Saltcoats North railway station

Saltcoats North railway station was a railway station serving the town of Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, Scotland as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway.

Saltcoats North
A view of the station looking west c. 1914
General information
LocationSaltcoats, Ayrshire
Scotland
Coordinates55°38′21″N 4°47′21″W / 55.6393°N 4.7893°W / 55.6393; -4.7893
Grid referenceNS244419
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyLanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
Pre-groupingCaledonian Railway
Key dates
3 September 1888Opened as Saltcoats
1 January 1917Closed
1 February 1919Reopened
2 July 1924Renamed Saltcoats North
4 July 1932Closed to regular services

History

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The station opened on 3 September 1888 and was simply known as Saltcoats.[1] It closed between 1 January 1917 and 1 February 1919 due to wartime economy,[1] and upon the grouping of the L&AR into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923, the station was renamed Saltcoats North on 2 June 1924.[1] The station closed to passengers on 4 July 1932,[1] however it was reopened for a time within two years when a special return fare price was introduced.[2] The line saw use for trains going to Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier and the Ardrossan Shell Mex plant until 1968.

Station description

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The adjacent road bridge in 2006

The station consisted of two side platforms connected by a footbridge and with a small building on each side. By 1956 the footbridge and the building on the eastboard platform had been removed, however the westbound building remained intact albeit derelict.[2] By the late 1960s only the overgrown platforms remained.[3]

A goods yard and signal box stood on the Ardrossan side of the station, accessed off Caledonia Road, with a four sidings, loading dock, goods shed, crane and weighing machine.[4]

Redevelopment

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Since demolition, the site of Saltcoats North has been redeveloped into a housing estate.[5] Most of the trackbed between the station and Stevenston Moorpark station has been filled in and converted into a pathway signposted as 'Old Caley Line'. Several road bridges that crossed the line here are still in existence,[6] though are now partially buried in the ground. Aside from the road bridge that was directly adjacent to the station, there is no trace left of the station itself.

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Butt, p. 205
  2. ^ a b Stansfield, p. 7
  3. ^ Main, W (1968). Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier Railway Line Closure (DVD). Glasgow, Scotland: Scottish Screen Archive.
  4. ^ Ayrshire, 016.06, Surveyed: 1895, Published: 1896
  5. ^ Wham, p. 66
  6. ^ Wham, p. 67

Sources

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Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Ardrossan North
Line and station closed
  Caledonian Railway
Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
  Stevenston Moorpark
Line and station closed