, symbol_location = gb
, symbol = rail
, symbol2 = glasgow
, image = Partick station new facade.jpeg
, caption = The new façade of ''Partick station'' after a lengthy renovation
, borough =
Partick
Partick ( sco, Pairtick, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and to t ...
,
City of Glasgow
Glasgow City Council is the local government authority for the City of Glasgow, Scotland. It was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, largely with the boundaries of the post-1975 City of Glasgow district of the S ...
, country = Scotland
, coordinates =
, grid_name =
Grid reference
A projected coordinate system, also known as a projected coordinate reference system, a planar coordinate system, or grid reference system, is a type of spatial reference system that represents locations on the Earth using cartesian coordin ...
, grid_position =
, manager =
ScotRail
ScotRail Trains Limited, trading as ScotRail ( gd, Rèile na h-Alba), is a Scottish train operating company that is publicly owned by Scottish Rail Holdings on behalf of the Scottish Government. It has been operating the ScotRail franchise a ...
, platforms = 2
, disabled =
, code = PTK
, transit_authority =
SPT
, original =
British Railways
British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
, opened =
[Butt (1995), page 181]
, mpassengers =
, footnotes = Passenger statistics from the
Office of Rail and Road
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the economic and safety regulation of Britain's railways, and the economic monitoring of National Highways.
ORR regulates Network Rail by setting its ...
![Bud Neill's G I Bride](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Bud_Neill%27s_G_I_Bride.jpg)
Partick station is an
interchange station
An interchange station or a transfer station is a train station for more than one railway route in a public transport system that allows passengers to change from one route to another, often without having to leave a station or pay an additional ...
in the
Partick
Partick ( sco, Pairtick, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and to t ...
area of
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. Along with an adjacent bus station, it forms one of the main
transport hubs
A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles and/or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include railway stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stops, airports and ferry slips. Fr ...
in Glasgow. The station is served by
Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is an underground light metro system in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the fourth-oldest underground rail transit system in Europe after the London Underground, Liverpool's Mersey Railway and the Budapes ...
and
National Rail
National Rail (NR) is the trading name licensed for use by the Rail Delivery Group, an unincorporated association whose membership consists of the passenger train operating companies (TOCs) of England, Scotland, and Wales. The TOCs run the p ...
services and was one of the first to receive bilingual
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
signs, because there is a significant Gaelic-speaking population in the Partick area.
History
The first station in the area was the
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a British railway company, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1844, with the intention of linking with English railways at Berwick. The line opened in 1846, and from the outset the company followe ...
's , opened in 1887 slightly to the north of the existing site on the opposite side of the Dumbarton Road. Soon after, the
Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is an underground light metro system in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the fourth-oldest underground rail transit system in Europe after the London Underground, Liverpool's Mersey Railway and the Budapes ...
opened and its
Merkland Street station, slightly to the south of the existing station site, opened in December 1896. Neither was independently known as "Partick station" as there were two other railway stations in Partick between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries: (later renamed Kelvin Hall station) to the east with and to the west.
Argyle Line opening
The
Beeching Axe
The Beeching cuts (also Beeching Axe) was a plan to increase the efficiency of the nationalised railway system in Great Britain. The plan was outlined in two reports: ''The Reshaping of British Railways'' (1963) and ''The Development of the ...
of the 1960s closed and , both on the
Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
The Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway was a railway company in Scotland. It was promoted independently but supported by the Caledonian Railway, and it was designed to connect Balloch (on Loch Lomond) and Dumbarton with central Glasgow, l ...
link to the
Stobcross Railway
The Stobcross Railway was a railway line in Glasgow, Scotland, built by the North British Railway to connect from Maryhill to the new dock being built at Stobcross; the dock became the Queen's Dock, opened in 1877. The line was opened first, in ...
and
Glasgow Central Railway
The Glasgow Central Railway was a railway line built in Glasgow, Scotland by the Caledonian Railway, running in tunnel east to west through the city centre. It was opened in stages from 1894 and opened up new journey opportunities for passengers ...
, leaving just the two stations in Partick, with Partickhill station - which escaped closure owing to being on the newly electrified (1960) North Clyde line from Queen Street Low Level, served by the '
Blue Trains', with a major pre-electrification refurbishment in 1958. It stood a few hundred yards north of Merkland Street. The amalgamation of the two stations to a single site came in 1979, as a major refurbishment of the Glasgow Subway coincided with the
Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is a regional transport partnership for the Strathclyde area of western Scotland. It is responsible for planning and coordinating regional transport, especially the public transport system in the are ...
's decision to reopen part of the
Glasgow Central Railway
The Glasgow Central Railway was a railway line built in Glasgow, Scotland by the Caledonian Railway, running in tunnel east to west through the city centre. It was opened in stages from 1894 and opened up new journey opportunities for passengers ...
