Ardrossan North railway station
Encyclopedia
Ardrossan North railway station was a railway station
serving the town of Ardrossan
, North Ayrshire
, Scotland
as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
(L&AR). The station was the original Ardrossan terminus for this line until the nearby pier station
opened two years later. Although the station closed to regular services in 1932, its platforms remain to present day.
. On 1 October 1906 the station became known as Ardrossan Town, and was later closed between 1 January 1917 and 1 February 1919 due to wartime economy.
Joining the Caledonian Railway
, the L&AR was absorbed into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
during the Grouping
of 1923. The station was renamed Ardrossan North on 2 June 1924. Other alternative names for the station were Ardrossan Montgomerie Street and Ardrossan Caledonian. The station closed to regular passenger services on 4 July 1932, however it was reopened for a time within two years when a special return fare price was introduced. The line was taken into the Scottish Region of British Railways
on nationalisation in 1948, seeing use for trains going to Montgomerie Pier
and the nearby Shell Mex
plant until 1968. All of the track north of the station was removed in 1970, however the spur line from the former Ardrossan Railway
to the south remained intact serving the nearby bitumen plant until the 1980s.
Today parts of the station platforms are still in existence, though heavily overgrown. The site of the station building is now occupied by the depot for Clyde Coast Coaches. The bridge that passed over the station was demolished in March 2008 and platforms underneath partially removed.
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
serving the town of Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
, North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
The Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway was a railway company in Scotland built in the late 19th century that provided services between Ardrossan and Glasgow, with branches to Irvine and Kilbirnie. The line was operated by the Caledonian Railway with an aim to compete with the Glasgow and South...
(L&AR). The station was the original Ardrossan terminus for this line until the nearby pier station
Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier railway station
Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier railway station was a railway station serving the town of Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway...
opened two years later. Although the station closed to regular services in 1932, its platforms remain to present day.
History
The station opened on 3 September 1888 and was simply known as Ardrossan. The opening ceremony for the L&AR was held here, with the first passenger train service also departing here for GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. On 1 October 1906 the station became known as Ardrossan Town, and was later closed between 1 January 1917 and 1 February 1919 due to wartime economy.
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
, the L&AR was absorbed into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
during the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1923. The station was renamed Ardrossan North on 2 June 1924. Other alternative names for the station were Ardrossan Montgomerie Street and Ardrossan Caledonian. The station closed to regular passenger services on 4 July 1932, however it was reopened for a time within two years when a special return fare price was introduced. The line was taken into the Scottish Region of British Railways
Scottish Region of British Railways
The Scottish Region was one of the six regions created on British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway and ex-London and North Eastern Railway lines in Scotland...
on nationalisation in 1948, seeing use for trains going to Montgomerie Pier
Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier railway station
Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier railway station was a railway station serving the town of Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway...
and the nearby Shell Mex
Shell-Mex and BP
Shell-Mex and BP Ltd was a British joint marketing venture between Shell and British Petroleum. It was formed in 1932 when both companies decided to merge their United Kingdom marketing operations, partly in response to the difficult economic conditions of the times.The parent organisations...
plant until 1968. All of the track north of the station was removed in 1970, however the spur line from the former Ardrossan Railway
Ardrossan Railway
The Ardrossan Railway was a railway company in Scotland built in the mid 19th century that primarily ran services between Kilwinning and Ardrossan, as well as freight services to and from collieries between Kilwinning and Perceton...
to the south remained intact serving the nearby bitumen plant until the 1980s.
Today parts of the station platforms are still in existence, though heavily overgrown. The site of the station building is now occupied by the depot for Clyde Coast Coaches. The bridge that passed over the station was demolished in March 2008 and platforms underneath partially removed.