Gourock Pier

Location type


Name and dates

Gourock Pier (1889-)

Station code: National Rail
Opened on the Caledonian Steam Packet Company.
Opened on the Caledonian MacBrayne.

Description

This pier is open. It is a combined facility with Gourock station. Ferries operate from Gourock to Dunoon Pier and Kilcreggan Pier, and sometimes Helensburgh Pier. The pier is located on Kempock Point.

This pier opened when the Caledonian Railway extended their Glasgow to Greenock line on to Gourock. The pier opened to counter the opening of the Glasgow and South Western Railway's pier at Greenock Princes Pier [1st] (opened 1869) and the North British Railway's new pier at Craigendoran Pier (opened 1882). Clearly trains are faster than steamers and reducing the steamer portion and lengthening the train portion reduced the journey time from, say, Dunoon Pier to Glasgow.

In addition to operating the railway the Caledonian Railway operated steamers via the Caledonian Steam Packet Company, effectively extending the railway to the Firth of Clyde piers.

In the 1970s the quayside to the east of the station, and a little to the south, was remade in concrete in connection with the new roll-on-roll-off-service.

The pier was cut back in the 1990s, the timber portion being demolished and the timber, where reusable, sold.

From 2011 the ferry service became passenger only, the ro-ro service ending. The facility remains for use in emergencies.

There was a pier at Gourock before the line and new pier opened, this was a major expansion of that pier and a large amount of the beach was reclaimed for its construction as well as the building of the pier in timber.

Local

The headquarters of Caledonian MacBrayne is by Gourock station.

Caledonian MacBrayne - Gourock

Argyll Ferries operate a passenger ferry service between Gourock Pier and Dunoon Pier.

Tags

Station terminus pier

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




Chronology Dates

  /  /1869Gourock Extension Railway (Caledonian Railway)
The Caledonian Railway purchases Gourock Harbour. The company retains the land and Gourock Pier.
  /  /1884Gourock Extension Railway (Caledonian Railway)
Authorisation for the extension from Greenock Cathcart Street [1st] to Gourock and Gourock Pier. With new new alignment in Greenock the Dellingburn Branch is authorised to be modified. An agreement is made with the Clyde Lighthouse Board over lights.
  /  /1888PS Meg Merrilies [II]
Operated from Gourock Pier to the Holy Loch (from when?).
01/05/1890Caledonian Steam Packet Company
Starts to operate service from Gourock Pier (Kempock Point). Gourock opened 01/06/1889.
  /  /1939Craigendoran Pier Deviation
Ferry services cut back (just prior to the outbreak of the World War II). With the war, PS Lucy Ashton became the only vessel operating out of Craigendoran Pier to Helensburgh Pier, Kilcreggan Pier, Gourock Pier, Kirn Pier and Dunoon Pier.

News items

27/11/2023Spending delayed for Gourock ferry terminal revamp [Greenock Telegraph]
28/07/2023Jamie Greene says cyclists ignoring walkway dismount signs [Greenock Telegraph]
21/06/2023Gourock ferry terminal development: Consultation meeting off [Greenock Telegraph]
20/06/2023CalMac amend Gourock ferry times to line up with ScotRail trains [Greenock Telegraph]
01/11/2022Gourock Ferry Terminal set for major redevelopment project [Greenock Telegraph]
25/10/2022Design consultant appointed for Gourock Ferry Terminal upgrade [CMAL]
11/11/2021Yobs force Gourock ferry waiting room reduced opening hours [Greenock Telegraph]
03/09/2021Public Consultation Starts Over Ferry Terminal Plans [Inverclyde Now]
04/07/2021Argyll Flyer breakdown on Gourock to Dunoon crossing [Greenock Telegraph]
19/05/2021Ferry disruption after Gourock gangway 'left underwater' following disturbance [Greenock Telegraph]