Doon Valley Railway

Archie Thom is the Chairman of the preservation group and not for the first time either. He has been a volunteer at the site for over thirty years so he is fully conversant with every role including being the senior locomotive driver with the ability to assess others for footplate skills.

Archie leads a dedicated team of volunteers towards realising the ambition to become a major tourist attraction for the benefit of the wider community. The plans and permissions are there with progress being tantalisingly close despite a number of hefty setbacks over the years.

CCLP have helped develop the former wagon repair shed that was purchased in 2015, this will become the new narrow gauge museum. The partnership was also instrumental in securing funds for a completely new three road shed to store trains, including the passenger train. Storing rolling stock indoors significantly reduces weathering and aids preservation so saving costs and making for a more appealing experience for visitors.

"We want to extend the running line and develop into a major player in heritage railway. We are the only one in south west Scotland. If all goes well we would have five miles of line between Patna and Dalmellington. That would make us a big player with scope to attract visitors and tourists. People would ride the line and patronise other local businesses. We want to open up scope to give people a reason to come here, not just head up to Edinburgh or Glasgow. We will be a working museum with traditional skills on display to rival Summerlee or Ironbridge gorge."

The group recently secured the cafe and shop buildings they currently occupy as there was a real risk of losing them when the landlord put them up for sale on the open market. This will allow them to continue trading and concentrate once more on developing the site.

The prospect of a tie in with the proposed New Galloway National park exemplifies the creative thinking and partnership approach that can help turn ambitions into reality.

"There are two trigger points; getting the shed built with connected roads and extending the running line to Minivane. The bit to Patna can wait, but if we get those two things in place, the rest will follow, I'm sure of that."

Alec Wallace, the group treasurer goes on to explain more about how the CCLP actually assisted the group.

"I became involved with the group because I used to be a bank manager. The idea was to raise funds for the purchase of buildings and land to secure our future here with a detailed five year plan. At this point the big gain was obtaining CCLP funding that allowed us to access match funding from elsewhere. We had regular ongoing meetings with Carolann and Colin McDonald. They steered me in the right direction, it was not just here's some money off you go. Carolann helped review my applications, they needed some work to hit the points funders require. Without her help we would not be where we are now."

Having secured funding from various local sources including The Dalmellington Parish Development Trust, The 9 Community Councils, and the Renewable Energy Fund, the group are very close to having everything in place.

Archie described the south west as “Scotland's best kept secret.” A place rich in natural beauty, culture and history. He and the rest of the team hope that by their efforts more people will have another clear reason to visit the area to support the local economy and help open up opportunities.