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The Port Road

The Port Road. This website is dedicated to The Port Road which is the collective name for the "Portpatrick Railway", "Wigtownshire Railway" and "Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway". The Portpatrick and Wigtonshire railways were amalgamated in 1885 and in combination with Castle Douglas to Dumfries became known as "The Port Road".

At time of writing 27th April 2015 this is still the beginning of a long term project to learn and understand the history of The Port Road, for now you will see a series of expanding photographic galleries in the menu structure as I visit and photograph specific sites on the line and its branch lines. In addition to study on "The Port Road" you can also now find some Galleries on the still active West Highland Line which will be updated from time to time

This page and many others will be updated and evolve over time but I hope to turn it into a general reference point for for those interested in studying a once vibrant enterprise which was both about life and crucially "full of life"

For now the inspiration for the project comes from the following link, namely a film shot by enthusiasts in the closing days of the Port Road in 1965. It shows many landmarks which can still be seen today, you can view the video via the NLS Library website by clicking this link

Read also about The Railway That Went The Wrong Way from Alistair Livingston

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Irongray Station

Irongray Station

The Cairn Valley Light Railway was a rural railway line built to connect Moniaive and other communities in the Cairn Valley with the main railway network at Dumfries. It opened in 1905 but usage was disappointing, and declined further when bus companies started competing. It was closed to passengers in 1943, completely closed in 1949 and the track lifted in 1953

Irongray Station which was the first station on the line after Dumfries, cost £212 to build in red brick with cream painted poster boards and chocolate-coloured framing. The extension over the front was covered with red tiles, as was the main roof. A booking office and waiting room was provided. A station master's house was provided, designed by the company with a pyramid roof truncated by a central chimney stack. The shelter had been demolished by 1949. The stationmaster's house survives as a private dwelling.

An accident took place at Irongray in 1911 when a passenger train ran into a goods train that was sitting in the passing loop. No serious injuries were incurred. After 1936 the passing loop was not necessary as the line was operated on a 'one engine in steam' principal; it was removed, however the signal box remained. A level crossing with gates was nearby, interlocked with the signals so that trains could not enter the station unless the gates were closed against road traffic. An electrical ground disc signal controlled the movement of tarins from the siding onto the main line.

Trains were controlled by a 'lock and block' system whereby the trains operated treadles on the single line to interact with the block instruments. Current and period pictures below