General information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Location | Carluke, South Lanarkshire Scotland | ||||
Coordinates | 55°43′52″N3°50′56″W / 55.73115°N 3.8489°W | ||||
Grid reference | NS839501 | ||||
Managed by | ScotRail | ||||
Transit authority | SPT | ||||
Platforms | 2 | ||||
Other information | |||||
Station code | CLU | ||||
History | |||||
Original company | Wishaw and Coltness Railway | ||||
Pre-grouping | Caledonian Railway | ||||
Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway | ||||
Key dates | |||||
15 February 1848 | Station opened | ||||
Passengers | |||||
2018/19 | 0.405 million | ||||
2019/20 | 0.400 million | ||||
2020/21 | 35,624 | ||||
2021/22 | 0.154 million | ||||
2022/23 | 0.231 million | ||||
|
Carluke railway station is a railway station on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) that serves the town of Carluke,South Lanarkshire,Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is predominantly served by Argyle Line commuter trains running between Lanark and Glasgow Central. The station lies at the western edge of the town,and enjoys panoramic views of the Clyde Valley and beyond to the hills of Lanarkshire and Ayrshire.
The first station to be named Carluke was a separate station near Bogside Farm. This station was opened as Carluke and Lanark on 8 May 1843 by the Wishaw and Coltness Railway. It had several sidings and a line that served Coltness Iron Works. The station's name was changed to Stirling Road in 1848. It closed in 1853. [2] The current station opened as part of the Caledonian Railway Main Line extension from Beattock on 15 February 1848. [3] It was rebuilt by the Caledonian Railway around the start of the 20th century,. [4] It passed to the control of the London,Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) upon its formation on 1 January 1923 under the terms of the Railways Act 1921 until the nationalisation of the "Big Four" on 1 January 1948 and the resultant creation of British Railways. Thereafter,control of the station,in common with all of those on the WCML north of Gretna,became the responsibility of BR's Scottish Region until the formation of the Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive (GGPTE) on 1 June 1973. Under the terms of the Transport Act 1968,the specification of timetables,fares and quality standards for all rail services within the erstwhile Strathclyde region became the responsibility of the PTE,with trains and stations receiving their distinctive corporate colour scheme from 1985. However,in November 2005,these powers were transferred to the Scottish Executive and were subsequently passed to Transport Scotland upon its creation on 1 January 2006. Consequently,both the station and the rail services which call thereat are today operated by ScotRail.
The station currently has two platforms connected by a stairway footbridge. Step-free access is available to both platforms,and a ramp is available for wheelchair users wishing to board or alight at the station. However,prior notice is required to ensure staff are on hand to assist.
The station building is located on Platform 2 and has level access from both the station car park and the platform itself. Inside is found a small heated waiting area and a ticket office which is staffed part-time (Monday-Friday 06:30-13:44,Saturday 06:20-13:44). [5] There is also a self-service ticket machine located on Platform 1. Customer Help Points fitted with an induction loop are located on both platforms, [6] and there are numerous CCTV cameras covering all areas of the station;cameras and Help Points are linked to the Strathclyde Customer Services Centre in Paisley,which is staffed 24-hours a day. Both platforms are also fitted with a public address system and LCD customer information screens.
The station's own car park is limited to 25 spaces. [7] However,with passenger numbers showing sustained growth since privatisation,plans for an extensive Park and Ride facility on a 1.9 hectare greenfield site next to Platform 1 were finalised in September 2009. [8] Opened on 18 May 2010,this £2 million facility provided an additional 229 vehicle spaces (including 6 for Blue Badge holders),a drop-off area and shelter,new lighting,an improved road surface and improved traffic management along Station Road to its intersection with the A73. Additionally,the station's CCTV network was extended with the provision of several new cameras to cover the new facilities,and improved signage was erected on both the A73 and the A721. Funding for the work came from South Lanarkshire Council and SPT,with both parties contributing £1 million towards the cost of the project. [9]
For many years under BR,Carluke was served by an hourly service from Lanark to Glasgow Central (High Level) (Sundays excepted),operating alternately via Wishaw,Holytown,Motherwell and Hamilton Central or by the more direct route via Wishaw,Motherwell,Bellshill and Uddingston.
In the 1960s,these services were typically provided by Metro Cammell DMUs,but the electrification of the WCML between Weaver Junction and Glasgow Central in the 1970s allowed for their replacement with Pressed Steel Class 303 EMUs in May 1974. An hourly electric train service was then provided between Lanark and Glasgow Central (High Level) on the route via Bellshill until the opening of the Argyle Line between Rutherglen and Partick and the introduction of the brand new BREL Class 314 EMUs in November 1979. This afforded the opportunity to route services through central Glasgow to destinations north of the River Clyde,and thus initially an hourly service operated from Lanark to Milngavie from Monday to Saturday which ran limited stop between Motherwell and Glasgow. However,the intermediate calls via Bellshill were soon reinstated,and with the exception of the introduction of several additional weekday peak expresses,this pattern persisted with few alterations until the introduction of a seven-day service in 1997.
