Junior grounds beside a railway?

[BANKIEBILL]

On 05/12/2019 at 14:09, Tutankhamen said:

Plus railway lines that are no longer there.

yep ... Holm Park had a railway running around the back. New Kilbowie was right beside the railway too ( as was original Kilbowie - across the same line from new ground 

Edited December 8, 2019 by BANKIEBILL

[craigkillie]

Looks like this was closed even before Dr Beeching and it's difficult to argue with given there was no obvious need to have two different ways to reach Ardrossan from Glasgow Central.

This is the sort of logic that led to loads of the closures in the Beeching cuts, but train travel should always be about connecting cities to places - it's also important to connect smaller towns and communities together such as this line did.

Perhaps the need to connect those particular places was questionable, but several good useful train connections disappeared because of the business-minded city-centric approach taken by Beeching.

[Hillonearth]

4 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

This is the sort of logic that led to loads of the closures in the Beeching cuts, but train travel should always be about connecting cities to places - it's also important to connect smaller towns and communities together such as this line did.

Perhaps the need to connect those particular places was questionable, but several good useful train connections disappeared because of the business-minded city-centric approach taken by Beeching.

You only need to look at the amount of places in Scotland that have a ground called Station Park or a street called Station Road.

But no station.

[LongTimeLurker]

13 hours ago, tombo said:

...The Red Dogs , Dinamo Bucharest, are my team. I try to catch a home game whenever I am over...

Was staying in a hotel close by through work a few years back. Was hoping to see a game at the stadium but it turned out Rapid had folded to be replaced by various tribute acts at Liga IV level none of whom had a home game on there and Sportul Studentesc whose old ground was even closer to where I was staying appear to have done a Third Lanark and sunk without trace. Went to check out Ceacescu's old home instead.

[LongTimeLurker]

21 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

This is the sort of logic that led to loads of the closures in the Beeching cuts, but train travel should always be about connecting cities to places...

Agree there were too many lines closed but if you check out what happened with this particular line you'll find a lot of it including the branch that went past Meadow Park in Irvine had closed for passenger use by the 1930s.

[tombo]

Think it was about 3-4 years ago they folded. I managed to get to a game against Craiova in the noughties but the stadium was just a concrete midden and totally run down then, no surprise they went bust.
T

Was staying in a hotel close by through work a few years back. Was hoping to see a game at the stadium but it turned out Rapid had folded to be replaced by various tribute acts at Liga IV level none of whom had a home game on there and Sportul Studentesc whose old ground was even closer to where I was staying appear to have done a Third Lanark and sunk without trace. Went to check out Ceacescu's old home instead.

[tombo]

I do voluntary work for a British charity in Romania each year and try to catch a game when I am there. Was just pointing out to the poster that it wasn't my personal opinion but factual, which he has accepted.
You should try it some time, it's good for the soul[emoji6]

f**k me, Tombo...you win.
"I'm just nipping off to see a fitba game in Transylvania...won't be long, dear"....flutter, flutter, flutter....

[killiejim]

Cumnock's original ground would have had a railway line adjoining it. The original pre-Townhead ground is on the site of what is now the cemetery opposite the fire station. The railway line carried over the adjacent viaduct was the Ayr to Cronberry line. The station called Cumnock 2nd was at the site of the ground too, just off the end of the viaduct.

All that remains of Station Park, original home of Cumnock Juniors, is this little lane sandwiched between the cemetery on the left and the site of the station on the right. The lane was the only entrance to the ground which was otherwise surrounded by the cemetery, station and farmland. Station Park closed in the 1930s after being incorporated into the cemetery and the station closed in 1951 although the line remained open for another 13 years. I've never seen an actual picture of Station Park although I'm sure somebody out there must have one.

