Wemyss Bay
On the way back from Largs I stopped off at Wemyss Bay. This was a quick visit simply to see the train station. I have spent decades commuting by train and have written millions of words while travelling, so it’s a fair question to ask why would I spend time at a station on my day off. This station is a masterclass in how a railway station should look.
There is a book by Simon Jenkins called Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations, and Wemyss Bay station was one of only ten to be awarded five stars. Not only that is was used for the front cover of the book. The railway line itself dates from 1862, with the station as we see it today designed by James Miller in 1903. It is notable in its use of glass and steel in the curves of the structure, making it one of Scotland’s finest railway buildings. The place is so photogenic and I managed to take some good shots as it was early on a Sunday morning and the station was quiet.
The Friends of Wemyss Bay Station was formed by local folk in 2009, a group determined to do something about the neglected state of the station at that time. ScotRail has a scheme called ‘Adopt a Station’, which encourages the local community to take on maintaining the appearance of the station, providing some funds for plants for example to help make the place brighter and more welcoming. Today, there is a community run bookshop within the station which is such a great thing to see. It provides donated second-hand books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl records. It also has some new, discounted publications around local history, and tourist guides to Bute, Ayrshire and Inverclyde. There is also a gallery which displays photos of the construction of the 1903 station. This is all staffed by volunteers.
The main ferry that departs from Wemyss Bay is the Caledonian MacBrayne to Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute. The crossing takes around 35 minutes. There wasn’t time to do this, so it has been put on my list for next time.
The Fiction Factory 