Kilmarnock and Troon Railway

Kilmarnock and Troon Railway

Principal stations (stations in bold are open) Kilmarnock (1) Kilmarnock (2) Kilmarnock (3) Gatehead Drybridge Barassie Troon (Harbour)

The Kilmarnock and Troon Railway was the first railway line in Scotland and ran services between Kilmarnock and Troon.

History

The line began life as a waggonway which opened on 6 July 1812. On 16 July 1846 the line was leased to the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway, who began services after regauging the tracks for locomotives. The line was bought by its successor, the Glasgow and South Western Railway in 1899 who ran services until the line's closure on 3 May 1969.

Connections to other lines

• Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway at Barassie and Kilmarnock
• Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway at Kilmarnock

Current Operations

On 5 May 1975 the line was reopened and today is part of the Glasgow South Western Line providing services to Stranraer via Kilmarnock. The intermediate stations between Barassie and Kilmarnock remain closed, and the line remains unelectrified. As part of the resignalling prior to the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line, the Kilmarnock line through Barassie station was singled and the platforms taken out of use.

References

• Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Patrick Stephens Ltd, Sparkford.
• Stansfield, G. (1999). Ayrshire & Renfrewshire's Lost Railways, Stenlake Publishing, Catrine.