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Clackmannanshire Council Online

Railway exhibition

Published on:

28

April 2008


Celebrating the history of the railway in Alloa

A free exhibition will form part of the launch day marking the re-opening of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway line on Thursday 15th May.

Clackmannanshire Council's Museum and Heritage Service has put together a special exhibition to celebrate this historic occasion. It looks at:

  • how the original railway was planned in the 1840s
  • the events surrounding its opening in 1850
  • how Alloa Station got so busy that it had to be rebuilt, partly due to the intense rivalry between the Caledonian and North British Railway Companies
  • the heyday of the railway before the arrival of private transport
  • aspects of social history, such as the growth in holiday travel and works outings on the railway.

Susan Mills, the Council's Museum and Heritage Officer said: The decline and fall of the original railway in Alloa is a story which could be told about stations and lines in many other British towns. This is also covered in the exhibition, along with a look at how the line has come to be re-opened.

Illustrations

The exhibition, which is being sponsored by Brodies LLP and Art is an Option, is generously illustrated with maps and photographs, as well as memorabilia including timetables, tickets and a sign or two.

Opening times

The exhibition will be on display to VIP guests in the launch day marquee on the morning of Thursday 15th May and in the afternoon will move to the Lesser Hall in the nearby Speirs Centre in Primrose Street.

The Scottish Railway Preservation Society is running two special trains along the line in the afternoon - these will be the first public passenger trains to run between Alloa and Stirling for almost 40 years. It is hoped that many of the 600 people who have bought tickets for these pleasure trips will also take the opportunity to view the free exhibition.

Thereafter the exhibition will be open to the public in Greenfield House Reception from 16-17th May, which includes the afternoon of the Community Fayre, which is taking place in Greenfield Park from noon-4pm on Saturday 17th May.