Glasgow Central Station has fully reopened today, four months after the devastating Union Street fire caused thousands of train cancellations across the country. Network Rail and Glasgow City Council confirmed that demolition of the Union Corner building and stabilisation of an exposed gable have been completed, allowing the removal of the last exclusion zone inside the station.
Fire and Initial Impact
The fire broke out in a vape shop on Sunday, March 8, and took several days to fully extinguish. It completely destroyed the iconic B-listed Victorian building, including its dome. Trains at Scotland's busiest railway station were cancelled for days, disrupting services across much of the southwest.
Reopening Timeline
As of Monday, July 13, the station concourse is fully open. Union Street is expected to fully reopen on Friday, July 17, along with the station entrance on Union Street and the main entrance on Gordon Street. Glasgow Central posted a video of the exclusion zone barriers being removed on social media, stating: “Another step forward at Glasgow Central. The exclusion zone has now been removed, with work continuing ahead of the reopening of Union Street and Gordon Street station entrances on Friday.”
Future Plans for the Site
Glasgow City Council has appointed architectural firm O’Donnell Brown to develop plans for the “meanwhile use” of the Union Corner site over the next four years, before a permanent solution is found. Councillor Angus Millar, convener for city centre recovery, said: “I would like to thank everyone affected by the fire and its aftermath for their patience, and pass on my gratitude to the council staff, our contractors and partners for the huge amount of work they have done to get us to this stage.”
