used by southbound trains from Hunterston. The station building still stands but is no longer used as part of the station itself. Since the ticket office closed the building has been home to shops, cafés, and a restaurant but has now fallen into disuse.[citation needed]

Services

An hourly service operates in each direction off-peak on weekdays and all weekend, northbound to Largs and southbound to Ardrossan South Beach, Kilwinning and then on to Glasgow Central. Some extra trains run at peak times. Typical journey times to Glasgow are 48–54 minutes (depending on stopping pattern).[6]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Fairlie   ScotRail
Ayrshire Coast Line
  Ardrossan South Beach
  Historical railways  
Fairlie
Line and station open
  Glasgow and South Western Railway
Largs Branch
  Ardrossan South Beach
Line and station open
  Glasgow and South Western Railway
Largs Branch
  Ardrossan Town
Line closed, station open

References

Notes

  1. ^ Brailsford (2017), Gaelic/English Station Index.
  2. ^ a b Butt (1995), page 245
  3. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "WEST KILBRIDE STATION (LB14312)". Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  4. ^ Dictionary of Scottish Architects: James Miller
  5. ^ McRae (1998), page 13
  6. ^ Table 221 National Rail timetable, May 2016

Sources