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Wemyss Bay railway station

Coordinates: 55°52′37″N 4°53′21″W / 55.8769°N 4.8891°W / 55.8769; -4.8891
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Wemyss Bay

Scottish Gaelic: Bàgh Wemyss[1]
National Rail
Interior of the railway station, August 2018
General information
LocationWemyss Bay, Inverclyde
Scotland
Coordinates55°52′37″N 4°53′21″W / 55.8769°N 4.8891°W / 55.8769; -4.8891
Grid referenceNS192685
Managed byScotRail
Transit authoritySPT
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeWMS
History
Original companyGreenock and Wemyss Bay Railway
Pre-groupingCaledonian Railway
Post-groupingLMS
Key dates
15 May 1865Opened[2]
Passengers
2018/19Steady 0.214 million
2019/20Decrease 0.202 million
2020/21Decrease 34,738
2021/22Increase 0.123 million
2022/23Increase 0.164 million
Listed Building – Category A
Designated10 June 1971
Reference no.LB12473[3]
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
The station seen from the road, with MV Bute at the slip, February 2006
The pier and station from the south, with MV Coruisk being loaded, February 2006

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 ScotRail.

In Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations by Simon Jenkins, the station was one of only ten to be awarded five stars,[4] and was the station photographed on the front cover.

The station won the 2023 World Cup of Stations, organised by the Rail Delivery Group.[5]

History

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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. A camping coach was positioned here by the Scottish Region in 1961, then two coaches from 1962 to 1969, with an additional one in 1965 only.[6]

Train services were electrified in 1967 by British Rail, using the 25 kV AC system.

Station building

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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.[7][8]

Two platforms are currently in use, though there were three available until 1987.

Services

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There is an hourly service daily to Paisley Gilmour Street and Glasgow Central (including Sundays), with one or two extra weekday peak trains.[9] The average journey time is 55 minutes.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Terminus   ScotRail
Inverclyde Line
  Inverkip
"boat icon" Ferry services
Rothesay   Caledonian MacBrayne
Bute Ferry
  Terminus
  Historical railways  
Terminus   Caledonian Railway
Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway
  Inverkip
Line and station open

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Brailsford 2017, Gaelic/English Station Index.
  2. ^ Butt 1995, p. 244.
  3. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "WEMYSS BAY RAILWAY STATION (LB12473)". Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  4. ^ Morrison, Richard (9 December 2017). "Review: Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations by Simon Jenkins". Thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Wemyss Bay is top of the stops and crowned the UK's best loved station and World Cup of Stations champion 2023". Rail Delivery Group News. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  6. ^ McRae 1998, p. 13.
  7. ^ "Station Restored – July 2016". Friends of Wemyss Bay Station. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Station improvements for Wemyss Bay". Largs & Millport Weekly News. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  9. ^ Table 219 National Rail timetable, May 2016

Bibliography

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