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.