Stirling Station

Stirling Station is an outstanding, multi-platform railway station constructed between 1912 and 1915, designed by James Miller with engineering input from W.A. Paterson, the Caledonian Railway's engineer-in-chief. It is built in the Scots manner and incorporates a horseshoe-plan glazed concourse with a central ticket office, two large Caledonian Railway signal boxes, and associated semaphore signalling.

The west elevation is symmetrical and single-storied, constructed from sandstone ashlar with three crowstepped gables linked by crenellated sections. The central gable is the tallest, featuring a piended iron and glass porch (now shortened). A carved monogram plaque is flanked by twelve-pane glazed windows, with a clock set within a decorative hoodmould above. Ball finials adorn the gable apexes, and the roof is covered in grey slate. Cast-iron railwater goods are present, and glazed awnings extend along the east (platform) elevation, supported by decorative cast-iron columns and pierced timber valences. A circular booking office forms the centre point of a glazed, horseshoe-plan concourse, which is supported by radial steel roof trusses.

The principal island platform features long, rectangular waiting room buildings with extensive piended glazed awnings and timber valences. Covered footbridge walkways provide access across the tracks to the principal island platform. A further footbridge, with stone abutments and a latticed iron girder walkway, provides access to the smaller island platform.

The Middle Signal Box, dated 1900 and built to the Caledonian Railway (Northern Division) Type 2 design, is a brick and timber structure with a piended roof. It features six round-arched openings at the base, now blocked, and six-pane glazing to the timber operating room above. The trackside elevation has 29 windows, with two bays projecting to the right of centre, and the glazing extends to the side elevations. A timber forestair rises to a timber porch at the south end, and the roof is covered in grey slate. Inside, there is a 96-lever pattern frame and associated signalling instruments including block bells and closing switches.

The North Signal Box, also dated 1901 and of the same Caledonian Railway (Northern Division) Type 2 design, is similarly constructed in brick and timber with a piended roof. It has four round-arched openings with four-pane glazing to the brick base, and six-pane glazing to the operating room above. The trackside elevation has 21 windows, with two bays projecting to the left of centre, and glazing to the side elevations. A timber forestair rises to a timber porch at the south end, and the roof is grey slate. The interior contains a 48-lever pattern frame and associated signalling equipment.

Semaphore signals, with timber posts and arms, remain within the station precinct and were controlled by the signal boxes in 2013.