Ardrossan Town railway station

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Ardrossan Town
Location
Place	Ardrossan
Local authority	North Ayrshire
Operations
Managed by	First ScotRail
Platforms in use	1
Annual entry/exit 02/03	7,132 *
Annual entry/exit 04/05	13,539 **
History
1831	Opened
National Rail - UK railway stations
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
* based on sales of tickets in 2002/03 financial year which end or originate at Ardrossan Town. Disclaimer (PDF)
** based on sales of tickets in 2004/05 financial year which end or originate at Ardrossan Town. Disclaimer (PDF)

Ardrossan Town railway station is one of three railway stations in the town of Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line.

[edit] History

The station was opened in 1831 by the Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway (later merged with the Glasgow and South Western Railway) and was simply known as Ardrossan. The station was renamed Ardrossan Town by British Railways on 2 March 1953. Located on Princes Street (the centre of Ardrossan at the time of construction), the station once consisted of an impressive large red sandstone building with adjoining goods facilities. There was a double track to the harbour as well as a double bay platform in the station itself.

The station was closed on 1 January 1968 and lay derelict for a number of years, though the double lines into the station bay platforms remained and were used by DMUs from time to time, presumably for storage. The road nearby was controlled for many years by a level crossing with full gates which would close to let trains past. Since electrification the gates have been removed.

[edit] Reopening

When the Ayrshire Coast line was electrified, the station was reopened on 19 January 1987, albeit on a far smaller scale and unmanned. The double line to the harbour was reduced to a single track which used one platform with a 'bus shelter'. The red sandstone buildings remained unused but were later refurbished for use as commercial properties and the single branch into bay platform at the station was lifted.

Access to the station is now off Princes Street, next to the level crossing. In the early 2000s the original station buildings were demolished and replaced by a contemporary red-brick commercial unit.

[edit] References

• Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations, Patrick Stephens Ltd, Sparkford.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Ardrossan Harbour		First ScotRail  Ayrshire Coast Line		Ardrossan South Beach
Historical Railways
Ardrossan Winton Pier Line partially open; station closed		Glasgow and South Western Railway  Largs Branch		West Kilbride Direct link closed; station open
		Glasgow and South Western Railway  Ardrossan Railway		Ardrossan South Beach