Place Muirend Station code MUI DfT category E Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference NS575597 Managed by Abellio ScotRail 2011/12 0.356 million | |
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Address Glasgow G44 3QP, United Kingdom Original company Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway Pte Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Similar Croftfoot railway station, Queen's Park (Glasgow, Langside railway station, Williamwood railway station, King's Park railway station | ||
Muirend railway station is an island platform suburban railway station in the Muirend area of Glasgow, Scotland. The station, which opened in 1903, is managed by Abellio ScotRail and lies on the Neilston branch of the Cathcart Circle Lines.
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History
The station was opened by the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway on 1 May 1903, as part of an extension from that company's previous northern terminus at Giffen to a junction with the Cathcart District Railway at Cathcart. The route was completed through to Newton (on what is now the West Coast Main Line) the following year, giving the L&AR a route between Lanarkshire and the coast at Ardrossan independent of the Glasgow and South Western Railway. Though the line carried freight and express boat trains from Adrossan to Glasgow Central, Muirend was only ever served by local suburban workings. A connection was laid in south of the station down to the Busby Railway at Clarkston around the same time as the L&AR main line was opened, but it was never used for through traffic (only for wagon storage) and was disconnected by 1907 (though the brick viaduct it used still stands to this day). Through passenger traffic over this route declined significantly after the 1923 Grouping and regular passenger trains were withdrawn beyond Uplawmoor in 1932.
Services through here were converted to diesel operation from 1958 and the Cathcart lines were subsequently electrified in 1962 (though the wires only ran as far as Neilston, the line beyond closing to passengers in April 1962 and completely in December 1964). Through trains to Kirkhill & Newton also ended at this time, with passengers henceforth having to change at Mount Florida.
British Rail and SPTE proposals published in the early 1980s would have seen the Clarkston spur reopened and used by re-routed trains to/from East Kilbride, which would have then run to Glasgow Central via Cathcart & Queens Park. The scheme would also have seen the East Kilbride branch electrified, but the Clarkston to Busby Junction section closed (along with Patterton & Neilston stations, with the line cut back to Whitecraigs). The proposals were not well received and were never implemented.
Services and facilities
The station is served by the Glasgow Central to Neilston branch, which for operating purposes is grouped as part of the Cathcart Circle lines. The service is mainly used by commuters travelling into the centre of Glasgow. Trains run mainly every half-hour in each direction during daytime, with some additional services during rush hour periods. A Sunday service has also been introduced in recent years.
The station has an island platform with a ramp providing access directly to the platform from Muirend Road at the south end of the station. At the north end, there is footbridge access to and from Hillcrest Avenue and Cairndow Court. The station building (which is a Category B listed building) contains a ticket office which is manned on a part-time basis. An automated ticket machine is present.