Train services resume after fire destroys seaside station

Rail routes between Ayr and Glasgow and Ayr and Stranraer reopened on Friday.

Train routes that were closed after a fire ripped through a station in Ayrshire have now reopened.

Services between Ayr and Glasgow and Ayr and Stranraer restarted on Friday, six days after the blaze at Troon Station.

However trains will still not stop at Troon station due to extensive damage.

Fire ripped through Troon station last week. TwitterTwitter

ScotRail confirmed on Thursday that the services would resume.

Troon station will remain closed with a shuttlebus services running to Troon from Kilmarnock, Prestwick Town and Ayr instead.

Scotrail said: “We are pleased to confirm services between Ayr & Glasgow Central and Ayr & Stranraer will resume on Friday, July 23.

“Trains will not stop at Troon. Services are still subject to short-notice changes, so please check your journey on our app or website before travel.”

Firefighters were called to the station around 12.40pm on Saturday after the blaze took hold.

Scotrail was forced to cut the power to overhead lines to allow firefighters to tackle the flames, which it said “took out a large area and affected other routes’ power supply”.

It took several hours for the fire to be brought under control with severe damage to the fabric of the station with much of its roof gone.

Huge plumes of smoke could be seen billowing from the building.  @H_Suburgatory (Twitter)

A rail workers union called for an urgent investigation into the blaze.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) raised concerns over a lack of staffing at the station.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:  “The devastating fire at Troon station shines a light on just how dangerous the rail industry’s plans to de-staff our stations are.

“Unstaffed stations not only discriminate against those with accessibility issues but also pose serious health and safety risks for passengers and other rail workers.  

“Station staff play a vital role in helping deliver a safe, secure and accessible railway and it is long overdue that this cost-cutting, profit maximising measure of de-staffing our stations and trains by privatised Train Companies and the rail industry was stopped in its tracks due to glaring and serious health and safety risks.” 

“Today I have written to the chief inspector of railways demanding he launch an urgent investigation into the Troon Station fire and the wider programme of de-staffing our stations which is only likely to accelerate due to the Government’s and privatised rail industry’s cuts agenda.”

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