Largs railway station

Largs
An Leargaidh Ghallda
BR style enamel sign in 1984
Location
Place	Largs
Local authority	North Ayrshire
Grid reference	NS202592
Operations
Station code	LAR
Managed by	First ScotRail
Number of platforms	2
Live arrivals/departures and station information from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage
2004/05 *	0.376 million
2005/06 *	0.411 million
2006/07 *	0.413 million
2007/08 *	0.406 million
2008/09 *	0.508 million
Passenger Transport Executive
PTE	SPT
History
Original company	G&SWR Largs Branch
Post-grouping	LMS
1 June 1885	Opened[1]
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
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Largs from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

Largs railway station is a railway station in the town of Largs, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line, 43 miles (69 km) south west of Glasgow Central.

Contents 1 History 2 Incidents 3 Services 4 References 4.1 Notes 4.2 Sources

History

The station was originally opened on 1 June 1885 by the Glasgow and South Western Railway,^[1] as the terminus of the extension of the former Ardrossan Railway to Largs.

The station originally had four platforms with additional stabling lines, a glazed canopy and a footbridge spanning the platforms.

By the time the electrification project commenced only three platforms and the centre stabling line were in operation. Following completion of electrification only two platforms remained.

Incidents

The frontage of the station was severely damaged on 11 July 1995 when an early morning Class 318 train from Glasgow Central crashed through the buffers and demolished both parts of the station building and various shops on the main street of Largs. The driver was able to leave his cab to warn the passengers to brace themselves shortly before the collision and there were no serious injuries on the train or elsewhere.

The station operated with temporary structures for many years, and a £200,000 makeover (including a new station building) was completed in 2005, albeit much simpler than the original.

Services

There is a basic hourly service to and Glasgow Central (including Sundays), with additional services during weekday peak periods. At the time of initial electric services in 1987, Class 318 with occasional Class 303 operated the service. Upon withdrawal of the Class 303, introduction of the Class 334 and the redeployment of the Strathclyde electric fleet, the major class on the route became the Class 334, with support from the Class 318. In 2011, a new fleet of Class 380 units was being introduced to the line, by June 2011 the former classes became rare, with the ultimate plan for the Class 380 to have sole responsibility for the line.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Terminus		First ScotRail Ayrshire Coast Line		Fairlie
	Historical railways
Terminus		Glasgow and South Western Railway Largs Branch		Fairlie Line and station open

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Butt (1995), page 139

Sources

• Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199. 
• Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0086-1. OCLC 22311137.