Laurencekirk railway station
Encyclopedia
Laurencekirk railway station is a railway station serving the communities of Laurencekirk
and The Mearns
in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland
. The station was reopened on 18 May 2009 at a cost of £3 million.
, which ran from Aberdeen in the north to Guthrie (just outside Arbroath
) to the south. The line joined the North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway north of Montrose at Kinnaber Junction and Arbroath and Forfar Railway
at the triangular junctions at Friockheim and Guthrie.
, Edinburgh
, Glasgow
and a number of major destinations in England.
and Dyce
had successfully campaigned for the station to be re-opened - the official announcement being made during December 2006 that the station would open in December 2007. The announcement of December 2007 for the re-commencement of services to and from Laurencekirk was ultimately overly ambitious and it was announced in early 2008 that the station would be finished and ready for the December 2008 timetable change. However, in a New Release from Transport Scotland, the opening date was given at Spring 2009.
The station building, which had fallen into poor overall condition was refurbished during Spring 2008, and a new car park with 70 parking spaces was built across the railway line from the station building, together with a small number of disabled parking spaces next to the station building. First ScotRail
made provisional plans for 19 trains to serve the station each day, made up of 10 northbound services and 9 southbound services, with southbound services serving both Edinburgh and Glasgow. First ScotRail will also be responsible for gritting and snowclearing at the station. On the first anniversary of the re-opening of the station, it was revealed that almost double the expected number of passengers had used it - 64,000 people as opposed to a projection of 36,000.
Laurencekirk
Laurencekirk is a small town in the ancient county of Kincardineshire, modern county of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, just off the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen main road. It is the largest settlement in the Howe o' the Mearns area and houses the local secondary school; Mearns Academy, which was awarded the...
and The Mearns
Kincardineshire
The County of Kincardine, also known as Kincardineshire or The Mearns was a local government county on the coast of northeast Scotland...
in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, 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...
. The station was reopened on 18 May 2009 at a cost of £3 million.
History
The station was built by the Aberdeen RailwayAberdeen Railway
The Aberdeen Railway was a railway that ran mainly along the North East coast of Scotland south from Aberdeen to on the Arbroath and Forfar Railway. There were branches to Montrose and Brechin...
, which ran from Aberdeen in the north to Guthrie (just outside Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
) to the south. The line joined the North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway north of Montrose at Kinnaber Junction and Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Arbroath and Forfar Railway
The Arbroath and Forfar Railway was a railway that ran from the North East coast of Scotland at Arbroath inland to Guthrie on the Aberdeen Railway and then west to Forfar where is connected with the Scottish Midland Junction Railway. It was incorporated on 19 May 1836.-History:The Arbroath and...
at the triangular junctions at Friockheim and Guthrie.
Closure
The station was closed in September 1967 by British Railways, at a time when they were looking to cut costs across their network, this despite the line on which the station stands being a busy main-line with frequent, direct services to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
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...
and a number of major destinations in England.
Re-opening
The residents of Laurencekirk, many of whom now commute to AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
and Dyce
Dyce
Dyce is a civil parish and suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, about north west of Aberdeen city centre, and best known as the location of the city's airport. It is on the River Don.- History :...
had successfully campaigned for the station to be re-opened - the official announcement being made during December 2006 that the station would open in December 2007. The announcement of December 2007 for the re-commencement of services to and from Laurencekirk was ultimately overly ambitious and it was announced in early 2008 that the station would be finished and ready for the December 2008 timetable change. However, in a New Release from Transport Scotland, the opening date was given at Spring 2009.
The station building, which had fallen into poor overall condition was refurbished during Spring 2008, and a new car park with 70 parking spaces was built across the railway line from the station building, together with a small number of disabled parking spaces next to the station building. First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
made provisional plans for 19 trains to serve the station each day, made up of 10 northbound services and 9 southbound services, with southbound services serving both Edinburgh and Glasgow. First ScotRail will also be responsible for gritting and snowclearing at the station. On the first anniversary of the re-opening of the station, it was revealed that almost double the expected number of passengers had used it - 64,000 people as opposed to a projection of 36,000.