The Kilmarnock to Barassie railway line in Ayrshire has been closed due to a sinkhole that opened up underneath the line on Saturday, 4th June.
A large hole appeared close to the tracks, and the line has been closed to allow engineers to investigate the damage and repair the section of line affected. Network Rail is working with experts from the Coal Authority to investigate potential mine workings in the area.
An exclusion zone has been set up around the site while expert engineers confirm the cause of the hole, as well as its full size and depth. Once those investigations have been completed, Network Rail engineers will be able to plan a programme of repairs, as well as giving a clearer indication of when the line can re-open for passengers.
Trains between Ayr and Girvan/Stranraer, and between Glasgow Central and Kilmarnock, are unaffected by the closure and will operate as scheduled.
Passengers can check their journey at https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ or https://www.scotrail.co.uk/.
Tom Podger, Project Manager for Network Rail, said:
“Holes like this are very unusual on the railway and we're working with the Coal Authority to identify the cause, as well as finding a solution to make the railway safe for trains to pass again.
“We understand the inconvenience this incident will cause to some passengers, and I'd like to thank those customers for their patience and understanding while work continues.”
That is a big hole and very close to the railway track.
The whole area, Ardrossan, Irvine and towards Kilmarnock, is littered with old coal mines, some at very shallow depth. Many of an age to not be recorded as eventually was required by law. Take a look at the old Ordnance Survey sheets from the 1800’s and you’ll see the amount of private sidings/railways connected to the former collieries.
How do I know this, my grandfather looked after the surface railways at Montgomeryfield Colliery at Dreghorn on the same coalfield.