Ayrshire Coast Line | |
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Class 380 train at Troon
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Overview | |
Type | Heavy rail |
System | National Rail |
Status | Operational |
Locale | Scotland |
Stations | 26 |
Operation | |
Owner | Network Rail |
Operator(s) | Abellio ScotRail |
Rolling stock | Class 380 Class 314(Peak times) |
Technical | |
Number of tracks | Triple track, Double track and Single line |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
The Ayrshire Coast Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. It has 26 stations and connects the Ayrshire coast to Glasgow. There are three branches, to Largs, Ardrossan Harbour and Ayr, all running into the high level at Glasgow Central. All trains call at Kilwinning (with the exception of the 1745 Glasgow-Ayr, which runs non stop between Paisley and Irvine) and most trains call at Paisley Gilmour Street,
The route is operated by Abellio ScotRail.
The Ayrshire Coast Line consists of lines that were formerly part of the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway, the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway, the Ardrossan Railway and its Largs Branch extension.
The line to Ayr was electrified and Class 318 electric multiple units introduced by British Rail in September 1986. The full electrified service, including trains to Largs and Ardrossan Harbour, commenced on 19 January 1987. These were supplemented by occasional use of Class 303 and Class 311 EMUs, then in use on the Inverclyde Line.
These EMUs replaced the Class 101 and Class 107 DMUs that had served the line for over 30 years. Class 126 DMUs were also used on the line, but they succumbed to old age in the early 1980s.