Glasgow Central station partially reopens after fire ravaged nearby building

Glasgow Central station has partially reopened 10 days after a fire that ripped through a neighbouring building, forcing its closure.

The main part of the station had been closed since Sunday March 8 after the fire destroyed much of the Union Corner building.

Services from some high level platforms in the main part of the building resumed on Wednesday.

The 5.45am service to Ayr was the first to depart, soon followed by the 5.48am AvantiWestCoast service to London Euston.

The station’s Gordon Street, Union Street and Hope Street entrances will remain shut to the public, though the low-level entrances and Hope Street carriage driveway reopened on Wednesday.

Network Rail said the partial reopening means there is reduced capacity and it has urged passengers to check their journey times before travelling.

Services operating between the station and Ayr, Paisley Gilmour Street, Kilwinning, Gourock, Kilmarnock, East Kilbride and Carlisle have resumed, though some will operate at reduced capacity.

David Ross, ScotRail chief operating officer, said: “I am very pleased we will be able to welcome customers back to Glasgow Central high level following the partial reopening of the station from Wednesday.

“We realise the closure is causing significant disruption for our customers, and we’re very sorry for the impact it is still having on journeys.

“Resuming services on more than half the high-level platforms in the station is a big step forward and will ensure as many people as possible can travel into Glasgow city centre.

“The safety of our customers and staff remains our absolute priority, and while we have limited platforms and access points to the station available, we will operate as many services as we can.

“We will keep the timetable under regular review and when it is safe to add more services we will do so.”

Passengers have been told the station will “look different”, with barriers and signage marking the exclusion zone and facilities and shops closed, and staff will be on hand to offer advice.

Platforms seven to 15 on the west side of the station are back in use.

Passengers travelling on Wednesday welcomed the reopening of the station.

Claire Macdonald, from Clarkston in East Renfrewshire, said: “It’s good to have it up and running again.

“It is useful. We were going to come in some of the way on the underground but when we heard about the reopening we were able to come on the train.”

Catriona Brown, from Stevenston in North Ayrshire, said she has not been coming to Glasgow much during the station closure, but is now able to travel to Liverpool following the reopening.

She said: “I’m going to Liverpool with Avanti and they have lots of staff on to keep you right.

“I’ve not been coming into Glasgow much, usually I come in and out but I’ve not been doing that while the station was closed.”

Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail Scotland, previously said: “We’re grateful for the patience and understanding shown by passengers, businesses and the wider community over this past week.

“This has been an exceptionally challenging situation for everyone affected and I want to thank all those involved who have worked tirelessly to get us to the point where we can safely welcome people back to the station.

“While temporary arrangements will remain in place for a little while longer, we want to reassure customers that our focus is on keeping them moving safely as services return.

“We’ll carry on working closely with all operators and partners to restore full access as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Glasgow City Council said it is in the interests of public safety to demolish what remains of the “very unstable” Victorian building which was ravaged by the fire.

Demolition experts have been working to safely bring down parts of the remaining structure.

The fire began in a vape shop in Union Street and spread through the building and around the corner, with only the facade of the building at the junction with Gordon Street left standing.

Services in the lower level of the station began running again on Wednesday last week.

ScotRail said stringent safety checks had been carried out before the partial reopening.

In a video posted on X, Alison Irvine, chief executive for Transport Scotland, said on Tuesday: “I would urge people to plan your journeys, give yourself a wee bit more extra time, but come into the city, use the train, come back and enjoy what Glasgow city centre has to offer.

“I think what we have seen through the response from Network Rail staff and from ScotRail staff, it’s been a phenomenal effort to bring people together to get the station into a position where it can be made available to passengers.

“I just want to say an absolutely huge thank-you from me, from the whole of Transport Scotland, from Scottish ministers as well, for all of the efforts that have gone in.”