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Loch Doon Gunnery School, Bellsbank
Railway (First World War)
Site Name Loch Doon Gunnery School, Bellsbank
Classification Railway (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) Dalmellington; Loch Doon, North Dam
Canmore ID 278242
Site Number NS40SE 44.01
NGR NS 4770 0400
NGR Description From NS c.4737 0500 to NS c.4795 0263
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/278242
- Council East Ayrshire
- Parish Dalmellington
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cumnock And Doon Valley
- Former County Ayrshire
The Bogton aerodrome and the main Loch Doon school site were linked to the main railway line at Dalmellington by a standard gauge railway (NS40NE 78.01; NS40SE 44.01) that ran south from Dalmellington; for 2.2km it ran along the eastern side or parallel to the drive to Craigengillan House as far as Linn Liver Bridge. From there it struck out SSE for about 950m, before turning SSW for the 550m to the southern terminus, where a 5m long platform and fragmentary building footings survive. The terminus of the railway lay about 1km north of the shore of the loch. Material seems to have been moved from here the 1.2km to the loch by road. The railway was completed in April 1917; proposals to extend it to the loch, involving the digging of a tunnel, led to the examination of the viability of the whole school project and its subsequent cancellation.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 12 June 2013.
NS40SE 44.01 From c.4737 0500 to c.4795 0263
See also NS40NE 78.01 and for other parts of the Gunnery School see NS40NE 78.00; NX49NE 17.00 and NX49NE 23 -27 and NX49SE 36
A railway, built to assist in the construction of the First World War Loch Doon Gunnery School is situated to the W and S of Dalmellington. The railway follows a course S from the bridge over the Muck Water and approximates that of the driveway to Craigengillan House to a point about NS 4755 0480 (on map sheet NS40SE). From this point it diverges from the driveway and follows a course which approximates to a line of culverts crosiing several small burns which are depicted on the current OS 1:10000 map (1978). The course of the railway then joins with a path at NS 4785 0375 which meanders SE to a point close to Dalfarson (NX 4792 0262).
The railway was built to standard gauge and ran from about 200m NW of Dalmellington Station via Bogton airfield to a point near Dalfarson NS 4792 0262. It was completed during April 1917. It was the proposal to extend this railway by blasting a tunnel from the railhead at Dalfarson to the northern end of the loch that led to the Air Ministry examining the whole concept of the gunnery school and the halting of all work on this project.
Information from Kirkdale Archaeology Report for Loch Doon Action Group
Project (March 2013 - September 2013)
A project to characterise the quantity and quality of the Scottish resource of known surviving remains of the First World War. Carried out in partnership between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS.
