The extensive station facilities (April 1974)The old station building was demolished in 1985
Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) visited North Berwick in 1859, arriving by train.[3] By this time the town was increasingly favoured as a resort for the wealthy, and the royal visit helped to boost its popularity. To encourage tourism, a large new hotel (the Royal Hotel) was built opposite the station, with the railway company being a shareholder in this venture until 1923. The growth of the town during the Victorian era resulted in increased business for the railway and, in 1894, the station was enlarged to cope with the traffic.
Following the rebuilding, the station complex featured two terminus platforms, which extended right up to Station Road. To the south of the station was a goods yard, with ten sidings and a goods shed. One of the sidings originally extended across Station Road onto a high embankment, between Abbey Road and Station Hill, in order to serve the gasworks at the foot of Station Hill (this embankment was the only part of the harbour line to be completed).[4]
A two-road dead-ended engine shed was located on the north of the line, with its back against the Ware Road overbridge, while the signalbox was located on the south side of the line opposite the shed. West of Ware Road was a headshunt siding on the north side of the line. In 1904, a replacement gasworks was built at Ferrygate, with two sidings on the north side of the line facing towards North Berwick.[4]
In the days of steam locomotives, many of the North Berwick branch passenger trains terminated at Drem; passengers had to change onto main line stopping services to continue their journeys.
In 1958, diesel multiple units (DMUs) were introduced on the North Berwick services and most branch trains then ran right through to Edinburgh Waverley or Corstorphine. With the arrival of the diesels, the engine shed was closed.
Despite the improvement to passenger services upon dieselisation, a period of decline had already begun. The intermediate station at Dirleton had closed to passengers on 1 February 1954 and its use for goods traffic ended on 1 June 1959. Nationally, the railways were suffering as a result of increased car ownership and competition from road haulage. The gasworks, formerly a major customer, ceased to receive coal deliveries in the 1960s and North Berwick goods yard closed on 1 January 1968. The signalbox closed one week later, at which time all tracks were removed except that leading to the secondary (north) platform.
Threats of the line's closure
The late '60s were the period of the infamous 'Beeching Axe'; British Rail sought permission to close the branch line altogether, along with all local stations east of Edinburgh. Although the Minister of Transport refused permission for these closures, a drastic cut in service was implemented. When the new timetable was introduced on 4 January 1970, the weekday service consisted of just two morning and two evening peak hour trains. This period represented the nadir of the station's fortunes, with a skeleton service and most of the station complex derelict.
The passenger service gradually recovered, despite a further threat to the station's future following publication of the Serpell Report in 1982. However, in 1985, the grand but decaying station buildings were demolished and the remaining platform was shortened. A new station car park was built, on the site of the old station buildings and platforms, while the goods yard site was sold for housing development. The 'new' station was unstaffed and 'pay trains' were introduced between Edinburgh and North Berwick on 27 May.
Although the loss of the old station buildings was lamented by many local people, the reduction in operating costs and the provision of a park-and-ride car park contributed to the revitalisation of the line. By the end of the 1980s the service was once again operating on an hourly frequency.
Electrification of the branch
Electrification of the branch line in the early 1990s by British Rail in tandem with 25 kV AC electrification of the East Coast Main Line showed a renewed confidence in the long-term future of the station. Regular electric services began on 8 July 1991 and passenger numbers have continued to grow steadily since.
Facilities
The station is unstaffed; self-service ticket machines are provided. Train running information is provided by manual announcements, digital customer information system displays, a help point and timetable posters. There is a car park, with 96 spaces.[8]
Services
A Class 380 at North Berwick. This type of train operated most services from its introduction in 2011 until 2018, when two-thirds of services began to be operated by the newer Class 385
Services are provided by ScotRail, which are operated hourly frequency, with additional trains at peak hours.[9]
Most trains operate all-stations to Edinburgh, with one morning service to Haymarket in the morning peak and a return journey in the evening. In recent years, through services operated to Glasgow Central and Ayr, via Carstairs and Motherwell; however, these were withdrawn in 2019.
↑McRae, Andrew (1998). British Railways Camping Coach Holidays: A Tour of Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Vol.Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part Two). Foxline. pp.28 & 32. ISBN1-870119-53-3.
Hajducki, Andrew M. (1992) The North Berwick and Gullane Branch Lines, Headington, Oakwood Press, ISBN0-85361-427-X
Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1sted.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC22311137.
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