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Description

This was a two platform station. The north end of the station platforms were on a bridge over the River Kelvin. On the east side of the station was a goods yard, approached from the south.

There was a ticket office and entrance building on the south side of Caledonian Crescent. The wonderful building, by James Miller, had two storeys and contained staff accommodation. The north end of the platforms were canopied, although this was later removed. Waiting rooms were on each platform, south of the bridge and canopies (similar to those at Parkhead Stadium). Originally a very long covered raised footway ran from the footbridge at the south end of the platforms south to Eldon Street/Gibson Street, crossing the south end of the goods yard. The signal box (opened with the line) was on the southbound platform at its south end. Canopies were removed before closure.

To the west the line continued under Great Western Road (and the pipes of the Loch Katrine Aquaduct) to Botanic Gardens and to the south it entered Kelvingrove Tunnel to Stobcross.

The goods yard had a shed at the south end, east side of the line.

Passing under the line is the Glasgow District Subway with its station Kelvinbridge [Subway] just off to the east.

The station closed to passengers in 1952. The signal box and goods yard survived this with the box closing in 1960 when the remaining railway was singled and line south to Stobcross closed. Kelvin Bridge was accessed from Kelvinside North Junction until 1964.

After closure the platforms and goods yard were cleared. Sadly the station building burned down. The bridge over the Kelvin was retained. Much of the goods yard became the car park for Kelvinbridge [Subway]. Much of the site became parkland, extending Kelvingrove Park. A very short section of platforms remain in the tunnel to the west.

In late 1994 the Kelvin flooded and burst its banks. Water flooded down Kelvingrove Tunnel and flooded the SECC and stations as far as Glasgow Central Low Level. The volume of water brought down much of the west bank of the Kelvin at Kelvinbridge and rumble from upstream was deposited in the river bed. The water level reached the barriers of the Kelvin Bridge [Subway] car park. Afterwards large piles of material were built as a dam around the north end of the Kelvingrove Tunnel.

To the north, on Great Western Road, the Caledonian Railway built the Caledonian Mansions in 1901, possibly as an extension to the Central Hotel by Glasgow Central Station and certainly for visitors for the Glasgow International Exhibition. This imposing building, also by James Miller, still stands.

Before opening this was the site of the Woodside Paper Mills.

Local

This former station was east of the University of Glasgow for which it was for a time signed as 'Kelvinbridge for the University and West End Park.

The West End Park was formed in 1852/3 and is now known as Kelvingrove park. Friends of Kelvingrove Park

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