Ayr to Kilmarnock

[Buzby]

Not known for being very observant, I’ve seen references to the above route being used for freight (only). The only way to go in my young day was to Glasgow Central and change for a Dumfries train that stopped there. However, can anyone enlighten me as to when ScotRail turned this into a passenger route?

Considering the Stagecoach bus can do it from Ayr in around 20 minutes, I see the timetable suggests the journey takes a little over 50 minutes - why? Assuming it is routed via Barassie Jcn, there aren’t any other stops or conurbations until Kilmarnock itself, does anyone know when this started and why (especially as it takes X3 of the expected journey time for the distance?

 

[Farigiraf]

Some Glasgow-Stranraer line services run via Kilmarnock, Wikipedia says this was introduced under Abellio Scotrail. On RTT it seems most of the time it is just Ayr/Girvan to Kilmarnock shuttles

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Journeys from Ayr to Kilmarnock (by rail) are often timetabled for just 23 mins, with intermediate station calls at Prestwick Town and Troon. Route mileage is around 15 and a half miles. Similar distance by road.

 

[Farigiraf]

Considering the Stagecoach bus can do it from Ayr in around 20 minutes, I see the timetable suggests the journey takes a little over 50 minutes

I think you have the two mixed, Bus does it in ~40-50 mins and the train does it in ~25

 

[hexagon789]

Not known for being very observant, I’ve seen references to the above route being used for freight (only). The only way to go in my young day was to Glasgow Central and change for a Dumfries train that stopped there. However, can anyone enlighten me as to when ScotRail turned this into a passenger route?

Considering the Stagecoach bus can do it from Ayr in around 20 minutes, I see the timetable suggests the journey takes a little over 50 minutes - why? Assuming it is routed via Barassie Jcn, there aren’t any other stops or conurbations until Kilmarnock itself, does anyone know when this started and why (especially as it takes X3 of the expected journey time for the distance?

Local passenger services first resumed in the early 80s on an experimental basis, then went off for a bit but firmly resumed at Sprinterisation with workings such as the Newcastle to Stranraer, Newcastle to Girvan etc using the route as well as most weekday Glasgow Central to Stranraer services plus some Kilmarnock to Girvan shuttles; the frequency of services from Glasgow continuing through over the route increased when Lugton to Stewarton was redoubled as I recall - ISTR a few extending to Ayr after arriving at Kilmarnock and so on.

 

[Buzby]

I think you have the two mixed, Bus does it in ~40-50 mins and the train does it in ~25

Well, the X77 says it takes 32 minutes, and ScotRail says they take the Average train time 54m (but the fastest is 22m)

 

[Egg Centric]

that average must be via Glasgow

 

[30907]

Kilmarnock to Ayr was a Beeching era withdrawal.
After the Dumfries-Stranraer service was withdrawn I 1965 or so, the remaining Carlisle-Stranraer trains (2pd basically?) were diverted via Mauchline-Annbank; by 1982 they are shown as running via Kilmarnock, but there are no local trains that way.

 

[Clayton]

When I was a kid visiting family there in the 60s there was a service from Ayr to Kilmarnock often operated by single car DMUs, which I was fascinated by! I wanted to go on a trip in one but when we got to the station it was a disappointingly grubby class 26 or 7.

 

[Buzby]

That explains a lot - It’s a piece of Scottish track I’ve never actually travelled on (because it was mostly freight). Something to try before the nights go darker! Thanks!

 

[Tayway]

All the direct services are faster than the bus as far as I can tell

 

[Bill57p9]

Before COVID the route almost had an hourly service Monday to Saturday between Girvan and Kilmarnock with some services extending to Stranraer and/or Glasgow Central, the latter as part of the half hourly pattern between Kilmarnock and Glasgow.

The COVID cuts reduced this to a broadly 2 hourly service on the core, still with some extensions to Stranraer and/or Glasgow, with sensible connections to/from Glasgow at Kilmarnock where it wasn't a through service.

There hasn't been a Sunday service for many years.

The entire Girvan to Kilmarnock route is however currently suspended due to the closure of Ayr station as a result of the Station Hotel fire.

I should add that there is also a separate freight only line between Newton-On-Ayr and Mauchline which has seen a very occasional charter train in recent years, though most run via Kilmarnock and Troon.

 

[Man of Kent]

When I was a kid visiting family there in the 60s there was a service from Ayr to Kilmarnock often operated by single car DMUs, which I was fascinated by! I wanted to go on a trip in one but when we got to the station it was a disappointingly grubby class 26 or 7.

I think that this route was actually served by four wheel railbuses, rather than single car dmus.

 

[gingerheid]

I think it would have been 1995 or 1996 there was first an attempt to create a sort of usable Ayr - Kilmarnock service (as opposed to the Stranraer to Newcastle services just happening to go that way). (I'm basing this on that being when Motherwell to Cumbernauld started, and I feel remember them appearing on the SPT map together.)

 

[Ayrshire Roy]

I'd say the train easily beats the car time wise.
I used to get stopped at the level crossing at Gatehead regularly on the way home from work and then I'd see the sprinter again around Prestwick Airport.
I used to work very near to the junction and station in Kilmarnock and the train would leave after I'd already left.