Scottish - Ardrossan review 1

24/8/08 Ardrossan South Beach to Ardrossan Harbour

Details from SPRS "Routes & Branches" Excursion  

Journey time: 6 minutes (single track)

Distance: 1 mile  Weather: cloudy

Train type: Class 334 Juniper 4-car EMU 

Railway company: Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Frequency of trains: 5 per day

Ardrossan South Beach station has been recently rebuilt with just a single platform on the down side. It is of clear glass and there is also a bus stop shelter. We move away and the line to Largs leaves us on the right. We are now on single track and there is quite a bit of foliage on the left with some houses on the right. There are the ruins of Ardrossan castle on a hill on the right just before we enter Ardrossan Town station. It has a large red brick wall and a white-framed shelter, with a car park opposite. There is an ungated level crossing straight after the station where the main street passes the railway line. On the left the sea is close to the track and there are nice views eastward along the Ayrshire coast. Further along we pass a bus depot on the left whilst there is an Asda on the right. There is another ungated level crossing and then we are in the docks area with a large building with the words "Clyde Marina" on it. There are now boats on both sides as we reach the end of the line. It's just a single platform with a basic shelter in red at the end of the platform and a sign saying where ferry passengers should go to. We are not allowed to get off the train, but at least we've been allowed onto this not often visited piece of track.

Summary: As very few trains use this branch I can see the line from the Town station to the Harbour station following the fate of similar harbour stations like Weymouth and Folkestone.   MC