Helensburgh Upper

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Helensburgh Upper (1894-)

Station code: HLU National Rail ScotRail
Where: Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Opened on the West Highland Railway.
Opened on the Military Port Number 1 Railway.
Open on the West Highland Line.

Description

This station is open. It is located in the north of Helensburgh, up above the town centre (better served by Helensburgh Central).

It was an island platform station with a typical West Highland Railway chalet style station building and, originally, a typical West Highland signal box.

Most island stations on the West Highland were approached by a subway, this one has a long covered ramp walkway which runs down to the platform. This is unique for this line.

There was a goods yard, Helensburgh Upper Goods, to the east of the station, on the north side of the line. It was accessed, by reversal, from the west.

The loop was greatly extended to the west during the Second World War. This was done by doubling the line to the west although the island platform was not extended. A new signal box was required in 1941.

The up platform track was lifted in 1968 and box closed. The former trackbed has been raised to platform level. The station building has been demolished as has the replacement signal box, although its outline can be seen under the platform stone chippings.

A West Highland Railway style railway cottage is on the east side of Sinclair Street, on the north side of the line.

Local

The Helensburgh Hill House is north of the station.

The route of the Three Lochs Way directly passes the entrance to the station.

Tags

Station

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
01/10/2021

Facilities

Gaelic name: Baile Eilidh Àrd
Listing: C




Chronology Dates

31/07/1894West Highland Railway
Helensburgh Upper, Shandon, Garelochhead, Glen Douglas, Arrochar and Tarbet, Ardlui, Crianlarich, Tyndrum [WHR], Bridge of Orchy, Gorton, Rannoch, Corrour, Inverlair, Roy Bridge, Spean Bridge signal boxes opened.
07/08/1894West Highland Railway
Public opening from Fort William to Craigendoran. Stations opened at Craigendoran Upper, Helensburgh Upper, Row, Shandon, Garelochhead, Arrochar and Tarbet, Ardlui, Crianlarich, Tyndrum [WHR], Bridge of Orchy, Gortan (private), Rannoch, Corrour (private), Inverlair, Roy Bridge, Spean Bridge and Fort William [1st].
21/12/1941West Highland Railway
New signal box and longer loop opened at Helensburgh Upper to help with Faslane Military Port traffic.
21/07/1968West Highland Railway
Glasgow bound track at Helensburgh Upper lifted and signal box closed.

News items

27/09/2023Helensburgh train disruptions planned for this weekend [Helensburgh Advertiser]
30/12/2022Cars floating down street as torrential downpour causes severe flooding [Glasgow Live]
28/09/2022Broken down train removed from the West Highland Line [Press and Journal]
13/04/2022Replanting marks successful completion of West Highland Line vegetation project [Network Rail]
24/02/2022Helensburgh trains: Landslip closes rail line in town [Helensburgh Advertiser]
18/01/2022Lineside replanting trial to improve biodiversity on the West Highland Line [Network Rail]
23/07/2021Destination Helensburgh hits Glasgow to promote town to 'active travel' visitors [Helensburgh Advertiser]
12/11/2020Helensburgh and Lomond commuter train services to be suspended [Helensburgh Advertiser]
20/04/2018West Highland Line journey times review [BBC News]

Books

All Stations to Mallaig!: West Highland Line Since Nationalisation
Argyll and the Highlands Last Days of Steam

Argyll and the Highlands' Lost Railways

Ben Nevis and Fort William, The Mamores and The Grey Corries, Kinlochleven and Spean Bridge (OS Explorer Map)

History of the Railways of the Scottish Highlands: West Highland Railway v. 1

History of the Railways of the Scottish Highlands: West Highland Railway v. 1

Iron Road to the Isles: A Travellers and Tourist Guide to the West Highland Lines

Iron Roads to the Isles: A Travellers and Tourists Souvenir Guide to the West Highland Lines

Mountain Moor and Loch on the Route of the West Highland Railway

On West Highland Lines

Railway World Special: West Highland Lines

Rannan Rathad Iarainn nan Eilean =: The West Highland Line

Road To The Isles Dvd: Part One The West Highland Line Between Crianlarich to Fort William, From the Drivers Cab Of A Class 37, With The Caledonian Sleeper
The Mallaig Railway: The West Highland Extension 1897-1901 (RCAHMS Broadsheet)
The New Railway: The Earliest Years of the West Highland Line

The Story of the West Highland

The Story of the West Highland: The 1940s LNER Guide to the Line

The West Highland Railway

The West Highland Railway (Railways of the Scottish Highlands)

The West Highland Railway 120 Years

Trossachs and West Highlands: Exploring the Lost Railways (Local History Series)

Victorian Travel on the West Highland Line: By Mountain, Moor and Loch in 1894

Walks from the West Highland Railway (Cicerone Guide)

West Highland Line: Great Railway Journeys Through Time

West Highland Railway
West Highland Railway (History of the Railways of the Scottish Highlands v. 1): West Highland Railway v. 1
West Highland Railway: Plans, Poltics and People