Gourock

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Gourock (1889-)

Station code: GRK National Rail ScotRail
Where: Inverclyde, Scotland
Opened on the Gourock Extension Railway (Caledonian Railway).
Open on the Inverclyde Lines.

Description

This is a three platform terminus on Gourock Pier. It is served by a regular service from Glasgow Central via Paisley Gilmour Street.

The pier and station were built together, a base for the Caledonian Steam Packet Company, which ran the steamers of the Caledonian Railway. This new pier and extension from Greenock (closed replaced by Greenock Central) put the Caledonian back into a competitive position, their previous 1841 Bridge Street terminus having been completely eclipsed by the station and pier opened in 1869 by the Glasgow and South Western Railway at Greenock Princes Pier [1st], and the North British Railway's Craigendoran Pier station of 1882.

The station had extensive glass roofs, covering the circulating area and canopies over the (originally) four platforms. The exterior of the building had Tudor styling. There was a large clock tower. The station's designer was James Miller.

There were carriage sidings on the west side of the station, with a goods yard beyond. Further goods sidings were on the pier on the east side. A turntable was at the south end on the east side of the lines.

There were two signal boxes. No 1 was on the south side of the line as it turned north west to approach the station at the point where goods lines to the pier began. No 2 was on the west side of the station throat where the west side goods yard, carriage sidings and platform lines divided.

In the run up to electrification the layout was reduced and no 1 signal box closed, taken over by no 2 which was renamed simply 'Gourock'.

In 1985 the box closed, taken over by the Paisley Signalling Centre.

The station building was paired back and Caledonian MacBrayne relocated to their own building on the pier, in the area of the former pier sidings.

The station has been further cut back and a new station waiting room and offices added on its west side.

Caledonian MacBrayne no longer operates a roll on - oll off service from the pier. Pedestrian ferries to Dunoon operate.

Tags

Station terminus pier

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
07/02/2022




Chronology Dates

  /  /1866Gourock Extension Railway (Caledonian Railway)
Gourock Railways and Pier - authorisation to build a line to Gourock and acquire the pier. (Not proceeded with at this time.)
  /  /1884Gourock Extension Railway (Caledonian Railway)
Authorisation for the extension from Greenock Cathcart Street [1st] to Gourock and Gourock Pier. With new new alignment in Greenock the Dellingburn Branch is authorised to be modified. An agreement is made with the Clyde Lighthouse Board over lights.
01/06/1889Gourock Extension (Caledonian Railway)
Opened from Greenock Central to Gourock via the Newton Street Tunnel. A new pier was built at Gourock. Stations opened; Gourock, Fort Matilda, Greenock West and Greenock re-built nearby as Greenock Central. Dellingburn Branch connection modified.
01/05/1890Caledonian Steam Packet Company
Starts to operate service from Gourock Pier (Kempock Point). Gourock opened 01/06/1889.
25/05/1894Greenock and Ayrshire Railway
Greenock Princes Pier [1st] station re-built on a grand scale right by the quayside as Greenock Princes Pier [2nd] by the Glasgow and South Western Railway on a grander scale to compete with the Caledonian Railway's Gourock station.
13/06/1939Gourock Extension Railway (Caledonian Railway)
Passenger train derails at Gourock, alongside the signal box.
05/06/1967Glasgow South Bank Electrification Gourock Extension Railway (Caledonian Railway)
Gourock and Wemyss Bay lines electrified.
17/10/2004ScotRail
First Group takes over the ScotRail franchise to create First ScotRail. The first service ran from Glasgow Central to Gourock.
  /10/2006Gourock Extension (Caledonian Railway)
Work begins on a £630,000 reconstruction of Gourock station.

News items

27/11/2023Spending delayed for Gourock ferry terminal revamp [Greenock Telegraph]
31/10/2023ScotRail: New half-hourly Gourock-Glasgow Sunday service [Greenock Telegraph]
30/10/2023New timetable delivers electric trains between Barrhead and Glasgow [ScotRail]
09/10/2023ScotRail reveal plans for Gourock and Wemyss Bay lines [Greenock Telegraph]
27/09/2023CalMac suspends ferry service between Gourock and Dunoon [Greenock Telegraph]
08/09/2023CalMac and Western Ferries services affected by thick fog [Greenock Telegraph]
06/09/2023ScotRail under-fire over prolonged cuts to Inverclyde runs [Greenock Telegraph]
05/09/2023CalMac Gourock ferries affected by early-morning fog [Greenock Telegraph]
08/08/2023Tractor stuck under Greenock bridge causes train disruption [Greenock Telegraph]
28/07/2023Jamie Greene says cyclists ignoring walkway dismount signs [Greenock Telegraph]