Castle Douglas

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Castle Douglas (1859-1965)

Station code: National Rail
Opened on the Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway.
Opened on the Kirkcudbright Railway.
Opened on the Portpatrick Railway.

Description

This was a two platform station in the north of Castle Douglas.

There were two through platforms and a goods dock at the east end of the westbound platform. At the west end of the station was the junction between the lines to Portpatrick and Kirkcudbright. Two goods lines bypassed the station on its north side. The goods yard was on the south side, approached from the east. An engine shed was on the north side of the line, also approached from the east.

The station was a terminus from 1859 to 1861 when the line was extended west by the Portpatrick Railway, the roads to the west requiring a little re-alignment. The connection was made with an end -on junction at the west end of the station.

The Kirkcudbright Railway opened in 1864. Initially the two single track lines approaching from the west met and passed under the road before doubling.

The station had two signal boxes, Castle Douglas Goods Yard box to the east and Castle Douglas Junction to the west, at the junction.

In 1888 an eastbound platform and loop were provided. Both boxes were replaced. In 1887 the goods yard box was replaced by Castle Douglas No 1 box. The junction box was renamed Castle Douglas No 2 box. In 1888 the No 2 box was replaced.

With doubling of the line from Dalbeattie to Castle Douglas in 1894 the double line was extended west on both the routes, and the Kirkcudbright line re-aligned slightly to the south and passing independently of the Portpatrick line under the road bridge to reach the station. The junction became a double track junction. The westbound platform was extended west along the branch line to the road bridge.

The branch connection was singled in 1956, relocated to use the northern span of the bridge, and platform cut back. The two goods lines to the north of the station were removed in 1959.

Closure came in 1965. The station, boxes, Kirkcudbright and main line all closing.

Two goods sheds remain at the station site. One in stone and the other a more modern concrete structure. The station site has been built over, a supermarket now occupying the west end of the site.

Tags

Station terminus

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map



Chronology Dates

  /  /1840Ayr and Dalmellington Railway
Originally promoted as the Ayrshire and Galloway Railway it was to run from Ayr to Dalmellington and on to Castle Douglas to join the British and Irish Grand Junction Railway, which later was opened as the Portpatrick Railway.
17/08/1857Portpatrick Railway
Act receives Royal assent for line from Castle Douglas to Stranraer Town with branches to Stranraer Harbour and Portpatrick.
11/03/1861Portpatrick Railway
Stranraer to Castle Douglas (on the Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway) formally opened. (Alternative date 12/02/1861.)
12/03/1861Portpatrick Railway
Stranraer to Castle Douglas opened to the public. Most of the line was single track. Stations at; Stranraer, Glenluce, Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart, Creetown, New Galloway, Parton and Crossmichael.
17/02/1864Kirkcudbright Railway
Opened from Castle Douglas (Portpatrick Railway and Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway) to Kirkcudbright.
  /  /1894Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Buittle station closed on doubling of line between Dalbeattie and Castle Douglas.

News items

05/10/2023Ayrshire: Improvements for A75 between Gretna, Stranraer [Ayr Advertiser]
24/02/2023Dalbeattie charity fundraiser believes old Dumfries and Galloway railway line could become popular walking route [Daily Record]
10/12/2022Railway line disappointment [DNG Online Limited]
19/10/2021New report claims reopening Dumfries to Stranraer railway should be 'high priority' [Daily Record]
28/06/2006Maxwelltown Branch lifted [Railscot]

Books


Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Railways (Library of Railway History)
Rails to Portpatrick (Local History Series)
The Port Road: Dumfries to Stranraer, Portpatrick, Kirkcudbright and Whithorn

The Port Road: Dumfries to Stranraer, Portpatrick, Kirkcudbright and Whithorn

The Port Road: Dumfries to Stranraer, Portpatrick, Kirkcudbright and Whithorn