The Kintyre Forum

Just been doing some journey planning and realised how lacking we are in terms of a rail link with the national network. I think the nearest station is Arrochar or Oban?

Any ideas why? Was there ever any plans to get connected?

Just interested,
Cheers,
Lorne.

Aye, we'v nae trains.

When the West Highland Line was built, the Duke of Argyll at the time did not want a railway crossing his land in the immediate proximity of his residence at Inveraray.
This would have been necessary at the time for a branch of the railway to run to Campbeltown.

Petewick

I believe Southend, Kintyre is the furthest place on mainland Britain from a railway link. Anyone confirm that?

I believe Southend is just about the furthest place from just about everything in mainland Britain...

The world comes here Jimmy, the world comes here!!

In fact, my Great Grandfather, Rev Andrew McLaren Young, minister in Southend for 40 years wrote a book about life in Kintyre....in the 1870s I think. In it he speculated onthe possibility of a rail link to Glasgow. He could see no reason there could not be and was very optimistic that it would happen in the near future!! my goodness, what a difference to life here if it had happened.......just that darned Chooky Argyll ruined the plan!!

I still have the book upstairs, must look it out.

Although there has never been a direct link from the national rail network to Campbeltown, the wee toon used to appear in railway timetables. An example of this is Bradshaw's July 1922 Railway Guide which shows that it was possible to travel from Edinburgh and Glasgow by train and steamer. As an example you could leave Campbeltown by steamer at 0800 calling at Carradale at 0905, Pirnmill at 0930, Lochranza at 1010 arriving in Gourock at 1225 and Greenock Princes Pier at 1245. Rail connections were available at both Gourock and Greenock and you would be deposited at either Glasgow Central or Glasgow St Enoch after 1400. This compares reasonably favourable with today's CityLink bus journey!

If the Irish ferry together with a possible Ayrshire link (to say Troon or Ardrossan) was to come to fruition then it would be possible to use the rail / sail combination once more!!

Then again maybe I'm going loco.

Is everyone forgetting the Ardrishaig mini railway?