In 2003,Monday to Saturday services were supplemented with a second train per hour. This saw the existing services diverted to Dalmuir,and the new service travelling to Milngavie,via Holytown,Hamilton Central and Glasgow Central.
The arrival of the Alstom Class 334 Juniper EMUs to the SPT fleet in 2002 allowed the last of the elderly Class 303s to be withdrawn and the Class 314s to be cascaded to services on the Cathcart Circle and Inverclyde Lines. For a number of years,Argyle Line services were consequently operated by a combination of Class 334s and BREL Class 318s displaced from services on the Ayrshire Coast Line. However,the Class 334s have mostly been transferred from December 2010 to operate services on the Airdrie–Bathgate rail link,with only occasional services being rostered for these units.
The station had some other sporadic passenger services such as two trains a day to/from Carstairs and two to/from North Berwick via Edinburgh Waverley.
As part of the £1billion Edinburgh - Glasgow Improvement Project,the Scottish Government intended to introduce an hourly semi-fast service between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley via Carstairs from December 2013. These proposals would effectively operate as an extension of the existing service from Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick,with services making intermediate calls at Motherwell,Wishaw,Carluke,Carstairs and Haymarket en route between Glasgow and Edinburgh,providing a journey time of around 65 minutes between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The service began operating at the December 2013 timetable change,but only on sporadic approximately two-hourly frequency at present. [10] The paths in the opposite hour are taken up by CrossCountry services to/from the southwest of England via Birmingham,Leeds and Newcastle.
In May 2014,the majority of these new services were extended to serve Ayr on the West Coast.
Following a timetable recast in the wake of electrification of the Whifflet Line,the service has been altered once more - Lanark trains now run on their old (pre-1979) route to Central High Level via Shieldmuir and Bellshill every half hour (hourly on Sundays). [11] Passengers wishing to travel to Argyle Line destinations must change at Cambuslang (except for a limited number of weekday peak direct trains) and there is no longer a direct service via Holytown (save for a single weekday morning peak train from Carstairs to Dalmuir).
Services are currently provided by Class 318,320,380,334 and 156 units.
Due to its location on the WCML,the station sees a considerable number of cross-border inter-city passenger services operated by Avanti West Coast,CrossCountry,London North Eastern Railway and First TransPennine Express from Glasgow Central to destinations such as Manchester Airport,Birmingham New Street,London Euston,London King's Cross and Penzance. The Glasgow portion of the Lowland Sleeper also passes through the station,but none of these services call at Carluke.
The WCML is also an important route for cross-border railfreight services. As a result,among the many freight workings that pass through the station each day can be seen Freightliner intermodal services from the Coatbridge Freightliner Terminal to Crewe and the English ports of Seaforth,Felixstowe,Tilbury and Southampton,intermodal services operated by Stobart Rail Freight and Direct Rail Services (DRS) from Grangemouth and Mossend to the Daventry International Railfreight Terminal at Crick,Northamptonshire,and a variety of DB Cargo UK freight services from Mossend to destinations such as Hams Hall,Eastleigh,Portbury Docks and Wembley,from where onward connections to mainland Europe are available by way of the Channel Tunnel. Freightliner also run regular coal trains from the nearby Scottish Coal railhead at Ravenstruther to Longannet,and DB Cargo UK operate mail trains to Warrington and Willesden from the Royal Mail Scottish Distribution Centre at Shieldmuir.
The station in 2009 was used in the Virgin Trains 'Success Express' advert.
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Lanark | ScotRail Argyle Line | Wishaw | ||
Carstairs | ScotRail Argyle Line | | ||
Historical railways | ||||
Braidwood | Caledonian Railway Main Line | Law Junction |
The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. The line serves the commercial and shopping districts of Glasgow's central area, and connects towns from West Dunbartonshire to South Lanarkshire. Named for Glasgow's Argyle Street, the line uses the earlier cut-and-cover tunnel running beneath that thoroughfare.
The Motherwell–Cumbernauld line is a suburban railway line linking Motherwell and Cumbernauld in Scotland. It is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network.
Anderston railway station serves Glasgow's financial district of Anderston and, across the M8 motorway, the housing schemes of both Anderston West and the Blythswood Court estate of the Anderston Centre. It is also close to both the Hilton and Marriott hotels. It is a staffed station with an island platform and most of it is underground.
