Place Girvan Station code GIR Owned by Network Rail Owner Network Rail | Grid reference NX190983 Managed by Abellio ScotRail 2011/12 0.124 million Number of platforms 2 | |
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Address Vicarton St, Girvan KA26 9HF, UK Pte Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Similar Maybole railway station, Barrhill railway station, Crossraguel Abbey, Kirkoswald Parish Church, Dunduff Castle | ||
Girvan railway station with a train from stranraer
Girvan railway station is a railway station serving the town of Girvan, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by Abellio ScotRail, who operate all passenger services from there. It is on the Ayr to Stranraer section of the Glasgow South Western Line and is situated 62 miles (99 km) south of Glasgow Central. It has two platforms and is the location of one of the five passing loops on the single track line between Dalrymple Junction (south of Ayr) and Stranraer. Immediately south of the station, the line climbs steeply towards Pinmore tunnel - the climb is known as the Glendoune Bank and has a ruling gradient of 1 in 54.
Contents
History
The station was opened on 5 October 1877 by the Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Railway and was known as Girvan New, replacing the Girvan (Old) terminus station of the Maybole and Girvan Railway situated nearby. The station closed on 7 February 1882, reopened 1 August 1883, closed 12 April 1886, reopened 18 June 1886, closed again 2 September 1886, reopened 14 July 1890, and was renamed Girvan on 1 April 1893 after rebuilding by the Glasgow and South Western Railway, who had taken over the G&PJR the previous year. From 1906-1942, it also served as the southern terminus of the Maidens and Dunure Light Railway.
The main station building caught fire in January 1946 and because the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) were not disposed to finance the rebuilding costs as nationalisation was imminent. Rebuilding did not commence until 1949. Owing to shortage of materials it was not completed until August 1951, when based on a typical 1930s LMS design it was re-opened. Along with the signal box, it is a category B listed structure. The station clock restored in 2009 is believed to be from the original station building.
The station is part of the Carrick & Wigtownshire Community Rail Partnership SAYLSA (The Stranraer to Ayr Line Support Association) which comprises local Community Councils, representation from South Ayrshire Council, ScotRail as well as private individuals. SAYLSA has adopted the station and has provided tubs, shrubs and plants. These are tended to by the Girvan Make it Happen Group. SAYLSA also have their community shop and an office on site.
The station was the rail head for the 2009 UK Open Golf Championships.
Services
All trains on the Ayr to Stranraer route call, along with several to/from Ayr and beyond start or terminate here.
December 2014
There are fifteen northbound trains at an approximately hourly frequency northbound to Ayr, with the majority extended to Kilmarnock. There are five daily trains to Glasgow Central, four of which go via Kilwinning and the other via Kilmarnock. There are six services to Stranraer. The Sunday service consists of three services in each direction between Glasgow and Stranraer via Kilwinning.
December 2015
From the start of the December 2015 timetable, a number of changes to the service pattern have been implemented. There are now nineteen trains to Ayr (still on a basic hourly frequency with peak extras) and nine trains to Stranraer (one every two hours compared to the six that ran previously on an irregular frequency). Ten of the Ayr trains continue to Kilmarnock. However through trains to Glasgow via Kilwinning have been withdrawn and there are now just two to Glasgow via Kilmarnock (with four running the other way). On Sundays there are five trains each to Ayr & Stranraer.