Buchanan Street railway station
Encyclopedia
Buchanan Street Station was the least known of Glasgow
's four main terminal railway stations, the other three being Central, Queen St
and St Enoch
. It was to the north-west of Queen St Station and served the north of Scotland
.
, Perth
and Stirling
and other destinations.
The station was marked for closure and replacement in the "Bruce Report
" about how to redevelop Glasgow in the post-Second World War period. The plan included replacing Buchanan Street and Queen Street stations with a Glasgow North station on land including the site of Buchanan Street, but many times larger. There was also a similar scheme to replace Central and St Enoch stations with a Glasgow South station, but neither came to fruition.
Despite this reprieve, it proved only to be temporary as the station was closed in 1966 as part of the rationalisation of the railway system of the entire United Kingdom
devised by Richard Beeching
, with most of its services running to Queen Street. The buildings had been completely demolished by 1971. The 430 yard Buchanan Street tunnel that ran from just outwith the station to Sighthill
still exists, but public access is prohibited.
Buchanan House (named 'ScotRail House' between January 1985 and April 1994) and Glasgow Caledonian University
occupy the site of the station.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
's four main terminal railway stations, the other three being Central, Queen St
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
and St Enoch
St Enoch railway station
-External links:* *...
. It was to the north-west of Queen St Station and served the north of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
History
Constructed in 1849 by the Caledonian Railway Company as its main terminus for the city, the original station buildings consisted of supposedly temporary wooden structures, which lasted until the 1930s. A goods station at the site opened in 1850. Services ran primarily northbound, to AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
and Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
and other destinations.
The station was marked for closure and replacement in the "Bruce Report
Bruce Report
The Bruce Report is the name commonly given to two urban redevelopment reports of the Glasgow Corporation ....
" about how to redevelop Glasgow in the post-Second World War period. The plan included replacing Buchanan Street and Queen Street stations with a Glasgow North station on land including the site of Buchanan Street, but many times larger. There was also a similar scheme to replace Central and St Enoch stations with a Glasgow South station, but neither came to fruition.
Despite this reprieve, it proved only to be temporary as the station was closed in 1966 as part of the rationalisation of the railway system of the entire United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
devised by Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
, with most of its services running to Queen Street. The buildings had been completely demolished by 1971. The 430 yard Buchanan Street tunnel that ran from just outwith the station to Sighthill
Sighthill, Glasgow
Sighthill is a Housing estate in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde.Sighthill is part of the wider Springburn district in the North of the city...
still exists, but public access is prohibited.
Buchanan House (named 'ScotRail House' between January 1985 and April 1994) and Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland.The university was constituted by an Act of Parliament on 1 April 1993 as a result of a merger between Glasgow Polytechnic and The Queen's College, Glasgow....
occupy the site of the station.