Stranraer Harbour railway station
Encyclopedia
Stranraer railway station (sometimes known as Stranraer Harbour railway station) is a railway station that serves both the town of Stranraer
, Dumfries and Galloway
, Scotland
and the port for ferries to Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. The station is 94.5 miles (151 km) southwest of Glasgow and is the terminus of the Glasgow South Western Line
. It has two platforms (although only one of these is currently in use) and is staffed on a part-time basis.
, however the current station buildings date from 1878 under the Portpatrick Railways Act 1877, prior to that date the station was rebuilt in 1877, the original facility was a concrete platform. Passengers and mail were meant to use the station at Portpatrick
. The Portpatrick ferry service never fully materialised owing to inaction by the Admiralty
who felt, as has since been proved, that the harbour there was not suitable.
A ferry service had commenced by 1861 but passengers made their way from Stranraer Town station to the steamers
, not Stranraer Harbour station. The first daily ferry service started on the 1 October 1862 to Larne and was provided by . However, it only lasted until 31 December 1863. Originally named Stranraer Harbour, the station name was simplified to Stranraer by 1996.
The Stena Line
ferry service to Larne
was moved to Belfast
in the mid 1990s, although P&O still sails there from nearby Cairnryan
. Stena will stop serving Stranraer on 20 November 2011, having invested £200 million on a new route to Loch Ryan Port, near Cairnryan. ScotRail has cut services to Stranraer since the ferry services started departing from further up Loch Ryan.
(four services) or via Irvine (two services). Two of the Kilmarnock trains also continue on through to Glasgow Central via .
The one through train that used to run from here to and Newcastle was withdrawn at the December 2009 timetable change.
There are two trains to Glasgow via Irvine and one train to Glasgow via Kilmarnock on Sundays.
As part of plans by Dumfries & Galloway Council, the station is under threat and is planned to be closed being replaced by a new station a few hundred metres further east to create a new transport hub for Stranraer. This project is dependent on whether Stena Line
moves its operations out of Stranraer or not.
The plans for a new station have caused controversy due to fact that, unlike Harbour Station, it will not be adequate for hosting steam trains. Wigtownshire Chamber of Commerce and SAYLSA, in their Tourism Gateway strategy, have revealed that cruise ship and steam train tourism will be a significant boost to the local economy.
Stranraer
Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland...
, Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
, 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...
and the port for ferries to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The station is 94.5 miles (151 km) southwest of Glasgow and is the terminus of the Glasgow South Western Line
Glasgow South Western Line
The Glasgow South Western Line is a mainline railway in Scotland that runs from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, and then either via Dumfries, or Stranraer via Ayr, with a branch to East Kilbride.- History :...
. It has two platforms (although only one of these is currently in use) and is staffed on a part-time basis.
History
The station was opened on 1 October 1862 by the Portpatrick RailwayPortpatrick Railway
The Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway, often known as the Port Road, was a railway in south-west Scotland, which linked Dumfries, via Castle Douglas, with the port towns of Portpatrick and Stranraer...
, however the current station buildings date from 1878 under the Portpatrick Railways Act 1877, prior to that date the station was rebuilt in 1877, the original facility was a concrete platform. Passengers and mail were meant to use the station at Portpatrick
Portpatrick
Portpatrick is a village hanging on to the extreme south-westerly tip of mainland Scotland, cut into a cleft in steep cliffs.Dating back historically some 500 years, and built adjacent to the ruins of nearby Dunskey Castle, its position on the Rhins of Galloway affords visitors views of the...
. The Portpatrick ferry service never fully materialised owing to inaction by the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
who felt, as has since been proved, that the harbour there was not suitable.
A ferry service had commenced by 1861 but passengers made their way from Stranraer Town station to the steamers
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
, not Stranraer Harbour station. The first daily ferry service started on the 1 October 1862 to Larne and was provided by . However, it only lasted until 31 December 1863. Originally named Stranraer Harbour, the station name was simplified to Stranraer by 1996.
The Stena Line
Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
ferry service to Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
was moved to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in the mid 1990s, although P&O still sails there from nearby Cairnryan
Cairnryan
Cairnryan is a small Scottish village in Dumfries and Galloway on the eastern shore of Loch Ryan. The village has been of vital importance in maritime history.-Ferry Port:...
. Stena will stop serving Stranraer on 20 November 2011, having invested £200 million on a new route to Loch Ryan Port, near Cairnryan. ScotRail has cut services to Stranraer since the ferry services started departing from further up Loch Ryan.
Services
There are currently seven departures each weekday (six on Saturdays ) from the station to Ayr, most of which continue to either KilmarnockKilmarnock railway station
Kilmarnock railway station is a railway station in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is served by trains on the Glasgow South Western Line.- History :...
(four services) or via Irvine (two services). Two of the Kilmarnock trains also continue on through to Glasgow Central via .
The one through train that used to run from here to and Newcastle was withdrawn at the December 2009 timetable change.
There are two trains to Glasgow via Irvine and one train to Glasgow via Kilmarnock on Sundays.
Future
The station is the southern terminal of the Carrick & Wigtownshire Community Rail Partnership SAYLSA which comprises local Community Councils, representation from South Ayrshire Council, First ScotRail as well as private individuals. SAYLSA (The Stranraer to Ayr Line Support Association) has adopted the station and has provided tubs, shrubs and plants. These are tended to by First ScotRail staff and SAYLSA members.As part of plans by Dumfries & Galloway Council, the station is under threat and is planned to be closed being replaced by a new station a few hundred metres further east to create a new transport hub for Stranraer. This project is dependent on whether Stena Line
Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
moves its operations out of Stranraer or not.
The plans for a new station have caused controversy due to fact that, unlike Harbour Station, it will not be adequate for hosting steam trains. Wigtownshire Chamber of Commerce and SAYLSA, in their Tourism Gateway strategy, have revealed that cruise ship and steam train tourism will be a significant boost to the local economy.