The Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald of 7 September 1888 carried the following report.


OPENING OF THE NEW LANARKSHIRE AND AYRSHIRE RAILWAY FROM GLASGOW TO ARDROSSAN
An event of the utmost importance, in so far as the future of Ardrossan is concerned, falls to be chronicled this week in the opening of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire line of railway. The occasion was one in every way worthy of being fittingly celebrated by the inhabitants of Ardrossan and the country through which the line passes as well as those who have a direct pecuniary interest in the success of the undertaking. On Monday morning (3 September 1888), when we left for Glasgow to join the special train at the Central Station which was to go over the new line, many of the inhabitants were astir, busy decorating their houses and places of business and putting themselves in order, rightly, to celebrate so auspicious an event as the opening of the new line at the entry of Caledonian Railway Company into Ardrossan. A contingent of Saltcoats people welcomed the arrival of the train as it passed onwards north of their town through one of the deepest and most troublesome cuttings owing to shifting sand on the line. Slowly it steamed on past Parkhouse Farm and under the South-Western line to Kilbride and Largs at the head of Glasgow Street till it glided past 'Wee Dublin' and into the beautiful new station at the head of Montgomerie Street which was reached at 12 25, the train having travelled all the way slowly to allow its occupants getting a good view of the districts through which they passed and there were slight detentions. The terminus at Ardrossan is charmingly placed with a fine terrace of self-contained houses each with its own little bit of front garden on one side and the open firth on the west side. Indeed, the whole of the station on the new portion of the line is of a light and graceful style of architecture and is constructed of pitchpine. At Ardrossan, the station was finely decorated and crowded with passengers who gave a cheery welcome to the large complement of ladies and gentlemen who left the train to inspect the progress of the work at the new dock.