| Stranraer | |
|---|---|
| Scottish Gaelic: An t-Sròn Reamhar | |
| Train waiting to depart Stranraer | |
| Location | |
| Place | Stranraer |
| Local authority | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Grid reference | NX062613 |
| Operations | |
| Station code | STR |
| Managed by | First ScotRail |
| Number of platforms | 1 |
| Live arrivals/departures and station information from National Rail Enquiries |
|
| Annual rail passenger usage | |
| 2002/03 * | 47,921 |
| 2004/05 * | 53,190 |
| 2005/06 * | 55,377 |
| 2006/07 * | 54,149 |
| 2007/08 * | 51,543 |
| 2008/09 * | 50,040 |
| 2009/10 * | 50,274 |
| History | |
| Original company | Portpatrick Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway |
| Post-grouping | London Midland and Scottish Railway |
| 1 October 1862 | Opened as Stranraer Harbour |
| by 1996[1] | Renamed Stranraer |
| 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 Stranraer from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year. | |
Stranraer railway station (sometimes known as Stranraer Harbour railway station) is a railway station that serves both the town of Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland and the port for ferries to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The station is 94.5 miles (151 km) southwest of Glasgow and is the terminus of the Glasgow South Western Line. It has two platforms (although only one of these is currently in use) and is staffed on a part-time basis.
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The station was opened on 1 October 1862 by the Portpatrick Railway,[2] however the current station buildings date from 1878 [3] under the Portpatrick Railways Act 1877, prior to that date the station was rebuilt in 1877, the original facility was a concrete platform. Passengers and mail were meant to use the station at Portpatrick. The Portpatrick ferry service never fully materialised owing to inaction by the Admiralty who felt, as has since been proved, that the harbour there was not suitable.
A ferry service had commenced by 1861 but passengers made their way from Stranraer Town station to the steamers, not Stranraer Harbour station. The first daily ferry service started on the 1 October 1862 to Larne and was provided by PS Briton. However, it only lasted until 31 December 1863.[4] Originally named Stranraer Harbour,[2] the station name was simplified to Stranraer by 1996.[1]
The Stena Line ferry service to Larne was moved to Belfast in the mid 1990s, although P&O still sails there from nearby Cairnryan. Stena will stop serving Stranraer on 20 November 2011, having invested £200 million on a new route to Loch Ryan Port, near Cairnryan.[5] ScotRail has cut services to Stranraer since the ferry services started departing from further up Loch Ryan.[5]
Monday to Saturday, there are six departures from the station to Ayr, with three going to Glasgow Central via Irvine, two going to Kilmarnock and one terminating at Ayr.[6] The one through train that used to run from here to Carlisle and Newcastle was withdrawn at the December 2009 timetable change.
On Sundays, there are three trains to Glasgow Central, two going via Irvine and one going via Kilmarnock.[7]
| Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | First ScotRail |
Barrhill | ||
| Yorkgate via Port of Belfast |
Stena Line Ferry |
Terminus | ||
| Larne Harbour via Cairnryan |
P&O Ferry |
Terminus | ||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Terminus | Caledonian, Glasgow & South Western, Midland and London North Western Railways |
Castle Kennedy Line open; station closed |
||
The station is the southern terminal of the Carrick & Wigtownshire Community Rail Partnership SAYLSA which comprises local Community Councils, representation from South Ayrshire Council, First ScotRail as well as private individuals. SAYLSA (The Stranraer to Ayr Line Support Association) has adopted the station and has provided tubs, shrubs and plants. These are tended to by First ScotRail staff and SAYLSA members.
As part of plans by Dumfries & Galloway Council, the station is under threat and is planned to be closed being replaced by a new station a few hundred metres further east to create a new transport hub for Stranraer. This project is dependent on whether Stena Line moves its operations out of Stranraer or not.[8]
The plans for a new station have caused controversy due to fact that, unlike Harbour Station, it will not be adequate for hosting steam trains. Wigtownshire Chamber of Commerce and SAYLSA, in their Tourism Gateway strategy, have revealed that cruise ship and steam train tourism will be a significant boost to the local economy. [9]
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