Grangeston Halt railway station

Grangeston Halt
Grangeston Halt
	Grangeston Halt looking towards Ayr
General information
Location	Between Killochan and Girvan; Scotland
Coordinates	55°15′31″N 4°49′40″W / 55.25871°N 4.82785°W
Grid reference	NX203997
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
15 December 1941	Opened
1965	Closed

The Grangeston Halt railway station was a private station that was not listed in the public timetables, located in a rural part of South Ayrshire, Scotland and served the WWII Grangeston ICI munitions plant bringing workers to the site.^[2] Grant's Distillery now occupies much of the site.

History[edit]

Where Grant's Distillery is now at Grangeston in WWII ^[3] was an ICI munitions factory producing flashless cordite that was served by sidings from the Maidens and Dunure line which joined at a north facing junction. The Grangeston depot was also served by a passenger facility named Grangeston Halt that was located on the Maybole and Girvan Railway line and closed in 1965.^[4] ^[5]

"At the onset of the Second World War (1939-1945), the British Government decided to massively expand its capability to produce explosives for filling shells and as propellant for gun and rifle cartridges. Instead of creating another giant factory like the First World War (1914-1918) munitions works at Gretna and Eastriggs, production was spread around a large number of government-run sites like ROF Bishopton near Glasgow and agency industrial works like the ICI explosive works at Ardeer in Ayrshire. ICI saw a need to increase production by establishing six new factories in South West Scotland. These were Ministry of Supply factories run and staffed by ICI as 'Agency Factories'."^[6]

Station infrastructure[edit]

The station was located on a double track section of the line and had a brick built platform with concrete edging.^[7] One overgrown platform still exists and the line has been singled.

Workings[edit]

A Southern Railway 0-4-2T locomotive, Stroudley class D1 no. 2284 was allocated to Girvan railway station and Smith records that "It proved useful ... as a substitute for the diesel shunter at Grangeston munitions factory, which shunter that had a habit of breaking down. A two-platform halt was erected at Grangeston and two workers' trains ran to it from Ayr each morning. These trains went on to Girvan station, reversing there and going to Turnberry ... Two similar trains worked back in the evening."^[8]

Micro-history[edit]

The Grangeston ICI munitions factory was linked to the Maidens and Dunure Light Railway and the tracks were lifted in 1961.^[9] An internal narrow gauge railway system existed.^[10]

It has been proposed that a freight facility should be built here to serve the industrial estate, to be known as Girvan Grangeston.^[11]

Maybole and Girvan Railway

Legend

						Ayr and Maybole Junction Railway
					Maybole Junction
					Maybole (old)
					Maybole (new)
					Kilkerran
					Dailly
					Bargany Coal Mine
					Killochan
					Grangeston Halt (private station)
						Maidens and Dunure Light Railway
					Girvan Junction


					Girvan (old)
					Girvan (new)
						Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Railway

Preceding station	National Rail		Following station
Maybole		ScotRail Glasgow South Western Line	Girvan
	Historical railways
Killochan Line open; station closed		Glasgow and South Western Railway Maybole and Girvan Railway	Girvan Line open; station open

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

^ Butt (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present. p. 108.
^ Butt (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present. p. 132.
^ Wham (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways - A Walker's Guide. p. 51.
^ Wham (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways - A Walker's Guide. p. 69.
^ "Ministry of Supply". Dalbeattie ICI Web Site. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
^ "Ministry of Supply". Dalbeattie ICI Web Site. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
^ Wham (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways - A Walker's Guide. p. 51.
^ Smith. Legends. p. 119.
^ "Signalling Record Society". Dalbeattie ICI Web Site. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
^ Wham (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways - A Walker's Guide. p. 51.
^ Coia (2012). AyrLine. Driver's eye view Stranraer to Glasgow.

Sources[edit]

Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7.
Coia, Paul (2012). AyrLine. Driver's eye view. Stranraer to Glasgow. Video125. DVD.
Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC 22311137.
Smith, David L. (1980). Legends of the Glasgow and South Western Railway in the L.M.S. Days. Newton Abbot : David & Charles. ISBN 9780715379813.
Wham, Alasdair (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways. A Walker's Guide. Usk : Oakwood Press. ISBN 978-0-85361-729-7.

External links[edit]

[1] Butt (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present. p. 108.

[2] Butt (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present. p. 132.

[3] Wham (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways - A Walker's Guide. p. 51.

[4] Wham (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways - A Walker's Guide. p. 69.

[5] "Ministry of Supply". Dalbeattie ICI Web Site. Retrieved 26 February 2017.

[6] "Ministry of Supply". Dalbeattie ICI Web Site. Retrieved 26 February 2017.

[7] Wham (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways - A Walker's Guide. p. 51.

[8] Smith. Legends. p. 119.

[9] "Signalling Record Society". Dalbeattie ICI Web Site. Retrieved 26 February 2017.

[10] Wham (2013). Ayrshire's Forgotten Railways - A Walker's Guide. p. 51.

[11] Coia (2012). AyrLine. Driver's eye view Stranraer to Glasgow.

