2. Renfrewshire & North Ayrshire circular-25.07.18

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2018 > 52. An Anglo-Scottish adventure-24-27.07.18 > 2. Renfrewshire & North Ayrshire circular-25.07.18

After collecting our Kia Cee'd hire car, Andy and I undertook a pretty intensive tour of the lines of Renfrewshire and north Ayrshire. We consciously made the decision to not go too far into Glasgow. I managed to cop some signal boxes but I also enjoyed revisiting stations I went to in 1984 when undertaking my Scottish railrover. It is funny how the memory plays tricks with some places virtually the same as I remember them 35 years ago where as others were unrecognisable! For me, the highlight of the day was IBM station just outside of Greenock. It was tricky to get to as it is technically a 'closed' station used to serve the former employees of the vast IBM factory. The factory closed in 2016 and was in the final stages of demolition when we visited, the whole place was very eerie!

Click here to search The Archive Files

Images 1-41 of 41 displayed.

Hurlford signal box (Closed, LMS, 1920s)
Hurlford signal box, closed, boarded up and looking a little sorry for itself. It was built by the LMS sometime in the 1920s. It stands at the junction with a short branch that led into the Barleith Sidings for the Johnny Walker factory. Up until 1966, there was also a large steam shed situated here with the shed code of 67B
Keywords: Hurlford signal box

Kilmarnock station
Looking south through Kilmarnock station shows an impressive glass canopy covering a number of the remaining platforms. The station was opened by the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway in July 1812 making it one of the earliest to do so in Scotland.
Keywords: Kilmarnock station

156430, SR 09.43 Glasgow Central-Kilmarnock (1A16, RT), Kilmarnock North Junction
Scotrail 156430 approaches the end of its journey working the 09.43 from Glasgow Central. It is crossing Kilmarnock North Junction with the roof of the signal box just visible above the roof of the unit. The photograph is taken from a newly created spot just south of the station from the grounds of the newly opened Ayrshire College.
Keywords: 156430 1A16 Kilmarnock North Junction

Kilmarnock signal box (BR, 1976)
Kilmarnock signal box is a relatively modern and not particularly attractive structure built by BR in 1966. It is situated in the apex of the junction between the Glasgow route and the line to Brassie Junction. It controls this junction and also the exit/entry into the Wabtec Rail Scotland facility.
Keywords: Kilmarnock signal box

Name, above entrance to Andrew Barclay & Son factory, KIlmarnock
Sitting above the remains of the once extensive former Barclay works is the name of the former owner. This building, on Western Langlands Road, as well as counting private flats has a small museum relating to its history. The company built small tank engines and later diesel shunters many of which ended up in industrial settings.

156430, SR 10.28 Kilmarnock-Glasgow Central (1A17, 1L), Kilmaurs station
156430 leaves the small station at Kilmaurs. This is the first station into its journey, the 10.28 Kilmarnock to Glasgow Central. Kilmaurs station was opened in May 1984 by BR. The original station was closed in 1966.
Keywords: 156430 1A17 Kilmaurs station

Lugton signal box (LMS, 1929)
Lugton signal box was constructed by the LMS in 1929. It has been extensively modified such as the inevitable UPVC windows. Lugton was once at the site of of a complex junction of a number of lines and a station just beyond the signal box as seen in this picture. It is now an intermediate block post that controls the one remaining junction with the mothballed spur to the MOD ordnance establishment at Giffen. This line has been out of use for many years but studying Google Earth finds that the track is still in situ but extremely overgrown.
Keywords: Lugton signal box

314206, SR 11.28 Neilston-Glasgow Central (2N33), Neilston station
Still wearing its pre-overhaul and very distinctive STP carmine and cream livery 314206 waits at Neilston station to work the 11.28 to Glasgow Central. Neilston is now a terminus station, but the line used to continue in parallel to another one below in the valley to Lugton Junction some five miles south west where they merged.
Keywords: 31420 2N33 Neilston station

Barrhead signal box (Cal, 1894)
Barrhead signal box is seen from the platform end of the station. The huge and ugly carbuncle attached to the end of the 1894 Caledonian box serves a purpose I suppose but one wonders why a little more thought and effort could not have gone into its design and construction? Barrhead marks the start of the tokenless block section of line that continues all the way, becoming absolute block, as far as Annan.
Keywords: Barrhead signal box

