Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)

Introduction

This line is open. The station at Largs, which was demolished by a run-away train, has been re-built. Many services ran to Ardrossan Town station, but with the north to west link at Ardrossan no longer in existence these trains now run through to Glasgow.






Dates

  /  /1878Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
First portion of line opened to West Kilbride.
  /  /1880Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Line extended to Fairlie.
  /  /1881Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Fairlie to Largs authorised.
  /  /1882Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Line extended through Fairlie Tunnel to Fairlie Pier.
  /  /1885Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Line extended to Largs.
  /  /1895Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Ardrossan Shed [2nd] opened in the triangle of lines by Ardrossan Town.
  /  /1899Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Largs Pier (Largs Harbour) vested into the Glasgow and South Western Railway.
  /  /1948Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Ardrossan Shed [2nd] coded 67D.
  /  /1965Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Ardrossan Shed [2nd] closed.
  /  /1967Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Ardrossan Shed [2nd] (already closed) signing on point closed.
01/01/1968Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Ardrossan Castlehill Junction to Parkhouse Junction closed to passengers.
30/09/1969Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Ardrossan Castlehill Junction to Parkhouse Junction closed to freight.
01/10/1971Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Fairlie Pier to Fairlie Pier Junction closed to passengers.
31/07/1972Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Fairlie Pier to Fairlie Pier Junction officially closed to passengers.
  /01/1979Ravenscraig Steel WorksLargs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Hunterston Ore Terminal opened with a 3500 ton crane for ore and 2500 ton crane for coal. Hunterston Ore Terminal to Holm Junction re-opened to freight.
  /  /1986Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Line singled south from Largs to Hunterston Junction, beyond which both lines were for freight use but only the former northbound line could be used for passenger trains in both directions.
  /01/1987Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Line electrified. Passenger trains are confined to the northbound line (starting from just east of Ardrossan South Beach), freight to the Hunterston Ore Terminal can use both lines as far as Hunterston Junction. Beyond Hunterston Junction, going north, the southbound line is lifted.
  /07/1995Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Runaway train crashes at Largs station, passing through the buffers, concourse and station wall resulting in the collapse of the station roof.
  /06/1997Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Construction of supermarket (Safeway) on the site of Largs goods shed.
  /03/1998Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Sidings at Fairlie reconditioned.
  /08/2000Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
A £400,000 reconstruction of Largs station begins with the removal of the circulating area. Temporary provisions were in place after the 1995 destruction of the station by a runaway train.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Ardrossan to Largs

At Castlehill Junction, immediately east of Ardrossan Town, the Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway was met by the west fork of the Largs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway). The box was located to the north of the junction and opened with the Largs branch in 1878.
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More details

See also
Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway
The 10.18 Glasgow Central to Ardrossan Harbour passes the remains of Ardrossan Castle with the boat train connection for the Isle of Man sailing which ...
John Clark /08/1976
Castlehill Junction with the route left to Largs now somewhat overgrown. Also ahead was the second G&SW Ardrossan shed, somewhere in those trees. ...
Ewan Crawford 10/08/2017
40644 passing Castlehill Junction, Ardrossan, on 6 July 1959 with a train for Kilmarnock. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/07/1959
A J36 0-6-0, heads north past Castlehill Junction Ardrossan in November 1962. The locomotive is thought to be no 65273, allocated to 67D from March ...
R Sillitto/A Renfrew Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney) /11/1962
4 of 4 images.


This junction opened in 1878 when a triangular junction opened at the south end of the Largs branch.
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Fowler class 2P 4-4-0 no 40668 with an Ardeer - Largs train approaching Ardrossan on 24 May 1960. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 24/05/1960
Corkerhill Jubilee 4-6-0 45665 Lord Rutherford of Nelson just north of Ardrossan in May 1960. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 24/05/1960
QTS getting near the end of embankment stabilisation work for Network Rail to the north of Ardrossan. Improved drainage and webbing have been ...
Douglas Blades 20/11/2017
A Glasgow St Enoch - Fairlie Pier boat train runs through Parkhouse Junction on 6 July 1959 with 2P 40688 piloting Standard class 4 76091. Ardrossan ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/07/1959
4 of 5 images. more


