Place Wemyss Bay Managed by Abellio ScotRail 2012/13 0.210 million Station code WMS | Grid reference NS192685 2011/12 0.197 million 2013/14 0.213 million Number of platforms 2 Architect James Miller | |
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Address Wemyss Bay PA18 6AR, United Kingdom Original company Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway Pte Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Similar Inverkip railway station, Bogston railway station, Lund's Tower, Holden Park, Gourock railway station | ||
Wemyss bay railway station scotland
Wemyss Bay railway station serves the village of Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde, Scotland. The station is a terminus on the Inverclyde Line, about 26 miles (42 km) west of Glasgow Central. The station incorporates the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry terminal connecting mainland Scotland to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. The station is managed by Abellio ScotRail.
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History
Work began in late 1862 on the single track Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway branching from the main Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway at Port Glasgow and taking an inland route across to the coast at Inverkip before descending to Wemyss Bay. This was to connect to Clyde steamer services for Rothesay, Largs and Millport, Isle of Cumbrae, allowing a combined train and steamer journey time of an hour and a half, compared with a typical time of three hours by steamer from Glasgow. The Wemyss Bay Steamboat Company was formed to own the connecting steamers, competing with the private owners of other Clyde steamer services. The route opened on 15 May 1865, but over-ambitious timetables led to severe delays during the first year, damaging the company's reputation, and the route subsequently faced strong competition from other pierheads.
Train services were electrified in 1967 by British Rail, using the 25kV A.C system.
Station building
The station was designed by James Miller in 1903 for the Caledonian Railway and is remarkable in its use of glass and steel curves. The station is noted for its architectural qualities and, although one of Scotland's finest railway buildings and Category A listed, it has suffered from neglect. A major refurbishment scheme carried out jointly by Network Rail, Inverclyde Council and the Scottish Government from June 2014 to the spring of 2016 has seen the station buildings and adjacent ferry terminal fully restored.
Two platforms are currently in use, though there were three available until 1987.
Services
There is an hourly service daily to Paisley Gilmour Street and Glasgow Central (including Sundays), with one or two extra weekday peak trains. The average journey time is 55 minutes.