This is a two platform station. The station has a mixture of old and new buildings. The line is raised and station entry is one floor below the track level. There is a surviving original station building. The building on the southbound platform bears a strange resemblance to Highland Railway station buildings such as that at Ardgay. The building on the northbound platform is different in style but also two storeys. A number of windows have been shut up and the building is passed by a new road at first floor height, disguising the original two floors from street level.
The station was built at Fullarton, across the River Irvine from Irvine Old Town. There was a branch to Irvine Harbour and Crosshouse, for Kilmarnock, to the south of the station as well as many sidings and a goods yard, on the east side of the line. It also controlled access to various works set out on the west side south of the harbour line, such as the Irvine Chemical Works.
Irvine Junction signal box was at the south end on the west side of the main line with the harbour branch to its west. The junction for Crosshouse was just to the south and Irvine Goods was across the main line from the box. A second box, Irvine No 2, opened in 1895 further south on the approach to the station. This was on the east side of the line south of the junctions. The original box became Irvine No 1. The new box was short lived, closing in 1906. No 1 box closed in 1986 during the resignalling for the Ayrshire electrification.
The Glasgow and South Western Railway's Permanent Way department was to the south on the east side, reached by reversal Irvine Permanent Way Depot.
Kyle Model Railway Club is based at the station.
Scottish Maritime Museum - Irvine
Nearby stations Irvine Bank Street Bogside Bogside Moor Halt Snodgrass Platform Gailes Dreghorn Ardeer Platform Dirrans Drybridge Kilwinning East Springside Montgreenan Kilwinning Byres Stevenston Kilwinning | Irvine Goods Scottish Maritime Museum Irvine Permanent Way Depot Eglinton Chemical Works Irvine Chemical Works Chemical Works Caledonian Forge Irvine Shed Irvine Harbour Queen^s Bridge Warrix 1,2 Colliery Bogside Siding Tourist/other Scottish Maritime Museum Linthouse Building Irvine Goods Signal Box Nobel^s Wharf |
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. |
05/08/1839 | Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway Line opened from Ayr [1st] to Irvine. |
/ /1918 | Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway Glasgow and South Western Railway authorised to widen the line between Kilwinning and Irvine (close to the Eglinton Bank Signal Box) where it passed over the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway's Kilwinning [CR] to Stevenston [Moorpark] line. Reciprical agreement allowed the L&A to widen their line in the future (G&SW was to be liable for half of the costs of a widened bridge).. |
06/04/1964 | Glasgow, Paisley Kilmarnock and Ayr RailwayArdrossan Railway Irvine (Byrehill Junction) to Stevenston (Dubbs Junction) closed to passengers. Ardrossan to Kilmarnock service via Crosshill withdrawn. |
06/04/1964 | Busbie Branch (Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway) Irvine to Crosshouse closed to passengers. |
/05/2008 | West Highland Railway UPM Tilhill and CSP Forestry are awarded a £250,000 Freight Facilities Grant to assist with the movement of 120,000 tonnes of timber by Colas from Rannoch to the Caledonian Paper Mill, near Barassie and Irvine, over eight years. A lineside loading pad is to be built by Tilhill. |