Moffat railway station

Moffat railway station was a station and the terminus of a short branch line which served Moffat, in the Scottish county of Dumfries and Galloway. It was served by trains from the junction at the now closed Beattock

Moffat
Railway bridge abutments near Moffat
Location
PlaceScotland
AreaDumfries and Galloway
Coordinates55.3303°N 3.4438°W / 55.3303; -3.4438
Grid referenceNT0849804982
Operations
Original companyCaledonian Railway
Pre-groupingCaledonian Railway
Post-groupingLondon Midland and Scottish Railway
Platforms1
History
2 April 1883Opened[1]
6 December 1954Closed to passengers[1]
6 April 1964Closed to goods.[2]
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
Closed railway stations in Britain
A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z

History
Main article: History of the Caledonian Railway (until 1850)

When the Caledonian Railway was authorised on 31 July 1845, its route was constrained by the difficult terrain of the Southern Uplands, and it followed the Evan Water through Beattock. Moffat was already an important spa town, but the topography prevented it from being directly connected.[3] From 1878 a hydropathic establishment was founded in the town, making use of the thermal springs there.[4][5]

When the Caledonian Railway declined to build a branch line, local interests considered a railway connection to be advantageous, and promoted a branch line. The Moffat Railway was incorporated on 27 June 1881 with capital of £25,330.[note 1] The authorised capital needed to be extended (by Act of 19 June 1882) in order to allow an extension to the Caledonian Railway's Beattock station: the original intention was to join the railway some distance north of the station, but the modification resulted in the line running parallel with the Caledonian Railway main line to the Beattock station.

The line opened on 2 April 1883. It was leased to the Caledonian Railway and worked by them. The Moffat Railway was absorbed by the Caledonian by Act of 11 May 1889, with effect from on 11 November 1889.[4][6]

The line was only 1 mile and 71 chains (3 km) in length, with no intermediate stations; the passenger train journey took between four and six minutes.[7] Kinnear, Moodie and Co. of Edinburgh were the contractors for the station buildings, goods shed, and signal boxes.[8] The station was licensed for the sale of wines and spirits and had a John Menzies bookstall on the platform.[6]

The spa town visitors had at first a service of twelve to fifteen three coach trains per day. In around 1926 this service was replaced by the 'Moffat Bus' or 'Puffer' steam railcar that worked the line until circa 1948. The first train of the day from Beattock was the 6.45am that also took loaded or empty wagons to Moffat as required.[6] The fare in the 1940s was 2d. one way, 3d. return.[9]

The station site

The last passenger train from Moffat was the 3.05pm on 6 December 1954 and the last railtour was on 29 March 1964; the line closed to goods traffic on 6 April 1964.[6] The station and goods shed were demolished and what survives (2004) is an embankment, the abutments of a railway bridge at the southern end of the town, the aptly named 'Station Park', a short section of platform and the station toilets that stood near the platform end.[10]

Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Beattock
Line and Station closed		   Caledonian Railway
Moffat Railway
   Terminus
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References
  1. Butt (1995), page 161
  2. Railscot Retrieved : 2012-10-02
  3. C J A Robertson, The Origins of the Scottish Railway System, 1722 - 1844, John Donald Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh, 1983, ISBN 0-85976-088-X
  4. David Ross, The Caledonian: Scotland's Imperial Railway: A History, Stenlake Publishing Limited, Catrine, 2014, ISBN 978 1840 335842
  5. John Thomas revised J S Paterson, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 6, Scotland, the Lowlands and the Borders, David and Charles, Newton Abbot, 1984, ISBN 0 946537 12 7
  6. Storrar, Page 158
  7. Storrar, Page 156
  8. Storrar, Page 157
  9. Moffat Town History Retrieved : 2012-11-04
  10. Railbrit Retrieved : 2012-11-04

Notes
  1. Ross says the line cost £16,000, citing the Glasgow Herald newspaper of 5 May 1881. This may have been an optimistic publicity statement.

Sources
  • Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199.
  • Storrar, J. (2010). Moffat Miscellany V.3. A Moffat Bedside Book. Moffat : Jim Storrar. ISBN 978-0-9558952-2-7.
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