Black Craig

00, London Midland Scottish Railway/British Railway (Scottish Region), 12 @ 3 foot

The photos below follow a Dumfries to Ayr passenger train as it passes through Black Craig
For more about New Quarry follow the link
 

History opening in 1905 and its relative success lead to a proposal to extend the Cairn Valley Light Railway [Dumfries - Moniaive] 26 miles to Dalmellington via Carsphairn and Black Craig creating a shorter route from England to Ayr, the south of the Ayrshire coal field, and Dalmellington [an important coal & steel town]. The line would have been expensive to build [a Bridge over the Waters of Ken and minimising grades] and operate [long climbs of over 1:50]. It would have served an area of sheep farming [Carsphairn sheep show is in early June], quarrying and mining [lead/zinc/silver at Woodhead & haematite/limestone at Black Craig]. History has been twisted with the line coming to fruition, becoming part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923 and British Railways Scottish Region in 1948. The layout is set in the 1950’s with Scottish Region stock including Pannier tanks that surprisingly made their way to Scotland. The quarries at Black Craig supply limestone to the iron works at Dalmellington. 

New Quarry see New Quarry

Middle Quarry (off scene) works river stone deposits and ships river stones and crushed river stones.

Old Quarry  only interchange siding is modelled with the quarry and lime kiln(s) off scene. At the quarry limestone is burnt to lime so the interchange would receive coal and dispatch bagged lime in vans.