Argyle Street railway station is a station in the City Centre of Glasgow, Scotland, on the Argyle Line, which connects the North Clyde lines at Partick with Rutherglen in the south-east of the city. The station is located below the thoroughfare whose name it bears. It has a narrow and often crowded island platform. It serves the Argyle Street shopping precinct as well as the St Enoch Centre. The station is open all day Monday to Saturdays but is only open between 10am and 6pm on a Sunday.
Blantyre railway station serves the burgh of Blantyre, near Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the Argyle Line, 14 km south east of Glasgow Central railway station. Passenger services are provided by ScotRail on behalf of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.
Cambuslang railway station is a railway station which serves the town of Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The station is 5 miles (8 km) south east of Glasgow Central, and is regularly served by trains on the Argyle Line to and from Glasgow Central. Passenger services are provided by ScotRail on behalf of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
Motherwell railway station is a railway station serves the town of Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on the West Coast Main Line (WCML), and is served also by Argyle Line trains of the Glasgow suburban railway network. It is the penultimate stop on the northbound WCML before Glasgow. There are four platforms of various length in use at Motherwell. The station is located next to the town's main shopping arcade, Motherwell Shopping Centre.
Newton railway station is a railway station located between the neighbourhoods of Drumsagard, Halfway, Newton and Westburn in the town of Cambuslang, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail on the Argyle and Cathcart Circle Lines.
Airbles railway station serves the Airbles area of Motherwell, North Lanarkshire in Scotland. It is located around 1⁄2 mile (1 km) away from Fir Park stadium, home of Motherwell F.C.
Bellshill railway station is a railway station in the town of Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and served by Argyle Line and Shotts Line services. The station is adjacent to Bellshill Main Street, on Hamilton Road, and was opened by the Caledonian Railway as part of the Cleland and Midcalder Line on 1 May 1879. West of the station, the Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway crossed with a second station in the town to the north west - this ceased to carry passengers back in 1951.
Holytown railway station is a railway station serving both Holytown and New Stevenston in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line, 13 miles (21 km) south east of Glasgow Central towards Edinburgh Waverley and is also on the Argyle Line. It was opened in 1880 at the same time as the Wishaw Deviation Line from Law Junction, though the line on which it actually stands is considerably older.
Bridgeton railway station serves the Bridgeton district of Glasgow, Scotland and is a station on the Argyle Line, 1+3⁄4 miles (2.8 km) south east of Glasgow Central. The station is operated by ScotRail who also provide all train services.
Shieldmuir railway station is a railway station in the Craigneuk suburb of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, and lies on the West Coast Main Line, although it is not served by mainline services – local commuter services from the station are provided via the Argyle Line by ScotRail on behalf of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. The station is close to Wishaw railway station. The bulk of commuters are from the nearby suburbs of Craigneuk and Muirhouse, which it spans the border between. The bridge used to cross the railway also connects the two towns. Although Shieldmuir can be used to reach Wishaw General Hospital by train, it and Wishaw station are both a considerable distance away for any visitors there.
Wishaw railway station is a railway station in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and lies on the Wishaw Deviation Line just south of the single track link line which connects to the West Coast Main Line at Shieldmuir.
Lanark railway station, managed by ScotRail, is the southern terminus of the Argyle Line on Bannatyne Street, Lanark, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The station is staffed part-time.
Greenfaulds railway station serves the Greenfaulds area of the town of Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is also within walking distance of the Lenziemill industrial estate, the Luggie Water and the Blairlinn industrial estate. The station is managed by ScotRail and is located 13+1⁄4 miles (21.3 km) north east of Glasgow Queen Street on the Cumbernauld Line and is 11 miles (18 km) north of Motherwell railway station on the Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line.
Carstairs railway station serves the village of Carstairs in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line (WCML), situated close to the point at which the lines from London Euston and Edinburgh to Glasgow Central merge. Constructed originally by the Caledonian Railway, the station is managed today by ScotRail who also operate most services which serve the station; it is also served by one TransPennine Express service per day between Manchester Airport and Glasgow Central and one Caledonian Sleeper service each way per day between Glasgow Central and London Euston. All other services by TransPennine Express and services operated by Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry and London North Eastern Railway pass the station, but do not stop.
The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line is a main railway route which connects the Scottish cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, by means of their respective sections of the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
The Wishaw and Coltness Railway was an early Scottish mineral railway. It ran for approximately 11 miles from Chapel Colliery, at Newmains in North Lanarkshire connecting to the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway near Whifflet, giving a means of transport for minerals around Newmains to market in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The Shotts Line is a suburban railway line in Scotland linking Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts. It is one of the four rail links between the two cities.