Larbert

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Larbert (1848-)

Station code: LBT National Rail ScotRail
Where: Falkirk, Scotland
Opened on the Scottish Central Railway.
Open on the Glasgow to Perth.

Description

This is a two platform station. The present station formerly featured four tracks between the platforms, allowing non stop trains to pass those stopped in the station. There was a bay platform at the south end, east side of the line (from which trains to Grangemouth departed). The original station building still stands on the down (northbound) platform at the north end of the platform.

To the north were goods loops on either side of the line. The up (southbound) loop has been converted into a permanent way siding.

The widening of the lines through the station to four tracks was authorised in 1889. As part of this the existing north and south signal boxes were replaced. The new north box opened in 1892 and was a little south of the original. This was on the east side of the line just north of the platforms and with entry from Muirhall Road which was immediately behind the box. The south box was also opened in 1892 and was on the east side at the south end of the platforms, on the east side of the bay platform line.

In 1940 the north box took over Stenhousemuir Signal Box to the north, which closed. This box was located at the north end of the loops.

The south box closed in 1973 but the north box, renamed 'Larbert', was to survive until 2017 when it was taken over by the Edinburgh Signalling Centre.

Tags

Station
06/11/2019


Chronology Dates

01/03/1848Scottish Central Railway
Opened from Scottish Central Junction (Greenhill) to Stirling. Stations at Scottish Central Junction, Larbert, Bannockburn and Stirling.
  /  /1860Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company)
Line opened to minerals. Worked by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway. (At the time the Carmuirs Curve did not exist and approach from the west was from Larbert.)
  /  /1876Scottish Central Railway
Authorisation to relocate Muirhall Road, Larbert, further east to allow expansion and partial relocation of the station and quadrupling of a portion of the line.
03/07/1876Dalry Road Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Dalry Middle Junction to Haymarket West Junction (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway) opened. The Caledonian Railway had running powers to Larbert from here.
  /  /1889Scottish Central Railway
Authorisation to widen the line through Larbert and rebuild the station granted.
  /  /1891Kirkcaldy District Railway (North British Railway)
Bill promoted to extend the line west to Larbert and Grangemouth, both on the Caledonian Railway. Bill passes in the Commons but fails in the Lords.
  /  /1892Scottish Central Railway
New Larbert station opened.
28/07/1930Denny Branch (Scottish Central Railway)
Denny to Larbert (Bonnywater Junction) closed to passengers.
29/01/1968Alloa RailwaySouth Alloa Branch (Scottish Central Railway)
Alloa (Alloa West Junction) to Larbert (Alloa Junction) closed to passengers. Railbuses cease crossing the Alloa Bridge.

News items

17/10/2023Looking back with Ian Scott at when trams were the favoured travel across Falkirk district [Falkirk Herald]
18/07/2022Station Hotel Larbert for sale [Herald Scotland]
25/02/2022ScotRail ticket office closures postponed and fewer in Glasgow will have hours reduced [Glasgow World]
15/07/2021Old Falkirk district tramway: A walk through the Constantinople of the Scottish railways [Falkirk Herald]
12/07/2021Falkirk areas appalling railway trespass figures revealed in new survey [Falkirk Herald]
22/05/2020Falkirk Provost will stand alone to remember Quintinshill rail victims [Falkirk Herald]
02/05/2020Fond memories of Falkirk's tram car service [Falkirk Herald]
20/09/2018Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa electrification means changes for Central Belt travellers [Network Rail]
22/02/2014Falkirk tram workers didn’t always have good conduct [Falkirk Herald]
26/10/2011Stirling to Larbert trains cancelled as car hits bridge [BBC News]

Books


A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The North of Scotland v. 15 (Regional railway history series)

An Illustrated History of Tayside's Railways

Bradshaw's Guides Scotlands Railways West Coast - Carlisle to Inverness: 5

Scottish Central Railway (Oakwood Library of Railway History)