This junction is immediately west of Ardrossan South Beach station. The lines from Glasgow to Ardrossan Harbour and Largs divide here.
The Ardrossan Harbour line follows, more or less, the course of the Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway of 1831. It was regauged and realigned as the Ardrossan Railway in 1840 to open in connection with the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway.
In 1878 the Largs branch began from a triangular junction which made two connections with the existing railway; Castlehill Junction to the west and Holm Junction to the east. A signal box opened on the north side of the new junction.
Also in 1878 Ardrossan Shed [GSW] [2nd] opened. Its lines spread out between Holm Junction in the south east and Parkhouse Junction to the north.
Ardrossan South Beach opened in 1883.
The shed closed in 1966 and the Castlehill Junction to Parkhouse Junction curve closed in 1969.
The signal box closed in 1986 when lines were electrified and signalling was taken over by Paisley Signalling Centre. In addition the Ardrossan Harbour line was singled, a turnback siding ws installed on part of the former shed site and the Largs branch altered. The branch is double track, however passenger trains use the former northbound line bidirectionally. Freight trains can also uses the northbound line but the former southbound line can only be used for freight from the former Hunterston Ore Terminal. With this facility's closure it was be sensible to being it back into passenger use and reinstate Glasgow bound platforms at West Kilbride and Ardrossan South Beach.
Nearby stations Ardrossan South Beach Ardrossan Town Ardrossan North Saltcoats North Ardrossan Harbour Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier Ardrossan Harbour [1st] Saltcoats [2nd] Saltcoats Saltcoats [1st] Stevenston Moorpark Stevenston Ardeer Platform Kilwinning Byres Kilwinning | Ardrossan Shed [GSW] [2nd] Castlehill Junction Parkhouse Junction Laighdykes Pit Ardrossan Shed [GSW] [1st] Ardrossan North Goods Ardrossan North Shed Ardrossan Yard Ardrossan Refinery Ardrossan Shipyard [New Yard] Tourist/other Ardrossan Castle Ardrossan Harbour Signal Box South Bay Eglinton Dock Ardrossan Staiths [1st] |
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. |
/01/1979 | Ravenscraig Steel WorksLargs Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway) Hunterston Ore Terminal opened with a 3500 ton crane for ore and 2500 ton crane for coal. Hunterston Ore Terminal to Holm Junction re-opened to freight. |