Irongray was one of the principal stations on the Cairn Valley Light Railway branch, from Dumfries. It served a rural area in Dumfries and Galloway The line was closed to passengers during WW2.[1] Cairn Valley Junction lay to the east.

Irongray
The site of Irongray railway station
General information
Location	Dunscore, Dumfries and Galloway Scotland
Grid reference	NX917803
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Cairn Valley Light Railway
Pre-grouping	Glasgow and South Western Railway
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
1 March 1905	Opened
3 May 1943	Closed to passengers
4 July 1949	Closed to freight

History

The CVR was nominally independent, but was in reality controlled by the Glasgow and South Western Railway.[2] The line was closed to passengers on 3 May 1943, during WW2[1] and to freight on 4 July 1949,[3] and the track lifted in 1953.

The station cost £212 to build in red brick with cream painted poster boards and chocolate-coloured framing. The extension over the front was covered with red tiles, as was the main roof. A booking office and waiting room was provided.[4] A station master's house was provided, designed by the company with a pyramid roof truncated by a central chimney stack.[4] The shelter had been demolished by 1949.[4] The stationmaster's house survives as a private dwelling.

An accident took place at Irongray in 1911 when a passenger train ran into a goods train that was sitting in the passing loop. No serious injuries were incurred.[5] After 1936 the passing loop was not necessary as the line was operated on a 'one engine in steam' principle; it was removed, however the signal box remained.[6] A level crossing with gates was nearby, interlocked with the signals so that trains could not enter the station unless the gates were closed against road traffic.[7] A electrical ground disc signal controlled the movement of trains from the siding onto the main line.[8]

Trains were controlled by a 'lock and block' system whereby the trains operated treadles on the single line to interact with the block instruments.[2]

See also

• List of closed railway stations in Britain

References

Notes

Sources

• Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0049-7. OCLC 19514063. CN 8983.
• Kirkpatrick, Ian (2000). The Cairn Valley Light Railway. Usk : The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-567-5.
• Sanders, Keith and Hodgins, Douglas (1995). British Railways. Past and Present South West Scotland. No. 19. ISBN 1-85895-074-0.
• Thomas, David St John & Whitehouse, Patrick (1993). The Romance of Scotlands Railways. Newton Abbot : David St John Thomas. ISBN 0-946537-89-5.