Doon Valley on track for trains to Minnivey by 2023
DOON Valley Railway volunteers are on track to realise their aim of running trains from the industrial railway’s Dunaskin base, over the Ayrshire Railway Preservation Society’s 2.4-mile line, all the way to Minnivey by the summer of 2023.
Volunteers have been undertaking one of their biggest permanent way projects so far – rebuilding a farm level crossing, one mile south of Dunaskin on the society’s former National Coal Board line, after a full track inspection was carried out by a railway professional.
“The inspection report condemned the level crossing and advised us not to run any further trains until it had been replaced,” said society chairman and track gang member Gavin Steele.
“Thanks to generous donations, a lorry load of modern concrete sleepers were delivered to the job site and we collected other materials, including good quality, used Strail level crossing strips which were otherwise destined for the skip.”
The DVR permanent way gang has been cleaning out ditches on either side of the line at the crossing where old bullhead rail and life-expired and wooden sleepers have been removed. The trackbed has been dug out, using a digger belonging to one of the society’s directors.
A full weekend line closure planned for later in the year will allow hired-in heavy plant to be used, and experienced main line railway engineers will join volunteers in removing the current road deck and remaining track.
New ballast will then be laid, and the modern concrete sleepers and 113lb-per-yard flat-bottomed rail positioned, to allow the Strail deck panels to be installed and the farm road reopened.
Further fencing and gates will be erected later.
Gavin said: “Our small team has faced a number of challenges, including the Scottish winter weather and sourcing the correct materials at little or no cost to the group. It is probably one of the bigger track renewal jobs we have undertaken at the DVR in recent years and we’ve done it entirely with four volunteers, including me! We’d be delighted if more people would volunteer at what is probably the most intact former NCB rail network in the UK.
“Industrial railways are not as glamorous as the big heritage railways, but we provide a much more intimate and hands-on experience for volunteers right from the start.”
➜ Full details of volunteering on the DVR are at https://doonvalleyrailway. co.uk