Local area

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The line ran by the sea through small villages between Ayr and Girvan. Notably it passes through Alloway, famous for the Auld Alloway Kirk, and Turnberry, a large golfing hotel built by the Glasgow and South Western Railway, and Heads of Ayr, a Butlins camp.

Chronology

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Description of route

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This was a single track line with loops at island platform stations. Most goods yards also included loops. As the line was built as a light railway there were steep gradients and tight curves.

This was a north facing junction between the single track loop line and the double track Ayr and Dalmellington Railway line. The junction was controlled from a the "Alloway Junction" signalbox open from the opening of the loop line in 1906 to the closure of the Heads of Ayr (New) line on 2/9/1968.

Today the site is partly landscaped but still traceable.

This was an island platform station located in a shallow cutting. Nearby was a tram terminus from Ayr, the Burns memorial, Brig o' Doon, Burns' cottage and the auld (and new) Alloway Kirks. There was a signalbox, "Alloway Station" which was located to the side of the line, from the opening of the line to 16/6/1936. To the immediate west of the station is a tunnel (passing more or less under the Auld Kirk) immediately followed by viaduct.

Today there is a large cutting where station was located to the north of the carpark for the Burns visitor centre.

This was a goods yard. There was a very tall telegraph pole here which can be seen in photographs of the siding. The site is landscaped but a bend in road still obvious.

This station was also known as Heads of Ayr Holiday Camp. It served the Butlin's Holiday Camp and was a single concrete platform with a loop. The loop came into operation on 28/5/1947 and closed on 29/9/1968. Latterly the station was served by a DMU service from Ayr.

The site is now within the holiday camp.

The station was near the 'Heads of Ayr' headland. There was a signalbox, "Heads of Ayr", open from the opening of the line in 1906 to 6/1914, briefly closed, and then from 6/1914 to 16/6/1936.

The station site is near Low Glenayes farm.

This station had a broad island platform located in a cutting. There was a 'high level' goods yard (approached from the north) which contained the 'telephone post' used after closure of the signalbox. The signalbox was "Dunure" open from the line's opening in 1906 to 16/6/1936. This sat by the station building and had a view over it. There is a large Girder bridge nearby.

Today the station cutting is still there and the platform can be seen. The site is somewhat overgrown and is best viewed from the road overbridge.

This station can also be known as Knoweside. The station had a single platform by a level crossing, a goods yard with a runaround loop big enough for three wagons, and a watertank for locomotives. Using this watertank would close the road to the shore as the train would be parked on the level crossing. Just to the north of the station is the Croy Brae (electric brae).

Today the site is a caravan park.

This was a halt by a level crossing. There was a siding here too. The level crossing was protected by fixed distant signals. Immediately to the north was the large Rancleugh Viaduct.

This station was located very close to Culzean Castle. The site has been partly landscaped but a tree lined cutting remains here. There was a signalbox, "Glenside", here from the line opening in 1906 until 16/6/1936.

This station had the passenger part to the south of the A719 and the goods part to the north. There was a signalbox, "Maidens", here from the line opening in 1906 to 16/6/1936 when it was replaced by a ground frame.

The goods station has become a caravan park.

This station served the nearby Turnberry Hotel and golf course. This hotel was a development of the Glasgow and South Western Railway. The station and hotel were connected by a glass covered walkway. There was a signalbox here called "Turnberry" which opened with the line in 1906 and closed on 16/6/1936 when it was replaced by a ground frame which controlled points and signals. This ground frame was removed on 28/2/1955.

Today the station site has been incorporated in the hotel's grounds and carpark.

This was a goods station and may also have been a halt. There was a signalbox, "Dipple", here from 6/1914 to 21/9/1925 when it was replaced by a ground frame. The signalbox was reopened on 20/6/1932 and closed on 16/12/1936 when it was replaced by a ground frame.

Little remains here today but the embankment of the railway.

The distillery at Grangeston became an ordinance depot during the war. This was served by sidings from the Maidens and Dunure line which joined that line at a north facing junction. The depot was also served by a passenger station on the Maybole and Girvan Railway.

The line met the double track Maybole and Girvan Railway at a south facing junction controlled by signalbox "Girvan No 1" which opened in 1906 and closed on 23/6/1935 when the junction became worked by "Girvan No 2" signalbox (slightly further south) which was renamed "Girvan No 1".