POINT OF AYR COLLIERY SIDINGS

The Point of Ayr Colliery came into being when a shaft was sunk in 1883 by the Point of Ayr Colliery Company. A coal seam was struck in 1890 and a second shaft was sunk shortly after. At first coal was moved by sea and despite the fact that the Chester & Holyhead railway of the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) was close by no connection was made to it.

In 1908 sidings were opened just to the east of Talacre station and they were linked to the colliery by a tramway as shown on the 25-inch scale map from 1913 below.

After nationalisation as part of the National Coal Board a third shaft was sunk and it was probably around this time that the sidings were extended to run right up to the colliery.

Extraction of coal ceased in the summer of 1996.

On 4 December 1990 class 60 locomotive 60 060 is seen shunting wagons at Point of Ayr Colliery.
Photo by John Wilson


A view looking south-west towards the main line at Talacre from the northern end of the Point of Ayr Colliery sidings on 22 November 1991.
Photo by John Wilson

Point of Ayr Colliery sidings looking towards Talacre on 22 November 1991.
Photo by John Wilson

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