Ayrshire and Galloway Railway
the unbuilt Central Section

 

Ayrshire and Galloway Railway

Garryhorn Road

Knowehead

Carsphairn

Black Craig


History - In the early 1840's the Ayrshire and Galloway Railway (AGR) planned to build a 50 mile long railway from Ayr to Castle Douglas following the route of what is now the A713. The AGR 's goals were to create a shorter route from England, Carlisle, and Dumfries to Ayr, the Ayrshire coal field, and Dalmellington [an important coal & steel town]. It would also have supported the local economy sheep farming [Carsphairn sheep fair is in early June], limestone quarrying, haematite & lead/zinc/silver mining and after 1920 forestry - by 2003 the 67,000 ha Galloway Forest Park was producing 200,000 tons of timber and was visited by 210,000. However the AGR would have been expensive to build a bridge over the Waters of Ken and lots of cuttings & embankments to minimising grades and to operate long climbs steeper than 1:50. So in In practise the AGR only managed to built 14 miles to Dalmellington. Subsequently the southern 8 miles, between Castle Douglas and Parton were built by the 'Ports Line'. The 28 mile long central section never saw a train. History has been twisted with the AGR coming to fruition, becoming part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923 and British Railways Scottish Region in 1948.

Back ground - the local bus timetable (below) gives some idea as to frequency of passenger trains on the line. Given the grades through goods traffic would have used the easier line though Mauchline so freight would have been local as below plus general traffic particularly coal.

Dalmellington

-

-

10:20

14:20

-

Castle Douglas

06:40

07:50

09:04

13:04

14:44

Carsphairn

07:45

08:35

10:35

14:35

15:50

Crossmichael

06:45

07:55

09:16

13:16

15:00

St John’s

08:01

08:51

10:49

14:50

16:05

Parton Village

06:50

08:00

09:21

13:21

15:15

Balmaclellan

08:07

08:57

10:55

14:55

-

New Galloway

-

-

09:35

13:35

15:29

New Galloway

08:12

09:02

11:00

15:00

-

Balmaclellan

-

-

09:40

13:40

-

Parton Village

08:27

09:17

11:12

15:12

16:25

St John’s

07:15

08:20

09:47

13:47

-

Crossmichael

08:33

09:23

11:18

15:18

16:29

Carsphairn

07:35

08:35

10:02

14:02

15:50

Castle Douglas

08:43

09:33

11:28

15:28

16:35

Dalmellington

-

10:17

14:17

-

The Geographic order of stations south from Dalmellington with their main traffic: -
Black Craig                   Iron ore siding
Garryhorn Road            Mine loader/narrow gauge
Carsphairn                    Cattle pens
Knowehead                   Lumber