Location type

Station

Name and dates

Carstairs (1848-)

Station code: CRS National Rail ScotRail
Where: South Lanarkshire, Scotland
Opened on the Caledonian Railway.
Opened on the Carstairs House Tramway.
Open on the Carlisle to Glasgow.
Open on the Carlisle to Edinburgh.

Description

This is an island platform station on the western junction of the triangular junction at Carstairs. There is a modern station building on the platform which is approached by a footbridge over the Glasgow bound lines.

On opening, the station was briefly known as 'Float'.

The station has been rebuilt a number of times, notably a replacement of the trainshed with canopies around 1913, a track reorganisation in 1972/3, and replacement of the building in 2000. A further re-organisation of the junction took place in 2023.

During the 1913/14 reconstruction the large trainshed which covered the platform was removed. This had brick sidewalls and a large timber roof over the station buildings. The station buildings below the roof were not removed but given a new roof and platform canopies. The two storey part of this building had stood outside the trainshed at the west end of the station, towered over by the large trainshed. The trainshed's roof was partly glazed - with two long sections above each platform.

The original building was described in the Ordnance Survey Name Book thus

This is one of the most important railway stations in the Country as through it daily pass not only the traffic between Edinburgh & Glasgow but the greater part of the traffic between the manufacturing districts of Scotland and England, it contains extensive accommodation for the workmen employed, machinery for the repair of steam engines, also extensive refreshment rooms and all the usual adjuncts of a first class station. The station and surrounding houses are well lit with gas, the main building consists of brick walls and a glass roof which when illuminated at night has a brilliant effect.

Carstairs North Signal Box was at the west end of the station, on the north side of the line and Carstairs South was in the 'V' of the junction at the east end. The small south box was probably replaced by Carstairs Platform box, built immediately to the east of the trainshed around 1900, possibly both coexisted briefly.

In 1902 the north box became box no 2. A box on the same footprint as the 1900 box became no 3.

No 2 box was replaced in 1915 and as the appearance of no 3 differs before and after the rebuilding of 1913/4 it is likely to have been rebuilt around 1915 too.

Boxes 1, 2 3, Dolphinton Junction, Strawfrank Junction, Symington Junction (at Symington [2nd]) and Leggatfoot Signal Box were replaced by a short lived panel box at the station in 1972 before control passed to the Motherwell Signalling Centre in 1973.

It was for electrification the boxes were replaced. Additionally the track level was raised and modified to allow fast non-stop running from Glasgow to Carlisle, leading to the station building being at a sunken level in relation to the rebuilt platform. The east end of the platform was cut back leading to a wedge shaped platform, a complication arising from the modified Glasgow line and its connection to the route to Edinburgh.

The 2000 building reconstruction included demolition of the original station building and replacement with a smaller building. The platform has been extended at its west end.

Alterations in 2023 converted an island platform with loops on either side of the platform lines to an island platform with a double track bypass for non-stop trains to the south, loops on either side and a proper west to north line which avoids the platform. Linespeeds are generally improved, the bypass for Glasgow trains is now 120mph where previously 90mph applied at the south end of the station.

To the north of the station was Carstairs Shed, which provided engines for trains from the south splitting here into Glasgow and Edinburgh portions, bankers and local passenger and goods needs.

The station is in the small village of Carstairs Station which is south east of Carstairs itself. An electric tramway, Carstairs House Tramway, ran south west to Carstairs House, opened in 1888 and closed after 1895.

Tags

Station Junction

Aliases

Carstairs Junction
08/05/2023

Facilities

Gaelic name: Caisteal Tarrais

Nearby stations Carnwath Bankhead [Lanarkshire] Cleghorn Lanark Racecourse Lanark Newbigging [Lanarkshire] Thankerton Auchengray Sandilands [Lanarkshire] Wilsontown Haywood Symington [2nd] Symington [1st] Braidwood Coulter	Carstairs Shed Carstairs East Junction Carstairs South Junction Carstairs Sand Pit Carstairs Mains Lampits Junction Float Junction Float Viaduct Carstairs Sand Pit Signal Box Strawfrank Watertroughs Sand Pit Tourist/other Carstairs No 1 Signal Box Carstairs Hospital Montieth House Carstairs Castle
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.