These sidings served a Second World War oil depot with partly buried oil storage tanks alongside the Largs branch in countryside not far to the north of Ardrossan. The oil was manufactured at the nearby Ardrossan Refinery and puimped to the site.
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On a wet and dismal Saturday morning DB 66 206 is stationary at the former Montfode Fuel Depot Sidings with a materials train in connection with ...
Douglas Blades 20/02/2021
Thursday 18th February 2021 and with the bi-directional electrified line still out of use, the appropriately named 68 002 Intrepid proceeds cautiously ...
Douglas Blades 18/02/2021
Long distance shot of one of the landslip work sites just north of Montfode Siding on the Largs line, showing Networks Rail's temporary access road ...
Douglas Blades 14/02/2021
The trackbed of the siding at the wartime fuel depot at Montfode, north of Ardrossan, looking north towards the Largs line in February 2021. There is ...
Douglas Blades 14/02/2021
4 of 10 images. more


This signal box was located between West Kilbride (to the north) and Ardrossan (Parkhouse Junction). The box was on the east side of the line a short way south of the Kirkland Glen Viaduct. The box opened in 1896, there may have been a temporary box just prior to this (although this is not shown on the 1896 OS map).
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A Largs - St Enoch express photographed near the site of Boydston signal box on 24 May 1960. The locomotive is Ardrossan based Fairburn 2-6-4T no ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 24/05/1960
Black 5 45251 climbing near Boydston signal box between Parkhouse Junction and West Kilbride on 25 May 1960 with a Glasgow - Largs express. [Ref query ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 25/05/1960
2 of 2 images.


The Largs branch is a confusing line - a southbound train going away from the camera heads for the Kirkland Glen Viaduct. Ardrossan Harbour is seen in ...
Ewan Crawford //1990
1 of 1 images.


This is a single platform station. There are, however, two lines. The line nearest the platform is used in both directions by Glasgow Central - Largs trains. The same line was used by freight going north to the Hunterston Ore Terminal. The other line was used by southbound trains coming from Hunterston only.
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The new Tapas Restaurant that has been operating in the West Kilbride station building since February 2022.
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Colin Miller 17/08/2022
The 11.03 for Glasgow on 17th August 2022, another Class 380, unfortunately into the sun. I must say the goods track is pretty rusty - even Mrs M ...
Colin Miller 17/08/2022
This is the Network Rail platform side of the West Kilbride station building looking north on 17th August 2022. All doors on this side have been ...
Colin Miller 17/08/2022
West Kilbride building under renovation to form some sort of food outlet in May 2019. ...
Colin Miller 17/05/2019
4 of 74 images. more


This is the junction for the Hunterston High Level Sidings and Hunterston Low Level Sidings. The high level sidings were laid out on the east side of the line and approached from the south. The low level sidings are on the west side and also approached from the south.
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More details

See also
Hunterston Ore Terminal (British Railways)
334034 passes the Low Level line at Hunterston Junction with a service for Largs. Image taken with authorised access to this point in 2003. ...
Bill Roberton //2003
66097 passes the relay room at Hunterston Junction with a coal train from the High Level terminal in 2003. ...
Bill Roberton //2003
A pair of DRS 37s with flasks at Hunterston Junction heading south. ...
Rod Crawford 28/09/2016
3 of 3 images.


This is a single platform station with a car park in the south of the village of Fairlie. From 1880 to 1882 it was the terminus of the line before it was extended to Fairlie Pier.
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An aerial view of the repairs to the line at Fairlie taken on the 25th. Track and overhead line have been repaired. ...
Network Rail 25/03/2021
Under a threatening sky at Fairlie. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
Fairlie, once Fairlie High, showing the building on the one time northbound platform. The goods yard to the right dealt with nuclear flask traffic ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
Glasgow bound train at Fairlie. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
4 of 27 images. more


This was the junction between the 1882 line to Fairlie Pier and the 1885 extension to Largs. Fairlie Pier was a steamer pier and Largs was in the town of Largs.
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A Sunday St Enoch - Largs train emerges from Fairlie Tunnel and runs through the junction on 5 July 1959, hauled by Corkerhill Fairburn tank 42191. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 05/07/1959
A Sunday Largs - Glasgow service about to run through Fairlie Pier Junction on 5 July 1959. The train is hauled by Ardrossan shed's Fairburn 2-6-4T no ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 05/07/1959
Having turned at Largs 45366 returns to its train at Fairlie pier junction. ...
John Robin 15/08/1963
3 of 3 images.




