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Ayrshire Coast Line | |||
---|---|---|---|
Overview | |||
Status | Operational | ||
Owner | Network Rail | ||
Locale | Scotland | ||
Stations | 26 | ||
Service | |||
Type | Heavy rail | ||
System | National Rail | ||
Operator(s) | ScotRail | ||
Rolling stock | Class 380 and Class 156 | ||
Technical | |||
Number of tracks | Double and single line | ||
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | ||
Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz AC | ||
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The Ayrshire Coast Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. It has 26 stations and connects the Ayrshire coast to Glasgow. There are three branches, to Largs, Ardrossan Harbour and Ayr, all running into the high level at Glasgow Central.
The route is operated by ScotRail.
The Ayrshire Coast Line consists of lines that were formerly part of the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway, the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway, the Ardrossan Railway and its Largs Branch extension.
The line to Ayr was electrified and Class 318 electric multiple units introduced by British Rail in September 1986. The line was promoted as the AyrLine in Scotrail publicity. Along with the introduction of new trains, major work was undertaken refurbishing stations, major trackworks and rebuilding many bridges. At the same time resignalling was carried out, replacing the existing semaphore signals. [1] The full electrified service, including trains to Largs and Ardrossan Harbour, commenced on 19 January 1987. [1] These were supplemented by occasional use of Class 303 and Class 311 EMUs, then in use on the Inverclyde Line.
These EMUs replaced the Class 101 and Class 107 DMUs that had served the line for over 30 years. Class 126 DMUs were also used on the line, but they succumbed to old age in the early 1980s.
As of December 2024, There are 4 trains per hour running every 15 minutes between Glasgow Central and Kilwinning, 2 of these continue to Ayr while 1 an hour serves Ardrossan Harbour and Largs each. Extra trains run at peak hours with all trains calling at Paisley Gilmour Street, Johnstone and Kilwinning. There are occasionally extra services which run to/from Ardrossan Harbour to connect with CalMac sailings to/from Brodick on Arran, There is an hourly service which runs between Kilmarnock and Ayr which calls at Troon and at Prestwick* On a Sunday, there are 3 trains an hour, 2 to Ayr and 1 to Largs and 4 trains per day to/from Ardrossan Harbour to connect with ferries, There are no Sunday services to/from Kilmarnock.
The line runs along the same Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway route as the Inverclyde Line as far as Paisley Gilmour Street, using different platforms at Paisley Gilmour Street, where it turns south west towards Kilwinning on the route of the former Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway. Here the line branches in two, with one branch running south along the coast to Troon and Ayr. This branch also serves Prestwick Airport station, which opened in 1994. The other branch runs north along the coast to Ardrossan or Largs, becoming a single track for passenger trains after Saltcoats. Beyond Ayr, 'Sprinter' DMUs continue south towards Girvan and Stranraer.
The line connects with ferries at Ardrossan to Brodick on the Isle of Arran and at Largs to Great Cumbrae.
Troon is a town and sea port in South Ayrshire, situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland, about eight miles north of Ayr and three miles northwest of Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Troon has a port with ferry and freight services, and a yacht marina. Up until January 2016, P&O operated a seasonal ferry service to Larne. In May 2006, a ferry service to Campbeltown was added, although this was withdrawn the following year. Since March 2024, Caledonian MacBrayne have operated a ferry service to Brodick on the Isle of Arran.
The Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR) was a railway company in Scotland. It served a triangular area of south-west Scotland between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle. It was formed on 28 October 1850 by the merger of two earlier railways, the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway and the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway. Already established in Ayrshire, it consolidated its position there and extended southwards, eventually reaching Stranraer. Its main business was mineral traffic, especially coal, and passengers, but its more southerly territory was very thinly populated and local traffic, passenger and goods, was limited, while operationally parts of its network were difficult.
Western Scottish Omnibuses Ltd, in Scotland, was a bus operating subsidiary of the Scottish Transport Group formed in June 1985 from Western SMT Company Ltd and operated until 1997, when it became Western Buses Ltd. This successor company is now a part of Stagecoach West Scotland.
Stagecoach West Scotland is an operating region of Stagecoach UK Bus, comprising Western Buses Ltd based in Ayr, Scotland.
The Paisley Canal line is a branch railway line in Scotland running between Glasgow and Paisley. The line currently terminates at Paisley Canal railway station, although it previously continued through Paisley West station, near Ferguslie, to Elderslie junction where it met and crossed under the main Glasgow and South Western Railway line running from Paisley Gilmour Street station to Johnstone, and beyond. After Elderslie, the line terminated at North Johnstone, however another junction allowed services from the Paisley Canal line to continue onto the Bridge of Weir Railway and Greenock and Ayrshire Railway to the latter's terminus at Greenock Princes Pier.
Paisley Gilmour Street railway station is the largest of the four stations serving the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, and acts as the town's principal railway station and also serves Glasgow Airport with easy walking and cycling access as well as a bus service from the station to the terminal. The station is managed by ScotRail and serves the Ayrshire Coast Line and Inverclyde Line, 7+1⁄4 miles (11.7 km) west of Glasgow Central. The station is protected as a category B listed building.
The Glasgow South Western Line is a mainline railway in Scotland that runs from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, and then either Carlisle via Dumfries, or Stranraer via Ayr, with a branch to East Kilbride.
Johnstone (Renfrewshire) railway station serves the town of Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line 10+3⁄4 miles (17.3 km) south west of Glasgow Central. Johnstone has no ticket gates but ticket checks take place occasionally.
Lochwinnoch railway station is a railway station serving the village of Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line.
Dalry railway station is a railway station serving the town of Dalry, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line.
Kilwinning railway station is a railway station serving the town of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line 26 miles (42 km) south of Glasgow Central, as well as the Glasgow South Western Line 69 miles (111 km) north of Stranraer. British Transport Police maintain an office here.
Barassie railway station is a railway station serving Barassie, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line.
Troon railway station is a railway station serving the town of Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line.
Prestwick Town railway station is a railway station serving the town of Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line. Originally known only as Prestwick, it was one of the original stations on the Ayr to Irvine portion of the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway opened in August 1839.
Ayr railway station serves the town of Ayr in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is situated in Smith Street, off Burns Statue Square. The station, which is managed by ScotRail, is on the Ayrshire Coast Line, 41+1⁄2 miles (66.8 km) south-west of Glasgow Central.
Stevenston railway station is a railway station serving the town of Stevenston, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is owned by Network Rail. It's on the Ayrshire Coast Line, 29 miles (47 km) south west of Glasgow Central.
The Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway (GPK&AR) was a railway in Scotland that provided train services between Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Ayr. It opened its first line, between Glasgow and Ayr, in stages from 1839 to 1840. The section between Glasgow and Paisley was made jointly with the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway. Later it built a line from Dalry via Kilmarnock to Cumnock, linking there with the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway, and together forming a through route from Glasgow to Carlisle. The two companies merged to form the Glasgow and South Western Railway.
The Ardrossan Railway was a railway company in Scotland, whose line was built in the mid-19th century. It primarily ran services between Kilwinning and Ardrossan, as well as freight services to and from collieries between Kilwinning and Perceton. The line was later merged with the Glasgow and South Western Railway, and is today part of the Ayrshire Coast Line.
The Largs Branch is a railway line in Scotland, serving communities on the north Ayrshire Coast, as well as the deep water ocean terminal at Hunterston. It branches from the Glasgow to Ayr line at Kilwinning.
The British Rail Class 380 Desiro is a type of electric multiple unit passenger train that operates on the National Rail network in Scotland, for ScotRail.