The history of Lochee’s railway station

The railway station at Lochee. (Picture: Google)

When travelling through Lochee High Street today, it is easy to miss the curious stone building that sits a little apart from its surroundings.

At first glance, it looks like a relic from another time – which is exactly what it is. Many Dundonians may not realise that this building was once the busy heart of transport in the district: Lochee Railway Station.

The station opened in 1861, during a period when Dundee’s population and industries were booming. The jute trade was at its height, and Camperdown Works in Lochee was the largest jute factory in the world, employing thousands of workers.

The railway line was essential for carrying goods and workers, linking the community to Dundee’s city centre and beyond. With two platforms, the station handled both passenger and freight traffic, helping to feed the industrial lifeblood of the city.

Lochee station sat on the Dundee and Newtyle Railway, one of Scotland’s pioneering railway lines, first built in the 1820s.

Trams travelling next to the station. (Picture: Alex Coupar, courtesy of the University of Dundee Archive Services)

Originally engineered with steep inclines worked by stationary engines, the line was modernised in the mid-19th century to suit the growing demand for faster and more reliable transport.

Lochee became one of the main suburban stops on this line, alongside stations at Newtyle, Auchterhouse and Camperdown. For decades, it was a key gateway for people heading into Dundee for work, markets, or leisure.

The suburban station

The building itself was the work of Sir James Gowans, a Scottish architect renowned for his inventive use of stone and striking designs.

He gave Lochee a station unlike the standard railway sheds seen elsewhere – a distinctive structure that still catches the eye today.

The stonework, gables and arched windows were unusual features for a suburban stop, showing the importance placed on the station during its heyday.

Passenger services at Lochee continued into the 20th century, but the post-war years brought change. The rise of bus services and private car ownership meant fewer commuters relied on the suburban railway network.

End of an era

By the mid-1950s, the line was considered uneconomical, and in 1955 Lochee station closed to passengers.

Goods traffic continued for a short while, particularly serving what was left of the jute industry, but the age of rail travel in Lochee was drawing to a close.

Unlike many disused stations across Scotland, which were quickly demolished or left to ruin, Lochee’s station building survived.

In the early 1970s it was given a new lease of life when it became the home of the Lochee Burns Club, keeping the building in use as a local cultural venue. This reuse preserved much of the structure and ensured it remained a familiar sight on the High Street.

The station today

Today, the building lives on as The Park Bar, a well-known pub that retains the spirit of a community hub. While the tracks and platforms are long gone, the old station’s walls still echo with life and voices – just in a very different way than they once did.

Lochee’s railway station is one of only a handful of Dundee’s old suburban railway stations still standing, making it an important piece of the city’s transport heritage.

It reminds us of a time when railways powered Dundee’s growth and industry, carrying workers to factories, families on day trips, and goods that were exported around the globe.

For those who take a closer look while passing through Lochee, the building tells a story of change, resilience, and a community always moving forward.