If you’re curious about how the railway at Garlieston used to work or just mad about trains, come down to the village hall on the weekend of June 22nd when we are hosting the West Scotland 4mm Group and their 3.8m x 0.5m Garlieston railway layout.
The group chose Garlieston as a subject in 2021 because of, “the flowing trackwork and the turnouts through the station”. The track-plan (obtained from historical OS maps using the NLS website) was laid out accurately using the free online Templot program.
The three turnouts (points) were purpose built at home by individual members during Covid lockdown. The buildings and other structures have been built from scratch by members, based on old photographs and mapping, on the evidence that exists on the ground today and on a degree of informed guesswork and modeller’s licence!
Garlieston station was the terminus of a short branch from Millisle (the original station which served Garliestown) on the old Newton Stewart to Whithorn line in south-west Scotland. The station lost its regular passenger service in 1903, but the line remained open for goods and excursion trains for the steamer from Garlieston harbour to the Isle of Man, eventually closing in 1965. Goods traffic served the feed mill and saw mill, plus general domestic goods.