St Marnocks Junction
Not the most exciting photo ever taken, but a photo couldn't capture the very impressive sound of GBRf Class 66 No 66701 hammering up the line from Barassie and onto the steep gradient up to Kilmarnock station with a loaded coal train at 1438 hrs on Saturday, 22 October, 2016. These coal trains have always tended to be timed through Kilmarnock to clash with passenger services in and out of the station so the norm is for them to get amber at the distant signal down towards Moorfield and they either slow down or crawl past the old St. Marnocks signalbox site to the outer home signal further up the gradient, where they can be held for anything up to 25 minutes. Being a wee bit later on the day (the Glasgow service departs at 1430hrs) No 66701 obviously got greens all the way so the driver had applied the boot to get some momentum for the climb up to the station.
Location: St Marnocks Junction (former)
Original line: Kilmarnock and Troon Railway
Photographer: Robert Blane
Contact photographer: Robert Blane
Date: 22/10/2016
Image number: 56947