314216, SR 11.57 Wemyss Bay-Glasgow Central (1W30, RT), Bishopton station
Looking very smart in its carmine and cream livery 314216 waits at Bishopton station working the 11.57 Wemyss Bay to Glasgow central train. Bishopton station was opened in 1841 and sits on the Inverclyde line just northwest of Paisley.
Keywords: 314216 1W30 Bishopton station

380019, SR 12.06 Glasgow Central-Gourock (2G63, 1E), Bishopton station
380019 leaves Bishopton station working the 2G63 12.06 Glasgow Central to Gourock. This is one of 22 three-car 0XX units that were introduced during 2010 that are part of the Desiro family built by Siemens in Germany.
Keywords: 380019 2G63 Bishopton station

314208, SR 12.54 Gourock-Glasgow Central (1G08, RT), Port Glasgow station
314208 arrives at Port Glasgow station working the 12.54 Gourock to Glasgow Central. Port Glasgow is situated the south side of the Firth of Clyde and owes its historical success to shipbuilding. It has many fine buildings but does now have a air of decay. Much has been done in recent years to clear many of the derelict industrial building on the waterfront in an effort to rejuvenate the town.
Keywords: 314208 1G08 Port Glasgow station

380015, SR 12.36 Glasgow Central-Gourock (2G59, RT), Port Glasgow station
380015 leaves Port Glasgow forming the 12.36 Glasgow Central to Gourock. Andy and I were not sure whether Port Glasgow had a particular crime problem but, whilst waiting for this train we became aware of the huge number of CCTV cameras on the station. In a quick check, we counted over twenty from where we standing here at this point on the platform......Big Brother gone mad?
Keywords: 380015 2G59 Port Glasgow station

Covered walkway, Port Glasgow station
This delightfully restored covered walkway is at Port Glasgow station. It goes from the corner of Princess Street up to the ticket office and platform seen at the top in this image. It contained many pieces of local artwork, and with the sun streaming through from a clear blue sky as seen here it was a lovely piece of railway architecture.
Keywords: Covered walkway Port Glasgow station

380102, SR 13.25 Glasgow Central-Gourock (1G55, 1E), Greenock Central station
350102 enters Wellpark Tunnel just east of Greenock Central station working the 13.25 Glasgow Central to Gourock service. Greenock central station was once a very impressive station built by the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway in 1841. It now has only two platforms and some remnants of the original station such as the substantial wall to the left in this image.
Keywords: 380102 1G55 Greenock Central station

Greenock Central station
Greenock Central station is a shadow of its former self. Whilst the walls stand and the up and down platforms are in use, the rest has gone! Even, the footbridge was recently removed and to cross platforms necessitates a long walk up to Terr Road, across the railway and then back down again.
Keywords: Greenock Central station

Frontage, Greenock Central station
At least Greenock Central station has a ticket office! Having been re-built and had a far more appropriate hipped roof added the facilities remain basic. All the remains of this once quite grand station is the tall wall with the arches. This used to be the front of the building with the arches upper halves being glazed and with the lower halves having the doors into the booking hall. Today, they have to be driven through to get into the car park and a little tight they are too with evidence of contact with a number of vehicles at the sides! In the background, Victoria Tower can be seen towering above Greenock Town Hall.
Keywords: Frontage Greenock Central station

Frontage, Greenock West station
Greenock West station opened in 1889 being bult by the Caledonian Railway. The elegant and neat station building is at street level on Inverkip Street. However, the railway is some distance below street level that requires a decent down some rather dingy steps to platform level.
Keywords: Frontage Greenock West station

350016, SR 14.38 Gourock-Glasgow Central (2G54, RT), Gourock station
350016 waits at Gourock station with the 14.38 to Glasgow Central. Gourock is at the end of the Inverclyde Line as it stops on a pier in the Clyde Estuary. When I visited during my 1984 Scottish Railrover, the station was a much grander affair. Admittedly, it did have an air of decay and was crying out for improvements but I was somewhat shocked at what had been done!
Keywords: 350016 2G54 Gourock station

314208, SR 13.55 Glasgow Central-Gourock (1G09, RT), Gourock station
If I had been taking this picture during my 1984 Railrover, I would have been undercover at this point. This would have provided protection from the wind and rain coming in from the Clyde Estuary to my right. The only protection afforded now is a curved glass screen. Not that neither was needed on a day like this that sees 314208 standing at the platform having arrived with the 13.55 from Glasgow Central.
Keywords: 314208 1G09 Gourock station