This station, on a steamer pier, was the terminus of a short double track branch from Fairlie Pier Junction.
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Fairlie Pier (no pier). Looking to the Great Cumbrae. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
The pier that eclipsed all the others ... for bulk mineral importing. Fairlie Pier looking to Hunterston Pier. Mountains of Arran beyond. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
This was Fairlie Pier. Looking from the end of the platform towards the pier. Note the Admiralty pier on the right. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
The west doors of the former locomotive shed at Fairlie Pier in 1984, with one line of rails still in situ. This was during the time the building was ...
Colin Miller //1984
4 of 17 images. more




This is a two platform terminus station which, just to the south, continues as a single track to Fairlie. There is a small, modern, glazed station building on the east side. The station opened in 1885, with the extension of the line north from Fairlie Pier Junction.
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A service from Glasgow rolls to a halt at Largs in the days of SPT orange. The destination blind has already been changed for the return journey. ...
David Panton 22/08/1997
A gloomy Sunday afternoon in Largs on 14th February 2021, by which time 380101 had lain marooned there since Friday 5th February due to the closure of ...
Douglas Blades 14/02/2021
Welcome to Largs. View looking south east across the A78 Main Street towards the station entrance in May 2007. ...
John Furnevel 17/05/2007
An SPT liveried class 318 EMU from Glasgow Central about to enter Largs station at the end of its 43 mile journey on the morning of 17 May 2007. ...
John Furnevel 17/05/2007
4 of 109 images. more





Holm Junction to Parkhouse Junction

This junction is immediately west of Ardrossan South Beach station. The lines from Glasgow to Ardrossan Harbour and Largs divide here.
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See also
Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway
An Ardrossan Harbour to Glasgow Central service made up of 2 x 3 car DMUS approaches South Beach station in either 1973 or 74. In the background is ...
John Clark //
A Kilmarnock - Winton Pier train takes the left fork at Holm Junction after leaving Ardrossan South Beach station on 4 July 1959. The locomotive is ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/07/1959
An Ardrossan Harbour to Glasgow service comes of its short branch (or sub-branch) at Holm Junction on 22 May 2019. The rusty rails nearest to it are a ...
David Panton 22/05/2019
Under normal circumstances this unit would be sitting at Largs waiting to form the 1553 to Glasgow Central. However, due to the landslips at Fairlie ...
Douglas Blades 09/02/2021
4 of 12 images. more


This shed was within the triangle of lines at Castlehill, just east of Ardrossan Town station and north of Ardrossan South Beach. It replaced an older shed at Ardrossan Town.
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End of the line. Ex-Caledonian 0-6-0 no 57673 stands at the south east corner of Ardrossan shed yard in the early part of 1962, around the time of its ...
R Sillitto/A Renfrew Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney) //1962
Out of use locomotives stored in the sidings alongside Ardrossan shed in November 1962 included (front to rear) 40668, 40625 and 42191. See image ...
R Sillitto/A Renfrew Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney) /11/1962
Fowler 2P 4-4-0 no 40606 stored at 67D Ardrossan shed in March 1959. Officially withdrawn by BR two months later, the locomotive was cut up at ...
Robin Barbour Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney) 27/03/1959
Fowler 2P 4-4-0 no 40667 stands in the shed yard at 67D Ardrossan in March 1959. ...
Robin Barbour Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney) 27/03/1959
4 of 7 images. more


This junction opened in 1878 when a triangular junction opened at the south end of the Largs branch.
...

More details
Fowler class 2P 4-4-0 no 40668 with an Ardeer - Largs train approaching Ardrossan on 24 May 1960. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 24/05/1960
Corkerhill Jubilee 4-6-0 45665 Lord Rutherford of Nelson just north of Ardrossan in May 1960. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 24/05/1960
QTS getting near the end of embankment stabilisation work for Network Rail to the north of Ardrossan. Improved drainage and webbing have been ...
Douglas Blades 20/11/2017
A Glasgow St Enoch - Fairlie Pier boat train runs through Parkhouse Junction on 6 July 1959 with 2P 40688 piloting Standard class 4 76091. Ardrossan ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/07/1959
4 of 5 images. more