IBM (Halt) Closure & Possible Re-opening

[Darandio]

Completely pedantic, but the short note on the ScotRail website mentions nothing about closure, just that trains won't call there any more.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

Given what I quoted upthread, could it be at Police instruction? Mind you you'd think that'd be immediate.

I know that people in the Sarf have strange ideas about Scotland but I don't think we are a Police State yet.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Completely pedantic, but the short note on the ScotRail website mentions nothing about closure, just that trains won't call there any more.

But (unless Scottish law is different) is it not the case that stopping calling at a station and not providing a replacement bus service mandates the closure proceedings to be followed, hence Parliamentary services which are put in to avoid the effort and cost of doing so?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I know that people in the Sarf have strange ideas about Scotland but I don't think we are a Police State yet.

I didn't mean in that sense, I meant that if the Police have instructed locals not to enter the site there is no reason for a train service to it, the use of which requires entering the site.

 

[gingerheid]

I'm surprised - presumably they hope to do something with the excellent site, and I'd have thought having a railway station there would be a major incentive to do so!

In terms of closure... the timetable used to say something about the station not being open to the general public and only being for access to the IBM factory. Does this make it easier to close?

 

[A Challenge]

If it was never officially opened for public use?

 

[318266]

According to Wikipedia (so take it with pinch of salt) it was unadvertised from opening in 1978 to 1986, which by then it was no longer called IBM Halt, just IBM.

 

[snookertam]

Completely pedantic, but the short note on the ScotRail website mentions nothing about closure, just that trains won't call there any more.

Yes I'd noticed that myself, but it is completely wiped from the literature, not longer on the maps.

'mothballing' would probably be the correct term for what they're doing.

 

[A Challenge]

If the Act that opened the station (and requires closure proceedings) said it was not for public use, only employees of IBM (or other business on the park), then only they could require alternative transport (which could be a taxi) then if there are no employees there is no-one legally allowed to use the station I'd it was never changes to say all public, so no alternative transport is required for the general public.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

Why is it not legally being closed? I.e the same closure procedures as Breich. Unlike Barlaston, Wedgwood and Norton Bridge (now closed) it hasn’t got a replacement service. The closure procedure surely applies to Scotland because Breich went through it and remained open, despite costs of keeping it. Is it going to be closed permanently or is it just temporary until the site is ever used again?

It is for public use now and has been since 1986.

EDIT:

According to wiki there is to be a housing development on the site of the old IBM and so the stations closure is unknown whether to be permanent.

 

[380gk]

Station is to probably be mothballed pending further future development at the site.

Fencing was erected over the summer to stop local youths ‘exploring’ the demolished/mothballed site, and there isn’t any public access to the station because of it (although it’s a metal fence with blocks, so you could squeeze in if you were inclined to do so).

OT as it is, but the surrounding infrastructure to the site (pavements along the a78, bus stops, pathways, road junctions) have also suffered from the closure of the site. No real justification in repairing things at the site anymore, I guess. Still a shame though.

 

[mmh]

Why is it not legally being closed? I.e the same closure procedures as Breich. Unlike Barlaston, Wedgwood and Norton Bridge (now closed) it hasn’t got a replacement service. The closure procedure surely applies to Scotland because Breich went through it and remained open, despite costs of keeping it. Is it going to be closed permanently or is it just temporary until the site is ever used again?

It is for public use now and has been since 1986.

It isn't. A forumite posted a very interesting blog post about their visit to the station earlier this year which can be found here: https://felixunstructured.weebly.com/lusblog/ibm-halt-and-a-bonus

It shows how the station serves only private land and has a picture of a sign on the platform saying:

IBM Halt
This station is for use only by staff / contractors of IBM.
Please be aware the area out with the station platform is private property.
ScotRail have no resposibility for this area.
Thank you.

I'm a little sad to see it go, but was also sad to see IBM go. Unfortunately times change and there's no use for the station now. Hopefully one day it'll reopen for either some new business there, but I won't hold my breath given how nobody seems to want it.

 

[greatkingrat]

Ah, it's gone entirely? OK, in that case it makes sense as there will be no demand at all as it doesn't serve anything else.

Wiki says:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spango_Valley

Definitely no need then!

Sounds like they are going for the Newhaven Marine gambit and arguing it is not safe to stop there.

 

[380gk]

I was mulling over in my head whether it was worth building a Greenock South Parkway on the site, it’s pretty well located off the A78 and could certainly attract some traffic with a decent sized car park, the only thing is that the possible users will probably live closer to Inverkip or Branchton, plus 1 TPH isn’t much to write home about. Overall, probably better to either close or drop to a parliamentary service & safeguard the site for re-opening at some point.

