Geograph - photograph every grid square

The 2015/16 extensive renovation work has revealed a number of long forgotten railway posters dating from the late 1970s and 1980s.

There are adverts for Sealink Ferries, Senior Citizens Railcard and various cheap ticket deals for the 26 mile journey to Glasgow Central. There is also a Strathclyde Transport poster and an early Scotrail poster.

An evening return ticket to Glasgow is advertised at 76p, the same ticket today (May 2016) would cost more than ten times that at £7.80.

The advertised Stored Journey ticket was used during the fairly short period in the late 70s/early 80s when automatic ticket barriers were in use at every station on the line (except IBM). These yellow fronted and magnetic backed tickets could store up to 50 journeys.

The station dates from 1865, but the current station building dates from 1903, it is Category A Listed Link and was designed by prolific Scottish railway architect James Miller Link .

An earlier major repair and restoration project in 1994 is commonly regarded as flawed, as signs of rust and roof leakage appeared almost immediately after completion and worsened over the years to give the station a neglected and inhospitable appearance.

Fortunately, the station is now undergoing extensive renovation works which have entailed closure of one of the two working platforms and a reduction of the other. This is to enable around the clock working in a safe environment, with the overhead line electric power switched off at these sections.

At the time of writing (May 2015) much of the station is covered by a network of scaffolding and plastic "stretch-wrap" material to create "encapsulated painting zones" which enabled work to continue throughout the winter. The extensive scaffolding has been carefully planned and constructed in such a way as to enable safe public access to the station, pier and car park at all times.

In addition to shot-blasting and repainting of the extensive station roof, canopies and supporting columns, the roof tiles are being replaced due to their age. Substantial strengthening of the building structure and various other internal and external building works are also taking place, including a new access system to the canopies, presumably for maintenance purposes. This Link to the contractor's web site provides some interesting information about the renovation.

The work is being carried out by the Spencer Group Link .

Friends of Wemyss Bay Station group Link .