Largs railway station
Encyclopedia
Largs railway station is a railway station
in the town of Largs
, North Ayrshire
, Scotland
. The station is managed by First ScotRail
and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line
, 43 miles (69.2 km) south west of .
.jpg)
The station was originally opened on 1 June 1885 by the Glasgow and South Western Railway
, as the terminus of the extension of the former Ardrossan Railway
to Largs.
The station originally had four platforms with additional stabling lines, a glazed canopy and a footbridge spanning the platforms.
By the time the electrification project commenced only three platforms and the centre stabling line were in operation. Following completion of electrification only two platforms remained.
from crashed through the buffers and demolished both parts of the station building and various shops on the main street of Largs. The driver was able to leave his cab to warn the passengers to brace themselves shortly before the collision and there were no serious injuries on the train or elsewhere.
The station operated with temporary structures for many years, and a £200,000 makeover (including a new station building) was completed in 2005, albeit much simpler than the original.
with occasional Class 303
operated the service. Upon withdrawal of the Class 303, introduction of the Class 334
and the redeployment of the Strathclyde electric fleet, the major class on the route became the Class 334, with support from the Class 318. In 2011, a new fleet of Class 380
units was being introduced to the line, by June 2011 the former classes became rare, with the ultimate plan for the Class 380 to have sole responsibility for the line.
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in the town of Largs
Largs
Largs is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" in Scottish Gaelic....
, North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
, 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...
. The station is managed by First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line
Ayrshire Coast Line
The Ayrshire Coast Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. It has 26 stations and connects the Ayrshire coast to Glasgow...
, 43 miles (69.2 km) south west of .
History
Glasgow and South Western Railway
The Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...
, as the terminus of the extension of the former Ardrossan Railway
Ardrossan Railway
The Ardrossan Railway was a railway company in Scotland built in the mid 19th century that primarily ran services between Kilwinning and Ardrossan, as well as freight services to and from collieries between Kilwinning and Perceton...
to Largs.
The station originally had four platforms with additional stabling lines, a glazed canopy and a footbridge spanning the platforms.
By the time the electrification project commenced only three platforms and the centre stabling line were in operation. Following completion of electrification only two platforms remained.
Incidents
The frontage of the station was severely damaged on 11 July 1995 when an early morning Class 318 trainBritish Rail Class 318
The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit train, which operates exclusively in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network in West Central Scotland. The units were introduced fully on 29 September 1986 as part of the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line between and...
from crashed through the buffers and demolished both parts of the station building and various shops on the main street of Largs. The driver was able to leave his cab to warn the passengers to brace themselves shortly before the collision and there were no serious injuries on the train or elsewhere.
The station operated with temporary structures for many years, and a £200,000 makeover (including a new station building) was completed in 2005, albeit much simpler than the original.
Services
There is a basic hourly service to and Glasgow Central (including Sundays), with additional services during weekday peak periods. At the time of initial electric services in 1987, Class 318British Rail Class 318
The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit train, which operates exclusively in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network in West Central Scotland. The units were introduced fully on 29 September 1986 as part of the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line between and...
with occasional Class 303
British Rail Class 303
The British Rail Class 303 electric multiple units, also known as "Blue Train" units, were introduced in 1960 for the electrification of the North Clyde and the Cathcart Circle lines in Strathclyde...
operated the service. Upon withdrawal of the Class 303, introduction of the Class 334
British Rail Class 334
The British Rail Class 334 is a suburban electric multiple unit built by Alstom in Birmingham. They are part of the Juniper family of trains along with Classes 458 and 460. They were built for SPT/ScotRail outer suburban services in Glasgow, UK. They later became part of First ScotRail/SPT fleet...
and the redeployment of the Strathclyde electric fleet, the major class on the route became the Class 334, with support from the Class 318. In 2011, a new fleet of Class 380
British Rail Class 380
Class 380 is the designation given to a class of electric multiple unit trains which operate on the national railway network in Scotland.- Description :...
units was being introduced to the line, by June 2011 the former classes became rare, with the ultimate plan for the Class 380 to have sole responsibility for the line.