Home Report Lockerbie

Lockerbie is a small town of some 4,300 residents in Dumfries and Galloway. It lies approximately 75 miles from Glasgow, 12.5 miles from Dumfries, and just 16 miles from the border with England. Indeed, it is the first town of sizeable note north of the Scottish Border on the main road and rail routes between Glasgow and Carlisle.

In the 18th century, the area was focused on sheep farming and Lockerbie was the local market town. At this time, Lockerbie had been home to Scotland’s largest lamb market. The arrival of the Caledonian Railway further developed the lamb market and led to increases in cross-border trade in sheep. The railway also produced a lowering in the price of coal, allowing gas works to be built in the town in 1855. As time went on and the industries and prosperity changed these industries diminished until they eventually closed. Lockerbie today is still a local market town with agro-food industries including a creamery however many residents travel to work in the larger town of Dumfries just about a 20-25 minute drive west.

Much of the town is built from red sandstone and the town hall stands out with its impressive clock tower. The local ice rink hosts top class curling events and former Olympic Curling athlete David Murdoch hails from the town. There are various independent and chain shops within the town, and a variety of places to enjoy a meal or snack.

Transport links are good. Lockerbie train station is managed by Abellio ScotRail although the company does not provide any services to or from the station. It is the only railway station in Scotland that is not served by Abellio ScotRail. All services are provided by Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express. TransPennine Express provide most services to Glasgow Central, Edinburgh Waverley and Manchester Airport. Avanti West Coast operates services to Glasgow Central, Birmingham New Street, London Euston and to Crewe. There are regular local bus services as well as national services for travel to Glasgow and Edinburgh and into England. The A74 road runs right by the town’s western edge allowing road users easy connections for travel northwards to central Scotland or over the border to Carlisle and northern England.

The town, unfortunately, came to international attention in December 1988 when the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103 crashed there following a terrorist bomb attack aboard the flight. The local disaster is remembered in several ways by the town. Stained glass windows were created for the town hall and displays the 21 national flags of the passengers who lost their lives. There is also a Book of Remembrance held in the Memorial Room at Tundergarth Parish and to the west of the town at Dryfesdale Cemetery there is the fitting Garden of Remembrance as well as the Lockerbie Air Disaster Memorial.

In terms of local schooling, Lockerbie Primary is the local primary school while Lockerbie Academy is the town’s secondary school.