, which had been axed by
Beeching, as the
Argyle Line
The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. The line serves the commercial and shopping districts of Glasgow's central area, and connects towns from West Dunbartonshire to South Lanarkshire. Named for Glasgow's Argyl ...
and connecting it to the North Clyde system just east of Partick. Both stations were closed (Merkland Street had been since the Subway works began in May 1977, whilst Partickhill remained in service for several months after the Argyle Line opened, until replaced by the current Partick station) and replaced by
British Rail
British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
with a new combined Partick station in the middle. The platforms at Partickhill are still visible from the North Clyde/Argyle Line, although access to Dumbarton Road is now blocked. The Merkland Street station buildings are no longer visible.
The station is one of the primary stations on the Argyle Line and
North Clyde Line
The North Clyde Line (defined by Network Rail as the ''Glasgow North Electric Suburban'' line) is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by ScotRail Trains. As a result of the incorporation of the Airdrie–Bathgat ...
of the Glasgow suburban rail network. These lines primarily provide services to the east and west although the station itself is orientated north–south with two platforms. Statistically, it is the tenth busiest railway station in Scotland and the fifth busiest passenger interchange when subway and bus journeys from the site are included.
National Rail
Partick station is on a busy section of the Strathclyde rail network, served by all services on the
Argyle Line
The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. The line serves the commercial and shopping districts of Glasgow's central area, and connects towns from West Dunbartonshire to South Lanarkshire. Named for Glasgow's Argyl ...
and
North Clyde Line
The North Clyde Line (defined by Network Rail as the ''Glasgow North Electric Suburban'' line) is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by ScotRail Trains. As a result of the incorporation of the Airdrie–Bathgat ...
.
Eastbound
Argyle Line
The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. The line serves the commercial and shopping districts of Glasgow's central area, and connects towns from West Dunbartonshire to South Lanarkshire. Named for Glasgow's Argyl ...
trains serve and , before continuing to , , via or , as well as . Eastbound
North Clyde Line
The North Clyde Line (defined by Network Rail as the ''Glasgow North Electric Suburban'' line) is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by ScotRail Trains. As a result of the incorporation of the Airdrie–Bathgat ...
trains operate to , , eastbound, via . Westbound services operate to and via , and to .
Many journeys that interchange between the Argyle and North Clyde lines require passengers to change at Partick, as it is the closest station to central Glasgow with direct services to both and main line stations.
November 1979 (from opening of Argyle Line)
There were 15 trains per hour at opening of the Argyle Line in November 1979.
*2 tph to , via and
*1 tph to , via and
*2 tph to , via and
*1 tph to , via and
*1 tph to , limited stop via
*2 tph to
*2 tph to , limited stop
*2 tph to via
*2 tph
High Street
High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...
to
2010/11 (From 12 December 2010)
There are a total of 14 trains per hour, off-peak, in each direction.
*2 tph to , via
*2 tph to , via
*2 tph to (limited stop)
*2 tph to (limited stop)
*2 tph to , via Singer (limited stop)
*1 tph to , via and
*1 tph to , via and
*1 tph to , via
*1 tph to , via
2016
The basic frequency still remains 14tph each way, but following a major timetable recast in December 2014 some routes have been changed. The main alteration has been the incorporation of the
Whifflet Line
The Whifflet Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland.
History
The line was built between 1863 and 1865 as the Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway, part of the Caledonian Railway. It opened to goods tr ...
into the Argyle Line timetable and the consequent removal of trains to Lanark via Belshill (passengers for those stations now have to change at or Glasgow Central, as they run to/from Central High Level). Springburn line services have now also been extended to Cumbernauld eastbound and Dumbarton Central westbound on weekdays, with an hourly service to Cumbernauld via Springburn starting/terminating here on Sundays.
Glasgow Subway
Partick subway station is one of the largest stations on the
Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is an underground light metro system in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the fourth-oldest underground rail transit system in Europe after the London Underground, Liverpool's Mersey Railway and the Budapes ...
network, and has around 1.01 million boardings per year. This is due in part to its situation within the city and also the National Rail network.
Partick
Partick ( sco, Pairtick, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and to t ...
is a relatively large population centre of Glasgow housing around 100,000 people, a significant number of whom use the subway to commute to the city centre.
Furthermore, Partick station is an interchange for two lines on the National Rail network. People commuting from outside Glasgow to one of the areas covered by the underground network may choose to continue their journey from Partick to allow for ease of transfer between the services and to avoid a lengthy walk between (for example)
Glasgow Central and
St Enoch.