Concourse, Gourock station
The wrought iron roof structure is all that remains of the original station at Gourock. When I took a similar picture during a visit in 1984 there were a number of blue Scottish Region enamel signs on the concourse. Whilst the station was run down then, it at least had a platform canopies that it does not have today.
Keywords: Concourse, Gourock station

Passenger notice, IBM station
Using a combination of common sense, an Ordnance Survey map and Google Earth, Andy and me managed to find IBM station! But, as you can see from this notice, we would not have been able to actually use it! For a single platform station usage numbers were once very impressive at 0.123 million but that has declined to a number very close to zero for this year! It was constructed to serve the employees of the adjacent IBM factory that finally closed in 2016. As it performs no other purpose, being fairly high up on the side of Spango Valley about two miles south west of Greenock, its future is in question. However, there could be a future if the IBM site is transformed into a mixture of housing, retail and industrial use as is a proposal at the moment.
Keywords: IBM station

Pedestrian access, IBM station (demolition of factory underway)
In the middle distance to the left can be seen the flattened remains of the once huge IBM factory in Spango Valley southwest of Greenock. After much rationalisation, it closed in 2016 and became another nail in the coffin of Scotland's once famous 'Silicon Glen'. The station, named IBM, was opened in 1978 to serve the workforce and it did so successfully for many years. Even though trains are still scheduled to stop, they drop and collect no passengers except for possibly some contractors working on the site.
Keywords: IBM station

Andy, IBM station
Andy walks up the path away from IBM station as we return the short distance to a relatively new but now un-used industrial unit. The whole area was all very weird and slightly eerie with wildlife gradually beginning to take over. Modern urban decay is very strange and sets the hairs on the back of my neck on end, and this area, desperately being marketed as Valleypark, was certainly a strange place!
Keywords: IBM station

Ramp to ferry terminal, Wemyss Bay station
The beautifully restored Wemyss Bay station had a very grand air about it. It underwent a full restoration during 2014. In this image, the concourse is behind me and the view is looking down towards the pier-head where the ferries Rothesay, Largs, Millport, and the Isle of Cumbrae could be taken. Today, the only remaining ferry is to Rothesay, a regular vehicle service that goes from the adjacent ferry terminal. Notice the curved row of bay leaf (laurus nobilis) trees looked after by a dedicated team of volunteer staff who maintain the amazing flora throughout the station.
Keywords: Wemyss Bay station

Frontage, Wemyss Bay station
The frontage of Wemyss Bay station with its clock tower. The station is a locally listed Grade A structure and is notable, as shown here for its elegant curves and its eclectic mixture of designs including two Japanese pagodas and an Italianate tower as seen here. It was designed for the Caledonian Railway in 1903 by the notable architect James Miller who also designed many Scottish buildings including Glasgow Central station to the Turnbury Hotel.
Keywords: Wemyss Bay station

Frontage, Wemyss Bay station
Wemyss Bay station had suffered from a lack of investment and fallen into disrepair until Network Rail, Inverclyde Council and the Scottish Government jointly undertook a huge restoration project between June 2014 and the spring of 2016. Today, the station looks superb and quite deserving of its Grade A listing. The railway author Simon Jenkins in his book, Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations, awarded the station five stars, just one of ten on which he bestowed that rating!
Keywords: Wemyss Bay station

Frontage, Largs station
An unusual and somewhat cluttered view of the frontage of Largs station. However, I have a reason for this particular view. I took a very similar view during my 1984 Railrover. The shops are different now the vaping shop used to be called The Tartan Shop. The cars now are now a Renault Captur and a Range Rover Evoque, back in 1984 it was and Ford Escort XR3 and a Renault 9. However, the scene is essentially the same. Behind the frontage, Largs station is very different, with only two platforms and now structures to speak of. The shop to the right was completely destroyed in July 1995 when 318254 over-ran the buffers and careered on through the building ending up in the street.
Keywords: Largs station

380115, SR 16.31 Glasgow Central-Largs (1T21, 1L), Ardrossan South-Beach station
380115 pauses at Ardrossan South Beach station working the 16.31 Glasgow Central to Largs. For a simple station, South Beach station was surprisingly busy.
Keywords: 380115 1T21 Ardrossan South Beach-station

Saltcoats station
Saltcoats station building. This is the third location for the station, with this one opening in 1882. For many years, it was named Saltcoats Central.
Keywords: Saltcoats station building

