Port Road - Dumfries to Stranraer, Portpatrick, Kirkcudbright & Whithorn

The Shortest Sea Route between mainland Britain and Ireland, the 20 mile crossing between Stranraer and Larne, was a jewel in any railway crown. 81 miles of largely single track railway were built from Dumfries through inhospitable, barren uplands to Stranraer. The Caledonian Railway operated the line for the first two decades but then joined with the Glasgow & South Western, the Midland and the London & North Western railways, each buying a quarter share to create, in 1886, 'the Jointest of All Joint Railways'. The Scottish companies operated the line and took alternating responsibility for its upkeep. Passengers, Royal Mail, goods and considerable war-time traffic mixed with stopping local trains. Within these pages, Andrew Swan outlines the history of the line and its branches, and gives a detailed description of each of the stations along the route, with a 32-page section of buildings and rolling stock plans all in colour.