To be fair, Greenock and Inverclyde as a whole is a bit of an odd situation when it comes to rail travel.

Population of c 80k and there are what, 14 stations? Some of which are around a quarter of a mile apart and have up to 5 trains an hour. The amount of passengers using stations like Branchton is phenomenal considering the level of service it has.

A Greenock south parkway station might surprise you. Might take pressure off of Wemyss bay, inverkip and Gourock who all have parking issues in the peak.

As inoban says, the Glasgow suburban lines suffer from single lines at their extremities. It’s unfortunate that we are in the position that some of the busiest routes where demand has increased over the years - Wemyss bay, East Kilbride, milngavie, balloch, Largs - all suffer from it.

 

[Macwomble]

As it's (been called) a halt, rather than a station, does that mean that a station closure procedure doesn't apply?

 

[A Challenge]

I assume it's as it isn't for public use (officially anyway), see:

It isn't. A forumite posted a very interesting blog post about their visit to the station earlier this year which can be found here: https://felixunstructured.weebly.com/lusblog/ibm-halt-and-a-bonus

It shows how the station serves only private land and has a picture of a sign on the platform saying:

I'm a little sad to see it go, but was also sad to see IBM go. Unfortunately times change and there's no use for the station now. Hopefully one day it'll reopen for either some new business there, but I won't hold my breath given how nobody seems to want it.

 

[380gk]

There was always a footnote advising that it was only for IBM staff in the public timetable.

 

[Gems]

IBM Halt. I remember the day when this station was opened. Back in 78 I think,

I was last on the Glasgow - Wemyss Bay train last August, I swear I saw someone get off. Of course it is a tragedy looking at the old IBM factory now cleared to what it once was. But it is a prime piece of land and I'm sure the phoenix will rise from the ashes and it be needed again. Is it just being mothballed?

 

[Gathursty]

In 2014, I spent a week visiting many Scottish stations in my old car and I was heading from Branchton in to the IBM complex in the twilight hours.

A male security guard on patrol politely asked my reason for being there. I was startled as there was no barriers, not even any cars in the car park. Just a deer and some rabbits in the car park. I gave the lost tourist excuse and was allowed to pull up in the rear of the car park to get my bearings and was about to leave when I realised I'd parked up at the footpath for the station. I hotfooted it to the platform for a photo and returned to the car and made off for Inverkip

 

[Ianigsy]

It isn't. A forumite posted a very interesting blog post about their visit to the station earlier this year which can be found here: https://felixunstructured.weebly.com/lusblog/ibm-halt-and-a-bonus

Am I alone in being disappointed that there's no Gaelic translation of IBM on the station sign? I appreciate that it's a brand name, but still a shame that nobody had the initiative to translate International Business Machines!

 

[geoffk]

In 2014, I spent a week visiting many Scottish stations in my old car and I was heading from Branchton in to the IBM complex in the twilight hours.

A male security guard on patrol politely asked my reason for being there. I was startled as there was no barriers, not even any cars in the car park. Just a deer and some rabbits in the car park. I gave the lost tourist excuse and was allowed to pull up in the rear of the car park to get my bearings and was about to leave when I realised I'd parked up at the footpath for the station. I hotfooted it to the platform for a photo and returned to the car and made off for Inverkip

Did you ever make it to Lympstone Commando?

 

[Stopper]

As pointed out earlier, it appears the Glasgow-bound services have already stopped calling at the station.

 

[johntea]

I never knew that IBM had a factory, and seemingly a rail station, in Scotland!

 

[Gathursty]

Did you ever make it to Lympstone Commando?

Yes. I walked it from Exton down the footpath and reached over with my phone facing backwards for the shot. Lovely part of the world.

 

[NotATrainspott]

So this station was never officially 'open'? I'd be fascinated to see what effect that had on the rest of the legal stuff related to the railway.

 

[A Challenge]

So this station was never officially 'open'? I'd be fascinated to see what effect that had on the rest of the legal stuff related to the railway.

Not for the public, anyway, the removal of 'for staff only' in the timetable doesn't change the legal status. Is this also true of Redcar British Steel?

 

[route101]

Seen someone get off just over a month ago . Looking at going to see the station but dont fancy waiting there for an hour !

 

[DarloRich]

has the correct consultation procedure been used? If not this needs to be challenged from a point of principle.

 

[Esker-pades]

has the correct consultation procedure been used? If not this needs to be challenged from a point of principle.

As far as I know, no.

EDIT: The only mentions on search engines that relate to the station's closure are to Wikipedia and these forums.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Am I alone in being disappointed that there's no Gaelic translation of IBM on the station sign? I appreciate that it's a brand name, but still a shame that nobody had the initiative to translate International Business Machines!

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