Lanark railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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Platform 2 at Lanark railway station, looking towards the ticket office
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| Location | Lanark, South Lanarkshire Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°40′25″N 3°46′20″W / 55.6735°N 3.7723°W |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Other information | |
| Station code | LNK |
| Fare zone | L3 |
| History | |
| Original company | Lanark Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Caledonian Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 5 June 1855 | Station opened |
| Traffic | |
| Passengers (2017/18) |  0.304 million |
| Passengers (2018/19) | 0.292 million |
| Passengers (2019/20) | 0.280 million |
| Passengers (2020/21) | 30,996 |
| Passengers (2021/22) |  0.144 million |
Lanark railway station is located in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is managed by ScotRail and is the very last stop (the southern terminus) on the Argyle Line.
You can find the station on Bannatyne Street in Lanark. It has staff working part-time, usually from Monday to Saturday, between 6:20 AM and 8:25 PM. There's also a car park with 31 spaces, including two spots for disabled drivers.
Contents
Station History: A Journey Through Time
When Lanark Station First Opened
Lanark station first opened its doors on 5 June 1855. It was built as the end point of a short railway line. This line connected to the main Caledonian Railway route, which is now part of the West Coast Main Line.
Connecting Lines and Junctions
The original branch line had a special "triangular junction." This allowed trains from Lanark to go in two directions: west towards Carluke or east towards Carstairs. However, the eastern part of this junction closed down in the 1960s.
There was another triangular junction closer to Lanark station. You can still see the raised ground (embankments) from this old junction near the golf course today. These lines once led towards Muirkirk and Ayrshire, and even to a special stop for the Lanark racecourse.
Expanding the Railway Network
In 1864, a new line was opened that went south from Lanark to Douglas. Later, in 1874, this line was made even longer, reaching Muirkirk in Ayrshire. There, it connected with another railway, the Glasgow and South Western Railway. Sadly, this longer line closed in 1964.
Electrifying the Line
In 1974, the Lanark branch line became part of a big project by British Rail called the "Electric Scots." This project involved adding electric power to the West Coast Main Line, making trains faster and more modern.
Current Train Services
Trains to Glasgow
Today, ScotRail trains run from Lanark to Glasgow Central High Level. During busy times (peak hours), a train leaves every half hour. At other times (off-peak), a train leaves every hour. These trains usually stop at places like Shieldmuir, Motherwell, and Bellshill.
Some trains used to go through Holytown and continue along the Argyle Line to the north-west parts of Glasgow. But after the Whifflet Line was electrified and the train schedule changed, these trains now go directly to Glasgow Central High Level and travel faster after Cambuslang.
No Southbound Services
Currently, there are no trains that go south or east from Lanark station. This is because the railway line only has a connection (called a "northbound chord") that links it to the West Coast Main Line (WCML) at Lanark Junction, allowing trains to go north.
People have suggested reconnecting the southbound part of the line. This would allow direct trains from Lanark to Edinburgh. However, the land where this old route used to be has since been used for building houses.
| Preceding station |  National Rail |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | ScotRail Argyle Line |
Carluke | ||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Carstairs | Caledonian Railway Main Line |
Cleghorn | ||
| Terminus | Caledonian Railway Branch to Douglas & G&SWR |
Sandilands | ||
