Helensburgh Central railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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The station seen in 2013
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| Location | Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute Scotland |
| Coordinates | 56°00′14″N 4°43′53″W / 56.0038°N 4.7315°W |
| Platforms | 3 |
| Other information | |
| Station code | HLC |
| Fare zone | D4 |
| History | |
| Original company | Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway |
| Pre-grouping | North British Railway |
| Post-grouping | LNER |
| Key dates | |
| 28 May 1858 | Opened as Helensburgh |
| 8 June 1953 | Renamed Helensburgh Central |
| Traffic | |
| Passengers (2017/18) |  0.774 million |
| Passengers (2018/19) |  0.753 million |
| Passengers (2019/20) | 0.717 million |
| Passengers (2020/21) | 81,510 |
| Passengers (2021/22) | 0.371 million |
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Listed Building – Category B
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| Designated | 21 March 2002 |
| Reference no. | LB48538 |
Helensburgh Central railway station is a train station in the town of Helensburgh, Scotland. It is located on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde, close to Glasgow. This station is the main one for Helensburgh.
It is the end point of the North Clyde Line. The station is about 24 miles (39 km) from Glasgow Queen Street. Train services are run by ScotRail. They operate on behalf of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. Helensburgh has another smaller station called Helensburgh Upper. This other station is on the West Highland Line.
Contents
History of Helensburgh Central
The station first opened in 1858. Back then, it was just called Helensburgh. It was the last stop for the Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway. This railway company was taken over by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in 1862. Three years later, the North British Railway took over that company.
The whole station building and its platforms were rebuilt in 1897. This new design was created by James Carswell. In 1923, the station became part of the London and North Eastern Railway. Then, in 1948, it joined British Railways. The station got its current name, Helensburgh Central, in June 1953. Electric trains started running here in November 1960. This was part of a big upgrade for the North Clyde line.
The station originally had four platforms, but now only three are used. The old engine shed and signal box are no longer in use. The signal box closed in 1989. At that time, a central control system at Yoker took over managing the entire North Clyde network.
Station Facilities
Helensburgh Central station has many useful facilities for passengers. There is a ticket office where you can buy tickets. You can also grab a drink at the coffee shop. The station has an accessible toilet and waiting rooms.
For cyclists, there are bike racks. You will also find benches, payphones, and a help point. There is even a cash machine. The station has an accessible car park too. Most areas of the station are easy to access without steps. The only exception is one entrance to the ticket hall.
Passenger Numbers
The number of people using Helensburgh Central station changes each year. For example, in the year 2017-18, about 774,000 passengers used the station. This number went down slightly in 2018-19 to 753,000. In 2020-21, during a global event, the number dropped a lot to about 81,510 passengers. However, it increased again in 2021-22 to 371,000 passengers. These numbers count both people entering and leaving the station.
Train Services
On weekdays and Saturdays, trains usually run every half hour from Helensburgh Central. These trains go to Edinburgh Waverley. They travel through Glasgow Queen Street low-level and Airdrie. Some stations between Dalmuir and Hyndland are skipped.
On Sundays, trains still run every half hour. However, on Sundays, the trains stop at all stations along the route via Singer.
| Preceding station |  National Rail |
Following station | ||
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| Craigendoran | ScotRail North Clyde Line |
Terminus | ||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Craigendoran Line and Station open |
Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway North British Railway |
Terminus | ||
Images for kids
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A Class 303 train at the station in 1981.
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Platforms 1 and 2 at the station.
