Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway

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Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr

Principal stations (stations in bold are open) Paisley Gilmour Street Elderslie Johnstone Milliken Park Howwood Lochwinnoch Beith Glengarnock Dalry Dalry Junction Kilwinning Montgreenan Bogside Cunninghamhead Irvine Dreghorn        Springside     Crosshouse Gailes Kilmarnock Barassie Hurlford Troon Mauchline Monkton Auchinleck Prestwick Town                               Cumnock         Commondyke  Newton-on-Ayr               Lugar             Ayr           Cronberry             Muirkirk

The Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway (GPK&AR) was a railway in Scotland that provided services between Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Ayr.

Contents 1 History 2 Connections to other Lines 3 Closures 4 Operations 4.1 Past 4.2 Current 5 References

[edit] History

The railway first opened on 5 August 1839 between Ayr and Irvine, with the majority of the remaining line opening open 21 July 1840. The line between Dalry and Kilmarnock opened 4 April 1843, and in May 1848 a final line opened between between Irvine and Kilmarnock, allowing more direct passenger services from Kilmarnock to Ardrossan (via the Ardrossan Railway). On 16 July 1846 the GPK&AR took over control of the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway, and a year later the Paisley and Renfew Railway. The last line to open by the original company was a branch to Muirkirk from Auchinleck on 9 August 1848. Finally, the railway amalgamated with the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway (GD&CR) on 28 October 1850 to form what became the Glasgow and South Western Railway.

[edit] Connections to other Lines

• Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway at Paisley Gilmour Street
• Paisley Canal Line at Elderslie
• Bridge of Weir Railway at Elderslie
• Kilbarchan Loop Line at Brownhill Junction, north east of Dalry
• Ardrossan Railway at Kilwinning and Dubbs Junction
• Kilmarnock and Troon Railway at Barassie and Kilmarnock
• Ayr to Mauchline Branch and associated lines at Prestwick, Falkland Junction, (near Newton-on-Ayr station) and Mauchline
• Ayr and Dalmellington Railway at Falkland Junction
• Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway at Kilmarnock
• Darvel Branch at Hurlford Junction, south west of Kilmarnock
• Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway at Cumnock

Between Shields Road Junction and Paisley Gilmour Street the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway was operated as a joint undertaking between the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway (latter part of the Caledonian Railway) and the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway. Beyond Shields Road Junction, trains traversed the City of Glasgow Union Railway to access St Enoch railway station.

[edit] Closures

• Dalry to Kilmarnock - Local passenger traffic on 18 April 1966; Total 1 October 1973.
• Irvine to Crosshouse - Local services on 6 April 1964.
• Muirkirk Branch - Local passenger traffic on 3 July 1950 (Auchinleck to Cronberry).

[edit] Operations

[edit] Past

The Dalry to Kilmarnock line provided the G&SWR with link between Kilmarnock and Glasgow (via the Paisley Canal Line) without having to use lines that were jointly operated with the Caledonian Railway. Even after local services were withdrawn it remained open for long distance passenger services (namely an overnight train from Glasgow to London via Paisley, and more notably diversionary trains during the electrification of the West Coast Main Line).

The line between Irvine and Crosshouse provided a direct link from Kilmarnock to Ardrossan.

[edit] Current

The majority of the railway is still operational today as part of the Ayrshire Coast Line, however several stations have now closed; some of which have been re-opened at or close to the original location.

[edit] 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.