The railway came to Stirling through an Act of Parliament of 1845, bringing trade and tourism in a big way, and altering Stirling’s outlook and travelling habits. The advent of the railway saw the end of cattle droving; within 50 years, the great trysts of Doune and Falkirk had ceased, as the cattle could be moved quicker and cheaper by rail. Kings Park grew as a Stirling suburb, as businessmen could commute daily to their places of work in Glasgow and live in the clean air of Stirling.
Stirling Station in the winter 1961-2 note the Wallace Monument is not visible yet.
Next year is an important anniversary for Stirling Station. In 1914, the architect James Miller rebuilt and remodelled it to meet the needs of the 20th century. A new book, funded by the Rotary Club and Guildry of Stirling and written by Faye McPherson and Jim MacIntosh, is now available from the Smith Art Gallery and other good bookshops. It contains over 100 photographs, many from the Stirling Smith collections. Shown here is one from the winter of 1861 – 62. The Wallace Monument is not yet visible on Abbey Craig. The foundation stone was laid on 24 June 1861 – the 547th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. The Stirling Observer estimated that 15,000 people arrived by train that day to join the procession, giving the station its busiest day to date.