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.
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.[2] From 1878 a hydropathic establishment was founded in the town, making use of the thermal springs there.[3][4]
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.[3][5]
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.[6] Kinnear, Moodie and Co. of Edinburgh were the contractors for the station buildings, goods shed, and signal boxes.[7] The station was licensed for the sale of wines and spirits and had a John Menzies bookstall on the platform.[5]
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.[5] The fare in the 1940s was 2d. one way, 3d. return.[8]
The station siteEdit
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.[5] 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.[9]
^C J A Robertson, The Origins of the Scottish Railway System, 1722 - 1844, John Donald Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh, 1983, ISBN0-85976-088-X
^ abDavid Ross, The Caledonian: Scotland's Imperial Railway: A History, Stenlake Publishing Limited, Catrine, 2014, ISBN978 1840 335842
^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, ISBN0 946537 12 7
^Ross says the line cost £16,000, citing the Glasgow Herald newspaper of 5 May 1881. This may have been an optimistic publicity statement.
SourcesEdit
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. ISBN1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199.
Storrar, J. (2010). Moffat Miscellany V.3. A Moffat Bedside Book. Moffat : Jim Storrar. ISBN978-0-9558952-2-7.
External linksEdit
Moffat Station
August 25, 2023
moffat, railway, station, station, terminus, short, branch, line, which, served, moffat, scottish, county, dumfries, galloway, served, trains, from, junction, closed, beattock, moffatrailway, bridge, abutments, near, moffatgeneral, informationlocationdumfries,. 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 MoffatRailway bridge abutments near MoffatGeneral informationLocationDumfries and GallowayScotlandCoordinates55 19 49 N 3 26 38 W 55 3303 N 3 4438 W 55 3303 3 4438Grid referenceNT0849804982Platforms1Other informationStatusDisusedHistoryOriginal companyCaledonian RailwayPre groupingCaledonian RailwayPost groupingLondon Midland and Scottish RailwayKey dates2 April 1883Opened 1 6 December 1954Closed to passengers 1 6 April 1964Closed to goods Contents 1 History 1 1 The station site 2 References 2 1 Notes 2 2 Sources 3 External linksHistory EditMain 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 2 From 1878 a hydropathic establishment was founded in the town making use of the thermal springs there 3 4 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 3 5 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 6 Kinnear Moodie and Co of Edinburgh were the contractors for the station buildings goods shed and signal boxes 7 The station was licensed for the sale of wines and spirits and had a John Menzies bookstall on the platform 5 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 5 The fare in the 1940s was 2d one way 3d return 8 The station site Edit 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 5 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 9 vteCaledonian Railway main lineLegendCarstairs to Carlisle Caledonian Railway main lineto Greenhill Junction Carstairs Caledonian Railway main lineto Edinburgh Strawfrank Junction Thankerton Symington 2nd station Symington Biggar and Broughton Railway Symington 1st station Lamington Abington Crawford Elvanfoot Leadhills and Wanlockhead Branch Beattock Summit Private halt Auchencastle Moffat Beattock Wamphray Dinwoodie Nethercleugh Dumfries Lochmabenand Lockerbie Railway Lockerbie Ecclefechan Kirtlebridge Solway Junction Railway Kirkpatrick Quintinshill loops Glasgow Dumfries and Carlisle Railway Gretna Junction Gretna Gretna BUR Longtown Border Union Railway Floriston Rockcliffe Border Union Railway the Waverley Line Willowholme Jn Port Carlisle Branch Jn Caldew Junctions Carlisle Citadel Citadel South Junctions Maryport and Carlisle Railway London Road Junction Lancaster and Carlisle Railway Petteril Bridge Junction Newcastle amp Carlisle Railway Settle Carlisle linePreceding station Historical railways Following stationBeattockLine and Station closed Caledonian RailwayMoffat Railway TerminusReferences Edit a b Butt 1995 page 161 C J A Robertson The Origins of the Scottish Railway System 1722 1844 John Donald Publishers Ltd Edinburgh 1983 ISBN 0 85976 088 X a b David Ross The Caledonian Scotland s Imperial Railway A History Stenlake Publishing Limited Catrine 2014 ISBN 978 1840 335842 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 a b c d Storrar Page 158 Storrar Page 156 Storrar Page 157 Moffat Town History Retrieved 2012 11 04 Railbrit Retrieved 2012 11 04 Notes Edit 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 Edit 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 External links EditMoffat Station Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Moffat railway station amp oldid 1170594356, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