It is one of only three with a dual
side platform
A side platform (also known as a marginal platform or a single-face platform) is a platform positioned to the side of one or more railway tracks or guideways at a railway station, tram stop, or transitway. A station having dual side platforms ...
layout (the others being
Govan
Govan ( ; Cumbric?: ''Gwovan'?''; Scots: ''Gouan''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former burgh now part of south-west City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south ba ...
and
St Enoch). The rest have either a single central platform covering both circles or two platforms with a track running at the same side of each. The new Partick station replaced
Merkland Street, which was located to the south, after modernisation. It should not be confused with the old
Partick Cross station which is now known as
Kelvinhall and is the next station clockwise from Partick.
It is the only station on the Subway that interchanges ''directly'' with a railway station, although
Buchanan Street
Buchanan Street is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. It forms the central stretch of Glasgow's famous shopping district with a generally more upmarket range of shops than the neighbouring streets: ...
is linked to
Queen Street by a length of
moving walkway
A moving walkway, also known as an autowalk, moving pavement, moving sidewalk, people-mover, travolator, or travelator, is a slow-moving conveyor mechanism that transports people across a horizontal or inclined plane over a short to medium distan ...
.
St Enoch once shared this distinction, before its parent
St Enoch railway station
St Enoch station was a mainline railway station in the city of Glasgow, Scotland between 1876 and 1966. The hotel was the first building in Glasgow to be fitted out with electric lighting. The station was demolished in 1977.
History
Locate ...
was closed in the 1960s and demolished in 1977.
Partick is one of three subway stations on the SPT Subway line to benefit from mobile telephone service nodes, the others being
Buchanan Street
Buchanan Street is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. It forms the central stretch of Glasgow's famous shopping district with a generally more upmarket range of shops than the neighbouring streets: ...
and
Hillhead
Hillhead ( sco, Hullheid, gd, Ceann a' Chnuic) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated north of Kelvingrove Park and to the south of the River Kelvin, Hillhead is at the heart of Glasgow's fashionable West End, with Byres Road forming the w ...
. These nodes allow users of the
O2 cellular network to use their mobile telephones while waiting on a subway train. The idea was to trial the technology at the busiest stations and, if successful, to put similar devices at each station eventually extending service across the entire network. As yet, the trial is incomplete.
The Partick subway station is not wheelchair accessible. The only two Glasgow Subway stations with wheelchair access are Govan and St Enoch, both of which feature a
lift
Lift or LIFT may refer to:
Physical devices
* Elevator, or lift, a device used for raising and lowering people or goods
** Paternoster lift, a type of lift using a continuous chain of cars which do not stop
** Patient lift, or Hoyer lift, mobile ...
and
escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase which carries people between floors of a building or structure. It consists of a motor-driven chain of individually linked steps on a track which cycle on a pair of tracks which keep the step tread horizo ...
. Aside from Govan and St Enoch, Partick is the only Glasgow Subway station that includes an escalator.
Past passenger numbers
* 2011/12: 1.032 million annually
Bus station
The bus station is situated above ground, adjacent to the National Rail platforms. It has six stances. It was closed from October 2017 to September 2018 for a £2.5 million refurbishment. Routes include the
M4 Anniesland–Partick.
Modernisation
2005–2009 project
Strathclyde Passenger Transport began planning an extensive modernisation of the Partick station site – which had remained largely unchanged since its opening in 1979 – as early as 1998. Work began in late 2005 and was originally scheduled for completion in January 2007. However, delays to the project resulted in this date being put back on a number of occasions. The demolition and construction work was carried out while the site remained open to avoid any disruption in rail and underground services, arguably one of the most ambitious attributes of the project.
The total cost of the project was estimated to be around £12.3 million with professional fees and third-party costs accounting for £2.6 million of this. However, due to delays in the progression of the works and unforeseen difficulties – such as ground conditions on the land the station occupies, only discovered after the commencement of work – the company in charge of the development, C Spencer Construction, made a claim for a further £6.3 million.
In early 2009, the project finally reached its conclusion and on 31 March, the new station was officially opened to the public. The work done includes the construction of a completely new and modern station building which incorporates a brand new ticket office (which has been in use since 2008). The station concourse has been completely renovated and new signs have been posted similar to those seen in and
Queen Street stations. Both railway platforms have been refurbished and now have their own indoor waiting rooms. Lifts linking the concourse to the National Rail platforms were installed.
2012–2013 project
The Subway platforms were renovated between summer 2012 and spring 2013 at a cost of £1.2 million. All floor, wall, and ceiling finishes were replaced with new contemporary designs. Improved lighting, signage, and facilities for disabled people were introduced.
Lifts linking the concourse to the Subway platforms were to be installed as part of this project because the necessary land is not owned by SPT. The future provision of lifts has, however, been safeguarded.
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
*
*
Location of Partick station on navigable OS map
External links
Video footage of Partick Station
{{Railway stations served by Abellio Scotrail
Railway stations in Glasgow
Railway stations opened by British Rail
Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1979
SPT railway stations
Railway stations served by ScotRail
Partick
Glasgow Subway stations
Railway stations located underground in the United Kingdom