Thirdpart Junction to Mayfield Junction (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Introduction
This line could be considered somewhat less than successful. It opened in 1902 and closed in 1938. Probably built as a Kilmarnock bypass to carry coal to Troon and Ayr and probably in connection with the extension (1896) of the Newmilns branch (1850) to Strathaven (1903) with a hope that traffic would come this way from the Caledonian. A connection from Kay Park Junction to Bellfield junction opened in 1904 and remains open today (currently disused). With closure of Thirdpart Junction to the Gasworks and from Bellfield junction to Mayfield junction the line became a branch serving the gasworks, Glenfield works and Kirkstyle Colliery. The gasworks line closed in 1965. Today it serves an oil depot only, just shy of Riccarton. The station built at Riccarton and Craigie probably never saw scheduled passenger use. Kay Park Junction to Thirdpart Junction could be used as a diversionary route for passenger trains.
Dates
| / /1897 | Thirdpart Junction to Mayfield Junction (Glasgow and South Western Railway) Authorised. Powers granted to the Caledonian Railway. |
| / /1902 | Thirdpart Junction to Mayfield Junction (Glasgow and South Western Railway) Thirdpart Junction (Kilmarnock and Troon Railway) to Mayfield Junction (Galston Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)) opened to goods and minerals. |
| / /1904 | Thirdpart Junction to Mayfield Junction (Glasgow and South Western Railway) Kay Park Junction to Bellfield Junction opened. |
| / /1938 | Thirdpart Junction to Mayfield Junction (Glasgow and South Western Railway) Thirdpart Junction (excluded) to Riccarton and Craigie (excluded) closed. Bellfield Junction (excluded) to Mayfield Junction (excluded) closed. |
Portions of line and locations
This line is divided into a number of portions.
Thirdpart to Mayfield
This junction was located between Kilmarnock and the former station at Gatehead. A box opened here in 1900 and a line opened eastwards to Mayfield Junction in 1902. This was a double track junction. The box was on the south side of the line.
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See also
Kilmarnock and Troon Railway
Ken Browne 04/06/2011
Robert Blane 10/01/2016
Robert Blane 17/11/1985
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/05/1964
This gas works was in the south of Kilmarnock. It was rail served by a branch from the Thirdpart Junction to Mayfield Junction (Glasgow and South Western Railway).
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This was an island platform station which never opened to regular traffic. The line, opened in 1902, was used for diversions. The station was south of Kilmarnock on a line which essentially bypassed the town for traffic originating to the east such as at Galston and passed through to the west towards Barassie. There was also a link to Kilmarnock station.
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Robert Blane 20/10/1985
Robert Blane 20/10/1985
Robert Blane 19/10/1985
This oil depot received regular deliveries from Grangemouth until recently (2018). The depot is at Riccarton, south of Kilmarnock on a branch from Kay Park Junction, the remains of lines which also ran west to Thirdpart Junction and east to Mayfield Junction.
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This junction was south of Kilmarnock. A double track from Mayfield Junction to Thirdpart Junction, essentially a Kilmarnock bypass for the Darvel line, opened in 1902. This junction was formed in 1904 when a connection was made to this from Kay Park Junction. The box opened the year before, 1903. The box was on the north side, just west of the junction.
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This was a four way junction. It was located on the Galston branch. To the west was the main line to Kilmarnock to the north west and goods line to Thirdpart Junction to the west. to the east were the Mayfield Branch to the north east and Galston line to the east.
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See also
Galston Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Mayfield Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)
Kay Park to Bellfield
This junction is east of Kilmarnock station. A 1904 spur from Kay Park Junction ran south to join the 'Kilmarnock bypass' between Thirdpart Junction and Mayfield Junction meeting that line at Bellfield Junction. A number of works had opened at Bellfield and Riccarton and the connection provided a goods route to these from the north.
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See also
Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 02/06/1954
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/05/1954
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/05/1954
This junction was south of Kilmarnock. A double track from Mayfield Junction to Thirdpart Junction, essentially a Kilmarnock bypass for the Darvel line, opened in 1902. This junction was formed in 1904 when a connection was made to this from Kay Park Junction. The box opened the year before, 1903. The box was on the north side, just west of the junction.
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