Rails To Turnberry and Heads of Ayr Reviewed by Allan G. Mearns
David McConnell & Stuart Rankin,
Oakwood Publishing Company, 2010
The publication of a new book involving aspects of the History of the Glasgow & South Western Railway is sure to be of interest to the members of this Association. The fact that this new tome is written by two members of the Association gives further encouragement. One is not disappointed either!
In a very detailed account, the authors trace this story of the Maidens & Dunure Light Railway, the last major engineering work constructed by the G&SW prior to the Grouping in 1923. The part of Scotland through which this line was planned was very much Rural Agricultural, with no major Industry to speak of. The Promoters of the line sought to change this by encouraging new settlement, new industry, and Tourists. Particularly tourists who would be enticed by not only the Burns Legacy, but the luxury offered by a World-Class Hotel and Golf Links; Turnberry. It would of course eventually come to pass that it was these later aspects that would survive down to the present day, and not the railway line that made them more accessible.
The role of the then Marquis of Ailsa is well documented here; a man who sought not only the improvement of the welfare of tenants on his estate, but that also of those outside his realm. Indeed, the Ailsa Shipyard was an early attempt, on his part, to foster industry. (He had also been involved in farming and fishing, trying to push ahead here also). There is a rather interesting touch of irony, that one who had pushed so hard to achieve this end, was absent from all the festivities to mark the opening of the line itself. Not only that, but there is no surviving photo to record the event either. Could these two things be related?
Chapters present information on every aspect of the line, from the hearings prior to construction, the lengthy building of the line - despite the Light Railway Status, the tunnels and structures were to main line standards - an eye to future potential. Train and Locomotive Operation, Signalling, Track Diagrams, Drawings and accounts of those who knew the line all add to the interest here. The railway modeller could well regard this as a handbook, such is the volume of information. And why not ? Where else in the British Isles could one hope to see a 3 coach train hauled by a 4-4-0, one of the carriages being a Pullman ? Minimum spaced layouts would find such operational possibilities very handy!
Once the line had opened, there came the difficult balance in trying to meet the needs of such a varied group of passengers; locals, golfers, hotel patrons and freight traffic all on a single line with limited passing loops. The resulting fight to build further passing loops and correspondence between the General Manager, David Cooper and the Superintendent of the Line, Charles Cockburn are most interesting. Eventually new loops were installed, just in time for the opening of the Great War in 1914.
In the end, the larger events of the Twentieth Century overtook the line. Following upon the ending of that war in 1918, the resulting mushrooming growth in competition from Road Transport , and the policies of the LMS following 1923 all helped to kill the product of late Victorian and Edwardian optimism. However, the story is presented in such a way that the G&SW enthusiast certainly will enjoy. The illustrations that have been chosen to accompany the book are excellent and show the line through each phase of ownership, (the frontispiece of the Smellie 4-4-0 and train of carriages at Turnberry Station is superb) and are accompanied by useful tables and the afore-mentioned drawings.
Of course, after reading the history, it is still possible to go and visit the remains of the line - an ideal Sunday afternoon jaunt ! Go and see the remains of the piers of the splendid Rancleugh Viaduct, the cutting alongside Bracken Bay and travel the Cycle Path that crosses the Viaduct at Alloway. (You can always call-in at the Burns Centre for a cup of tea !).There is also the impressive Turnberry Hotel itself, always worth a look at too. Oakwood Press are to be congratulated on another volume on Scottish Railway History. Hopefully there shall be others on the Sou' West !
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