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v t e Historical Scottish railway companies
Primary companies	Caledonian Railway Glasgow and South Western Railway Great North of Scotland Railway Highland Railway North British Railway
Caledonian Railway	Aberdeen Railway Alloa Railway Alyth Arbroath and Forfar Busby Railway Cathcart District Clydesdale Junction Crieff Junction Crieff and Comrie Crieff and Methven Junction Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Dunblane, Doune and Callander Dundee and Perth Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen Forfar and Brechin General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Garnkirk and Glasgow Glasgow Central Railway Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Greenock and Wemyss Bay Hamilton and Strathaven Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Leadhills and Wanlockhead Lesmahagow Railway Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie Paisley and Barrhead District Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Polloc and Govan Rutherglen and Coatbridge Scottish Central Scottish Midland Junction Scottish North Eastern Solway Junction Symington, Biggar and Broughton Talla Railway Wishaw and Coltness Lines built by the Caledonian Railway Balerno line CR Cleland and Midcalder CR Main Line CR Douglas Branch CR Hamilton Branch CR Hamiltonhill Branch CR The Switchback Independent lines worked by the Caledonian Railway Callander and Oban Killin Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway	Ardrossan Railway Ardrossan and Johnstone Ayr and Dalmellington Ayr and Maybole Junction Ayr to Mauchline Ayrshire and Wigtownshire Barrhead Branch Bridge of Weir Railway Cairn Valley Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Castle Douglas and Dumfries Dalry and North Johnstone Darvel Branch Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Greenock and Ayrshire Kilmarnock and Troon Largs Branch Maidens and Dunure Maybole and Girvan Paisley and Renfrew Paisley Canal Line
Great North of Scotland Railway	Aberdeen and Turriff Aboyne and Braemar Alford Valley Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Boddam Branch Deeside Denburn Valley Formartine and Buchan Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Keith and Dufftown Moray Coast Morayshire St Combs Light Railway Strathspey Railway
Highland Railway	Buckie and Portessie Branch Dingwall and Skye Duke of Sutherland Findhorn Railway Fortrose Branch Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Inverness and Aviemore Direct Inverness and Nairn Inverness and Perth Junction Inverness and Ross-shire Kyle of Lochalsh Extension Perth and Dunkeld Sutherland and Caithness Sutherland Railway Independent lines worked by the Highland Railway Dornoch Light Railway Wick and Lybster Light Railway
North British Railway	Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick Anstruther and St Andrews Railway Ballochney Bathgate and Coatbridge Blane Valley Border Counties Railway Border Union Railway Campsie Branch Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company Charlestown Railway and Harbour Company Coatbridge Branch Devon Valley Railway Dunfermline and Queensferry East of Fife Railway Edinburgh and Bathgate Edinburgh and Dalkeith Edinburgh and Glasgow Edinburgh and Hawick Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway Edinburgh and Northern Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Esk Valley Eyemouth Railway Fife and Kinross Railway Forth and Clyde Junction Gifford and Garvald Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Glasgow City and District Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank Kelvin Valley Railway Kincardine Line Kinross-shire Railway Kirkcaldy and District Railway Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton Leven Railway Leven and East of Fife Railway Macmerry Branch Monkland and Kirkintilloch Monkland Railways Montrose and Bervie Mallaig Extension Newburgh and North Fife Railway (worked by NBR) Newport Railway North Berwick Branch North British, Arbroath and Montrose Peebles Railway The St. Andrews Railway Stirling and Dunfermline Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Slamannan Slamannan and Borrowstounness Wemyss and Buckhaven Railway West Highland Railway West of Fife Mineral Railway Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness
Joint lines	Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction City Union Dundee and Arbroath Darvel and Strathaven Glasgow and Paisley Joint Glasgow and Renfrew District Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Kilsyth and Bonnybridge Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint
Other lines	Brechin and Edzell District Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway Dundee and Arbroath Hagdale Chromate Railway Invergarry and Fort Augustus Lealt Valley Diatomite Railway Lochaber Narrow Gauge Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Rothesay and Ettrick Bay Light Railway Skye Marble Railway Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway

v t e Carrick
Settlements	Former burghs Ballantrae Girvan Maybole Others Auchencrosh Balkissock Bargany Barr Colmonell Crosshill Dailly Drumshang Dunure Greenan Kirkmichael Kirkoswald Lendalfoot Maidens Minishant Old Dailly Patna Pinmore Pinwherry Smyrton Straiton
Administration	National subdivisions Ayrshire and Arran lieutenancy area Carrick earldom Kyle and Carrick local government district Sheriffdom and County of Ayr South Ayrshire Council area Parliamentary seats (Scotland) Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Parliamentary seats (UK) Ayrshire (1708–1868) South Ayrshire (1868–1983) Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (1983–2005) Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (2005–)
Culture	Gaelic in Carrick and Galloway Sawney Bean
Geography	Islands Ailsa Craig Lochs Craigdow Loch Loch Bradan Loch Doon Loch Dornal Loch Finloch Loch Goosey Loch Spaig Loch Spallander Loch Spouts Rivers River Doon River Stinchar Water of App Water of Girvan Water of Tig
History	Heritage sites Blairquhan Castle Carleton Castle Crossraguel Abbey Culzean Castle Dinvin Motte Dunduff Castle Dunure Castle Glenapp Castle Greenan Castle Kirkoswald Parish Church Knockdolian Maybole Castle Maybole Collegiate Church Penkill Castle Turnberry Castle People Abbots of Crossraguel Clan Kennedy Earls or mormaers of Carrick Marquesses of Ailsa and their predecessors
Sport	Girvan F.C. Maybole Juniors F.C. Turnberry golf course
Transport	Railway lines Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Railway Maybole and Girvan Railway Railway stations Barrhill railway station Girvan railway station Maybole railway station Roads A77 A714