Greenock and Ayrshire Railway
Encyclopedia
The Greenock and Ayrshire Railway ran from Greenock
, Scotland to Bridge of Weir
. It closed progressively between 1959 and 1983. Despite its name it never reached Ayrshire
; however by means of the line to Johnstone
on the Bridge of Weir Railway
trains could head directly to Ayrshire.
and amalgamated with the Glasgow and South Western Railway
on 1 August 1872.
From Bridge of Weir, it had stations at Kilmacolm
, Lynedoch and Greenock Prince's Pier, which allowed boat train
s to connect with the passenger ships. The large and attractive terminal station at Princes Pier was built on the quayside, attracting passengers who boarded Clyde steamer
s there to visit holiday resorts down the Firth of Clyde
or to commute in summer to their villas around the shores of the firth
. It took most of the steamer trade away from the Caledonian Railway
whose Cathcart Street
station was a short but inconvenient walk through part of Greenock to the Custom House quay, leading them to organise an extension to Gourock
, with Gourock railway station
opening as a rival terminal in 1889.
to Greenock Prince's Pier Ocean Liner boat trains continued running until 30 November 1965. The tracks were then truncated at Kilmacolm in September 1966.
The short terminus section at Greenock Prince's Pier was reopened in June 1971 to service the Clyde
Port
Authority (CPA) container terminal
. It was linked into the, (former Caledonian Railway) (Paisley to Gourock
), Inverclyde Line
at Cartsburn Junction. Passenger services continued from Glasgow, via the Paisley Canal Line
, through to Kilmacolm using diesel multiple units. It closed completely to passenger
s on 10 January 1983.
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland to Bridge of Weir
Bridge of Weir
Bridge of Weir is a village in within the Renfrewshire council area and wider historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
. It closed progressively between 1959 and 1983. Despite its name it never reached Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
; however by means of the line to Johnstone
Johnstone railway station
Johnstone railway station is a railway station serving the town of Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line south west of Glasgow Central.- History :...
on the Bridge of Weir Railway
Bridge of Weir Railway
The Bridge of Weir Railway ran from Elderslie, Scotland, to Bridge of Weir. It was closed in January 1983.- Formation :The line from Elderslie to Bridge of Weir was built originally as the Bridge of Weir Railway, which had opened to passengers in 1864 between Johnstone and Bridge of Weir...
trains could head directly to Ayrshire.
Formation
The Greenock and Ayrshire Railway was authorised on 5 July 1865 and opened to passengers on 23 December 1869. It was involved with a price cutting war with the Caledonian RailwayCaledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
and amalgamated with the Glasgow and South Western Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway
The Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...
on 1 August 1872.
From Bridge of Weir, it had stations at Kilmacolm
Kilmacolm
Kilmacolm is a village and civil parish in the Inverclyde council area and the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the northern slope of the Gryffe Valley south-east of Greenock and around west of the city of Glasgow...
, Lynedoch and Greenock Prince's Pier, which allowed boat train
Boat train
A boat train is a passenger train which connects with a passenger ship, such as a ferry or ocean liner. Through ticketing is normally available. -Notable named boat trains:*The Flèche d'Or Paris Gare du Nord to Calais...
s to connect with the passenger ships. The large and attractive terminal station at Princes Pier was built on the quayside, attracting passengers who boarded Clyde steamer
Clyde steamer
The era of the Clyde steamer in Scotland began in August 1812 with the very first successful commercial steamboat service in Europe, when Henry Bell's began a passenger service on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Greenock...
s there to visit holiday resorts down the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
or to commute in summer to their villas around the shores of the firth
Firth
Firth is the word in the Lowland Scots language and in English used to denote various coastal waters in Scotland and England. In mainland Scotland it is used to describe a large sea bay, or even a strait. In the Northern Isles it more usually refers to a smaller inlet...
. It took most of the steamer trade away from the Caledonian Railway
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
whose Cathcart Street
Greenock Central railway station
Greenock Central station is one of eight railway stations serving the town of Greenock in western Scotland, and is the nearest to the town centre. This station, which is staffed, is on the Inverclyde Line west of Glasgow Central towards Gourock. It has three platforms, two of which are in use,...
station was a short but inconvenient walk through part of Greenock to the Custom House quay, leading them to organise an extension to Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
, with Gourock railway station
Gourock railway station
Gourock railway station is a terminus of the Inverclyde Line, located at Gourock pierhead and serving the town as well as the ferry services it was originally built for...
opening as a rival terminal in 1889.
Closure
Stopping passenger services ceased running beyond Kilmacolm in February 1959. However the Glasgow St Enoch railway stationSt Enoch railway station
-External links:* *...
to Greenock Prince's Pier Ocean Liner boat trains continued running until 30 November 1965. The tracks were then truncated at Kilmacolm in September 1966.
The short terminus section at Greenock Prince's Pier was reopened in June 1971 to service the Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
Port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
Authority (CPA) container terminal
Container terminal
A container terminal is a facility where cargo containers are transshipped between different transport vehicles, for onward transportation. The transshipment may be between container ships and land vehicles, for example trains or trucks, in which case the terminal is described as a maritime...
. It was linked into the, (former Caledonian Railway) (Paisley to Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
), Inverclyde Line
Inverclyde Line
The Inverclyde Line is a railway line running from Glasgow Central station through Paisley and a series of stations to the south of the River Clyde and the Firth of Clyde, terminating at Gourock and Wemyss Bay, where it connects to Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services...
at Cartsburn Junction. Passenger services continued from Glasgow, via the Paisley Canal Line
Paisley Canal Line
The Paisley Canal Railway line was originally a Glasgow and South Western Railway branch line running from Glasgow, Scotland, through three stations in Paisley, to North Johnstone...
, through to Kilmacolm using diesel multiple units. It closed completely to passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
s on 10 January 1983.