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When you leave Glasgow today on the former Glasgow & South Western's route to Stranraer, you travel many miles through automatic signalling territory before you reach any traditional signalling. The first cabin you will reach is Kilkerran, a few miles short of Girvan. This is also the point where the double-track ends, henceforth the line is single.

Kilkerran box was erected in 1895 to replace two earlier boxes, in connection with the extension of the double track from the Ayr direction. It is a smart example of the company's design introduced around 1885 in which the glazing reached up to eaves level, another example of this type can be seen at Glenluce. Earlier boxes, such as Mauchline No1 had far less glass. Later designs maintained the larger glazed area, but positioned it at a lower level - see Elderslie No1.

The box contains a reconditioned Stevens & Sons lever frame of 20 levers, which replaced the original in 1973. It is interesting to note that the Scottish Region of British Railways were quite happy to standardise on what was basically and 1870's design of lever frame for renewals a century later.

The wooden level crossing gates have long been replaced by modern lifting barriers. There are now only a few locations in the country where old-fashioned gates continue to be operated by wheel from the signal box.

All photographs copyright © John Hinson unless otherwise stated