Ayr: A double set 380 (too long for the bays?) for Glasgow whines quietly at Platform 4 while on 3 the 156 for Girvan, engine off, awaits its driver. Photographed 01/10/2016
David Panton 01/10/2016
Ayr
Location type
StationName and dates
Ayr (1886-)Station code: AYR National Rail ScotRail
Where: South Ayrshire, Scotland
Opened on the Ayr and Dalmellington Railway.
Open on the Glasgow to Ayr and Stranraer.
Description
This station has four platforms - two through platforms on the route to Stranraer and two bays for traffic to the north.
Ayr station, originally the two platform Ayr [2nd] on the Ayr and Dalmellington Railway, underwent a huge reconstruction involving the change of the road layout in the area. The main part of the station was south of the original following reconstruction and Kyle Street, where it crossed the railway, was entirely removed to allow the new construction.
The architect for the reconstruction of the station and hotel was the Glasgow and South Western Railway's engineer Andrew Galloway. Work began in 1885.
The station has a glazed roof, cut back in recent years, and station hotel of 1866. The Ayr Station Hotel, in red sandstone, partly closed in 2010, completely in 2012, and is in increasingly poor condition (2018).
On the west side of the station, at the north end, was a series of carriage sidings and an additional bay platform, both now the site of a car park and housing.
At the south end, south of Station Bridge, the line quadrupled and there were two additional platforms on either side.
South of the station, on the west side and approached from the south, was a goods yard. This is now Townhead EMU Sidings.
Ayr station had two signal boxes. No 1 was at the north end at the station's throat by the bridge over the River Ayr, located on the east side. No 2 was at the south end, on the west side between the sidings and main running lines. Both boxes closed in 1985.
From 1985-86 there was a temporary box here during the preparations for the Ayr line's electrification. In addition to the No 1 and No 2 boxes this also took over Belmont Level Crossing, Falkland Junction, Newton Junction [Ayr], Prestwick. The temporary box was taken over by the Paisley Signalling Centre in 1986.
Local
The Ayr Station Hotel was railway owned until 1951. This towers over Ayr station and a good view of the station was had from the bedrooms. The hotel closed suddenly in 2012 and is decaying. Protective screens have been erected over portions of the station to protect it from falling debris.
Tags
StationExternal links
Canmore site recordNLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
Facilities
Gaelic name: Inbhir AirBike rack
Pay car park
Taxi rank
Ticket machine
Toilets
Staffed
Bus link: Bus to Cairnryan Port.
Ferry link: Via bus to Cairnryan Port for Belfast by ferry.
| Nearby stations Ayr [2nd] Ayr [1st] Newton-on-Ayr Alloway Auchincruive Prestwick Town Maybole Junction [Station] Heads of Ayr [2nd] Prestwick International Airport Dalrymple Auchincruive Colliery Platform Monkton Heads of Ayr [1st) Annbank Cassillis | Townhead Works Townhead EMU Sidings Ayr Cattle Market Sidings Ayr Viaduct Hawkhill Junction Belmont Siding Ayr Harbour South Vulcan Foundry [Ayr] Ayr Shipyard [North] Hawkhill LC Ayr Shipyard Ayr MPD Tourist/other Ayr Station Hotel St John^s Tower Seafield House |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