[Bul2]

[Bul2]

Think there may be some old photos of Station Park in this book written by Ian McMurdo - published by Carn Publishing , who also do a lot of the wee books about the history of various villages / towns throughout Scotland
I found a few photos of Station Park when I was going through the archive at Cumnock Chronicle a few years ago when I was compiling / editing our Centenary book, but, didn’t get any into the book due to lack of space , but , was interesting to see the old photos

[CopaMundials]

Cheap land. Did they not sell it off for a pound a yard years ago. Also the reason a lot of caravan sites are located close to or on disused railway lines. Useless piece of info to start the day.

 

[Vic Girvan]

It really is simpler to talk about grounds in Central Scotland that aren't well served by rail. Hurlford, Cumnock, Cumbernauld and Beith come to mind.

The Carlisle - Glasgow line still runs through Hurlford but the station itself was closed in the 1950's.
Could be wrong but I think Cumnock's original ground was beside the train station down where George McTurk Court area now lies which was the main line to Ayr. Neither ground or train station now exists.

[killiejim]

Bul thanks for the reply. I've got Ian McMurdo's book and am aware that the top photo on the cover was taken in Station Park but only shows the team in front of what presumably is the pavilion but shows nothing of the ground and immediate surroundings. There are no further pictures in the book. The Chronicle archives is a good suggestion and is maybe where I should look. Looking at old maps there is nothing to suggest Station Park was built up in any way and may have been very basic compared to Townhead Park.

Think there may be some old photos of Station Park in this book written by Ian McMurdo - published by Carn Publishing , who also do a lot of the wee books about the history of various villages / towns throughout Scotland
I found a few photos of Station Park when I was going through the archive at Cumnock Chronicle a few years ago when I was compiling / editing our Centenary book, but, didn’t get any into the book due to lack of space , but , was interesting to see the old photos

[neildrake]

On 08/12/2019 at 10:00, Hillonearth said:

I must have been to Moor Park on occasions into double figures over the years and never until yesterday realised the railway line ran so close to the back of it...for some reason the line does a weird loop when approaching Lanark and comes in from the other direction right behind the park.

There is a disused line even closer to  Moor Park than the current line from Glasgow. It ran out to a station that served the race course.  The remnant of the line can be seen by the dismantled bridge when you enter Lanark from the Biggar side. If you park at Lanark Loch you can walk along the old line and get a good view of the ground. 

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

There is a disused line even closer to  Moor Park than the current line from Glasgow. It ran out to a station that served the race course.  The remnant of the line can be seen by the dismantled bridge when you enter Lanark from the Biggar side. If you park at Lanark Loch you can walk along the old line and get a good view of the ground. 

I saw that wee path when I visited Lanark this year. A few tight locals and dog walker types used it to just wander in without paying. Scene of the crime attached.

[Lobby Dossar]

36 minutes ago, neildrake said:

There is a disused line even closer to  Moor Park than the current line from Glasgow. It ran out to a station that served the race course.  The remnant of the line can be seen by the dismantled bridge when you enter Lanark from the Biggar side. If you park at Lanark Loch you can walk along the old line and get a good view of the ground. 

Yip your right but it went beyond the racecourse to Douglas Water, Douglas West, Glespin and on into Ayrshire 

Think it’s main use was to bring coal from the pits in these areas to Lanark station for onward distribution 

But I’ll stand corrected if wrong

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

That line apparently extended to Muirkirk, line closed in 1968. I'm told that the RAF used the bridges near Muirkirk for bombing practice in wartime.

[Sergeant Wilson]

No kidding, I find this stuff fascinating. It should be extended to all grounds.

The changes in transport and life in general in a short space of time is incredible.

[Wile E Coyote]

Enjoying this thread.

While never having given it any thought before I never knew Cumnock used to play in that area of the town

[Village elder]

2 stations and 3 stops in Cumbernauld.. Cumbernauld well served by rail I would argue

It really is simpler to talk about grounds in Central Scotland that aren't well served by rail. Hurlford, Cumnock, Cumbernauld and Beith come to mind.

The Carlisle - Glasgow line still runs through Hurlford but the station itself was closed in the 1950's.
Could be wrong but I think Cumnock's original ground was beside the train station down where George McTurk Court area now lies which was the main line to Ayr. Neither ground or train station now exists.