in 1989 (before the main East Coast Main Line (ECML) electric services started). Stationmasters William Irvine c. 1851 ca. 1852 John Samuel 1865 - 1871 (afterwards station master at Stirling) William Dickson 1875 - 1883 Robert Murray 1884 - 1900 (formerly station master at Coatbridge) Thomas Allison 1900 - 1902 (afterwards station master at Glasgow Central) Montague Blackett Yule 1902 - 1914 George Airth 1914 - 1928 Andrew S. Twaddell 1928 - 1937 Thomas Coyle 1937 - 1947 John Johnstone 1950 - 1953 (formerly station master at Gorgie, afterwards station master at Galashiels) Locale Just south of the station, there is an important triangular junction (Carstairs Junction) where the West Coast Main Line (WCML) divides. The north-westerly route goes via Motherwell to Glasgow and the north-easterly route goes towards Edinburgh, where the East Coast Main Line begins. The southbound route goes towards and London Euston. The line between Edinburgh and Glasgow is the only part of the West Coast Main Line used by London North Eastern Railway services. Carstairs is also a marshalling point and the final boarding point (both sleeping car and overnight coach) in Scotland for the Lowland Caledonian Sleeper trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh to London Euston. Northbound (Down) WCML services usually pass the station on an avoiding line (known as the Down Main), away from the platform line (known as the Down platform), but northbound services coming off the chord from Edinburgh (LNER and CrossCountry) usually pass Platform 1: they cannot be signalled from Platform 2, . However, all southbound (Up) services pass through Platform 2 (on the Up Main), they can also be diverted through the down platform(1). The Up Main and Down Platform lines are both signalled for bi-directional working, and are often used as passing loops for passenger and freight services. For example, the early morning departure for Glasgow Central from North Berwick will wait at the Down Platform as a fast TransPennine Express service from Manchester passes. There is also the Down Passenger Loop (which is adjacent to the station) and the Up Passenger Loop (immediately to the north of the station) which are both used to stop freight services while faster passenger services pass. It is also common for northbound freights to be stopped in both the Down Platform line and Down Passenger Loop and for fast passenger services to be passed between them on the Down Main. Services Historical Carstairs