Steam train adventures
I TRAVELLED ON A STEAM TRAIN THROUGH THE ALLOWAY RAILWAY TUNNEL IN 1964!
I was a schoolboy in 1964 when I spent the earnings from my summer job on a 14-day Gold Freedom of Scotland Rail Pass. I was interested in railways and, in particular, was keen to travel on lines which were under threat of closure, including the short branch line off the Ayr to Stranraer line. It looked intriguing, although I only knew that it served a holiday camp.
In those days there was a timetable book, including a map, so it was easy to draw up an itinerary. I planned a round trip from Greenock via Shotts to Ayr, Kilmarnock, Dumfries and back again. The train from Shotts was one of the Saturday-only through trains from Edinburgh to Ayr. I alighted at Ayr and joined a train travelling the short distance from Ayr to the Butlins Holiday Camp on the Maidens and Dunure Light Railway (M&DLR).
The M&DLR had opened in 1906 to serve the rural communities of South Ayrshire, and was important in opening up that part of the country for the benefit of agricultural and tourism traffic alike. The line really was an integral part of the community and an important influence on its history. In 1942, the line was closed beyond Butlins and in 1968, it was closed altogether. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway tried to keep the line open, for example by introducing a steam railcar, third class only, to try and reduce costs, but this did not last long as the first class passengers did not like it.
I was fortunate to be able to travel on the branch line before it closed and to experience many of the features of steam trains which are no longer available to present-day train users
Once we left Ayr and we swung on to the branch line, I felt I was exploring Scotland in earnest!
Initially, there wasn’t much to see, but I was on the lookout for Alloway Station, the first of the original stations on the line. The only trace of the station was a grassy mound where earthworks leading to the goods yard had been. Then, suddenly, with a shriek from the engine whistle, we were in the dark, in a slightly curved, concrete lined tunnel. It was about 25 feet wide and a very unusual shape. We were through it in seconds! I resolved to have a closer look on the return journey.
This was the Alloway Railway Tunnel, about which I knew nothing about back then. The Tunnel was a covered way, I read later, i.e. a cut and cover construction involving a system of steel girders and concrete troughs. This method of construction was adopted rather than boring out the tunnel as it was important not to disturb Alloway Auld Kirk and its graveyard, where Robert Burns’ father is buried.
The engine then had a stiff but short climb up from the River Doon and I remember the bark of the exhaust as it travelled. After another mile or so, we drew slowly into the Heads of Ayr Station and stopped alongside a long platform on the coastal side of the railway. I alighted from the train to take a photo of the engine with the Fireman posing on the running plate.
The long platform, I later discovered, was to accommodate two trains end to end for holidaymakers leaving the camp, some of whom headed south towards Newcastle or Leeds, others headed north towards Ayr or Glasgow. There was only a basic signal room on the platform, the Station Office was within the holiday camp.
After a few minutes it was time to leave. On the return journey, I had another look at the Alloway Tunnel, resolving to find more about it someday, which I have done.
Back at Ayr, I boarded first a four-wheeled railbus which clattered its way to Kilmarnock, and then, a lacklustre steam train to Dumfries. Undoubtedly, the highlight of my day was the short trip on the M&DLR through the Alloway Railway Tunnel.
I am a keen railway enthusiast and, together with the late David McConnell, I have published a book entitled “Rails to Turnberry and Heads of Ayr – The Maidens and Dunure Light Railway and the Butlin’s Branch”. It was published by The Oakwood Press in 2010. The book provides a wealth of information about the M&DLR and its importance to South Ayrshire.
I am delighted to hear that “the last train to Butlins” will be a feature of the Alloway Railway Tunnel Mural. Unfortunately, I am unable to travel to Alloway to see the mural for myself, but I look forward to seeing photographs of the installation once it is complete.
Writing up this story has brought back many happy memories for me. Although my journey was made 60 years ago, I can clearly recall my excitement at travelling through the Alloway Railway Tunnel on the Maidens and Dunure Light Railway for an unforgettable day out.
Stuart Rankin
