Wanlockhead railway station was opened on 1 October 1902 as the terminus on the Leadhills and Wanlockhead Light Railway and served the lead mining area, farms and the village of Wanlockhead. Elvanfoot railway station in South Lanarkshire was the junction for the branch and was located on the west coast main line. It remained open until 2 January 1939 for passengers and freight. When Wanlockhead station opened in 1902, a year after Leadhills station, it became the highest standard gauge adhesion station in the United Kingdom at 1,413 ft (431 m), 7 miles 24 chains from Elvanfoot.