Frontage, Troon station
The GSWR station frontage at Troon. It is built in the traditional style of the company sharing many features with a number of other stations. When I visited in 1984 it was painted in a different colour scheme it also had a number of enamel totems. Our hire car can be seen parked in the drop-off zone.
Keywords: Frontage, Troon station

156462, SR 16.59 Stranraer-Glasgow Central (1A03, 4L), Troon station
With the hard part of its journey completed and a relatively easy run into Glasgow Central ahead, 156462 arrives into Troon with the 16.59 from Stranraer. When I travelled on this line during my 1984 Railrover, I was in luxurious Mk.1 steam heated stock behind a class 47 with a Class 25 banking to and from Ayr; how the railways have changed!
Keywords: 156462 1A03 Troon station

156462, SR 16.59 Stranraer-Glasgow Central (1A03, 4L), & 380016, SR 17.47 Glasgow Central-Ayr (1K49, 3L), Troon station
156462 pauses at Troon station working the 16.59 Stranraer to Glasgow Central. Just arriving on platform two is 380016 forming the 17.47 Glasgow Central to Ayr. There is a regular four trains per hour service to and from Glasgow.
Keywords: 156462 1A03 380016 1K49 Troon station

380004, SR 19.45 Ayr-Glasgow central (1K60, RT), Newton-on-Ayr station
With a lovely evening sun creating a superb soft warm light, 380004 arrives into Newton-on-Ayr working the 19.45 Ayr to Glasgow Central. The station sits on the hypotenuse of a triangle of railways that still exist but are unused. There are extensive sidings that are now totally overgrown. There is also a network of lines that go down to the harbour, also now disused.
Keywords: 380004 1K60 Newton-on-Ayr station

Sidings to Ayr Harbour, Limekilns Road bridge
Viewed from Limekilns Road bridge the twin lines from the north and south into the Ayr Harbour complex are seen. Newton-on-Ayr station is just out of sight behind the tall trees to the far right of the picture. Until recent years, there were regular freight flows from the harbour but these have ceased. The last internet record that I can find of a train passing into the complex was in 2012, any updates appreciated!
Keywords: Sidings to Ayr Harbour, Limekilns Road bridge

Sidings to Ayr Harbour, Limekilns Road bridge
Viewed from Limekilns Road bridge Ayr Harbour can be seen. The tracks leading to the harbour complex are heavily rusted now through a lack of use. Until the downturn in coal being used to generate electricity, there were regular flows to and from the harbour. One wonders if any new flows will emerge or if that's it for the harbour and its rail links?
Keywords: Sidings to Ayr Harbour, Limekilns Road bridge

Sidings, Ayr Harbour
Of the once many lines that went into Ayr Harbour, only one appears intact now with the others truncated at various places. That remaining track can be seen crossing the road into the harbour complex to the left. There was no doubt that we were on private property here but it was uncannily quiet with no gates or security measures. We could probably have wandered a lot further into the harbour complex with impunity but for the fact, we were supposed to be looking for a curry house rather than exploring industrial decay!
Keywords: Sidings, Ayr Harbour

Sidings, Ayr Harbour
The tracks leading into the Ayr Harbour complex are heavily rusted as seen in this image and have seen no trains traversing them for a number of years. They are still connected to the network and I hope that this situation remains and that they can be easily reactivated if a new opportunity to use them arises again. Once they are lifted, that would be that and would mean more lorries on the road again!
Keywords: Sidings, Ayr Harbour

Ground frame, Ayr Harbour branch
A very rusted ground frame that controls the pointwork and signalling at the entrance to Ayr Harbour sidings. These levers have not been moved for some time but I am sure that with a little TLC, they could be reactivated again.
Keywords: Ground frame, Ayr Harbour branch

Signal, Ayr Harbour branch
The colour light that controls access to the Ayr Harbour lines is still powered and shows danger. These lines have been not used for some time but did see considerable coal traffic for a number of years with it being unloaded from ships moored up in the distance. The wagons were then taken to various coal-fired power stations in Scotland.
Keywords: Signal, Ayr Harbour branch

Sidings, Ayr Harbour
Looking from the harbour roads at Ayr inland towards the mainline. There are a number of lines in this image but most are truncated at various points with only one making it on to the harbour wall itself. Let's hope that new flows can be identified and that they can be used again, a valuable rail-linked resource like this needs to be kept for possible future use rather than being recklessly pulled up with expensive apartments built on the land!
Keywords: Sidings, Ayr Harbour

Images 1-41 of 41 displayed.