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Bowling railway station

Coordinates: 55°55′52″N 4°29′34″W / 55.9311°N 4.4929°W / 55.9311; -4.4929
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Bowling

National Rail
General information
LocationBowling, West Dunbartonshire
Scotland
Coordinates55°55′52″N 4°29′34″W / 55.9311°N 4.4929°W / 55.9311; -4.4929
Grid referenceNS442736
Managed byScotRail
Transit authoritySPT
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeBWG
History
Original companyCaledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway
Pre-groupingCR and NBR
Post-groupingLMS and LNER
Key dates
15 July 1850[2]Opened
31 May 1858[3][2]Resited
Passengers
2019/20Decrease 50,366
2020/21Decrease 5,320
2021/22Increase 18,274
2022/23Increase 25,434
2023/24Decrease 24,670
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Bowling railway station serves the village of Bowling in the West Dunbartonshire region of Scotland. This station is on the North Clyde Line, between Kilpatrick and Dumbarton East, 12 miles 70 chains (20.7 km) from Glasgow Queen Street measured via Maryhill. The station is managed by ScotRail who provide all train services.

History

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The station was opened on 15 July 1850 by the Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway, and resited a few years later in 1858.[3][2]

Accidents and incidents

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On 8 September 1933, a passenger train collided with wagons on the line due to a signalman's error. Five people were injured.[4]

In October 2023, severe flooding took place around the River Clyde following a severe weather warning from the Met Office. The Glasgow Times described the station as being "underwater"[5] while The Herald called the station "inundated with muddy water ...[the] flood rising almost to the platform’s edge".[6][7]

Facilities

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The station seen in 2012

The station is unstaffed, and only comprises basic shelters, benches, help points, a payphone and a few cycle stands. As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.[8]

Passenger volume

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The main origin or destination station for journeys to or from Bowling station in the 2022/23 period was Glasgow Queen Street, making up 5,892 of the 25,434 journeys (23.17%).[9]

Passenger Volume at Bowling[9]
2002–03 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
Entries and exits 151,079 113,682 129,518 113,598 121,129 96,012 43,916 31,784 32,502 33,948 55,820 55,014 58,878 34,438 43,894 61,326 50,366 5,320 18,274 25,434

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

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On weekdays and Saturdays, there is a half-hourly service to Balloch northbound and Airdrie southbound. On Sundays, trains run twice per hour to Balloch as normal, but run southbound to Motherwell (with one going via Whifflet, the other via Hamilton Central).[10]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Kilpatrick   ScotRail
North Clyde Line
  Dumbarton East
  Historical railways  
Kilpatrick
Line and station open
  North British Railway
Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway
  Line continues as C&DJR
Line continues as GD&HR   Caledonian & North British Railway
Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway
  Dumbarton Central
Line closed; Station open

Cultural references

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The station was made famous by a 1960 painting by the renowned railway artist, the late Terence Cuneo, who depicted a then new Blue train (Class 303) heading westbound into Bowling, passing a steam engine, which the 303 had replaced, in a siding. The painting was used as a poster 'Glasgow Electric'.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Brailsford 2017, Gaelic/English Station Index.
  2. ^ a b c Quick 2022, p. 95.
  3. ^ a b Butt 1995, p. 41.
  4. ^ Hoole, Ken (1983). Trains in Trouble: Vol. 4. Truro: Atlantic Books. p. 19. ISBN 0-906899-07-9.
  5. ^ Grant, Jackie (7 October 2023). "Scots stations flooded as track turned into river and water tumbles down stairs". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Images of flooded stations reveal scale of rain disruption to Scotland's rail lines". The Herald. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Trains and roads in Scotland affected by flooding amid warnings". BBC News. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Bowling station map". National Rail. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  10. ^ eNRT December 2023, Table 206 https://timetables.fabdigital.uk/nrt/dec2023/206%20Glasgow%20to%20Partick,%20Milngavie,%20Yoker,%20Dalmuir,%20Dumbarton,%20Balloch%20and%20Helensburgh.pdf
  11. ^ Science Museum https://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co228546/glasgow-electric-poster

Bibliography

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