Montgreenan railway station was a railway station

Train station

A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...

 near the village of Benslie

Benslie

Benslie is a small village in North Ayrshire, in the parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. Map reference NS 336 429.- History :This village, previously Benislay , Beinslay , Bainsley in 1821 , Bensley , Benslee or Benslee square on the 1860 OS map, Bendslee is situated next to Benslie wood...

, three miles north east of the town of Kilwinning

Kilwinning

Kilwinning is a historic town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is known as The Crossroads of Ayrshire. The 2001 Census recorded it as having a population of 15,908.-History:...

, North Ayrshire

North Ayrshire

North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. The station was opened by 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 the former Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway

Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway

The Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway was a railway in Scotland that provided train services between Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Ayr. For a short period, it also provided West Coast services between Glasgow and London. Opened in stages between 1839 and 1848, the line ran from Paisley in the...

.

History

The station opened on 1 February 1878, and closed permanently to passengers on 7 March 1955, although the line was still in use by freight trains and diverted passenger trains until 23 October 1973. Freight services had been withdrawn from the station in October 1955.

The station and goods facilities

In March 1873, the local laird, Mr. Robert Robertson Glasgow of Montgreenan had written, enclosing a petition, to the Board of Directors of the G&SWR requesting that a station be built at the Burnbrae. This request was turned down. In February 1874 the Montgreenan Coal Company applied for a siding to be built and this was laid and in use by 1875, however a dispute arose regarding the payment of the signalman's wages. Montgreenan colliery closed soon after. Freight traffic was such that the railway company purchased the dwelling of a local joiner, Mr. James Watson, for their agent in 1884. In 1886 the Traffic Committee submitted a request for a house and offices to be constructed at Montgreenan and at a cost of £708 14s 4d the present station was built. Access to the two platforms was achieved by wooden steps from the road overbridge at the southern end. The down platform had a simple wooden shelter with the main station buildings on the up side. The station building with its red sandstone facing and awning was similar to that of Cunninghamhead. The goods shed, built in 1902 at a cost of £380, had a siding running through it and a short siding ran up to a loading bank.

Important visitors

The Royal Train of King George VI once spent a few hours at Montgreenan to allow the King to have his lunch. Local police and Special Branch protected the train and it was closed for the duration of his visit. The Chairman of the G&SWR from 1915 to 1920 was Sir James Bell of Montgreenan House

The Lands of Montgreenan

Montgreenan is an estate in North Ayrshire, Parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. The Lugton Water runs through the policies and farmland of Montgreenan...

 and he used the station regularly, avoiding the waiting room by waiting in his horse drawn carriage.

Passenger services

The station served the local villages at Doura, Fergushill

Fergushill

Fergushill is a small community in North Ayrshire, Parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. The Barony of Fergushill was held by the Fergushill family of that Ilk and the area has a complex history.-The Fergushills of that Ilk:...

 and Benslie

Benslie

Benslie is a small village in North Ayrshire, in the parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. Map reference NS 336 429.- History :This village, previously Benislay , Beinslay , Bainsley in 1821 , Bensley , Benslee or Benslee square on the 1860 OS map, Bendslee is situated next to Benslie wood...

, which were well populated up until the early years of the 20th century, when outdated mining village houses were demolished and the inhabitants moved to better accommodation in Kilwinning.

Freight services

As stated the Montgreenan Coal Company had a siding and Fergushill and Doura collieries had links to the main line either side of the station. A sawmill at Burnbrae may have provided some traffic and curiously the Nobel Explosive company of Stevenston had a store at the station. In 1913 one daily goods and two mineral freight trains stopped at Montgreenan as required on their way to Kilmarnock. In 1942 the army took over the Eglinton Estate and other nearby buildings, resulting in equipment and vehicles being transported via Montgreenan. The stock and farm equipment from Eglinton Mains farm had been transported down south in 1925 via Montgreenan.

The station today

The station building still exists today, now a private residence. The road overbridge is still in use and the track space between the platforms has been filled in.

Sources

• Hawksworth, Chris. Montgreenan Station. Sou'West Journal. 2008 - 2009. No. 40.
• Ness, J. A. (1969 - 70). Landmarks of Kilwynnyng. Privately produced.