THE team behind one of Ayrshire's most historic landmarks is gearing up for its 50th anniversary celebrations this weekend.

Doon Valley Railway (DVR), based at Dunaskin near Patna, will put on an event to mark the occasion, looking back at how things have changed through the years, and looking ahead to the future.

Last year, the group was priced out of purchasing the buildings they have rented from their landlord for a number of years.

Run by a team of dedicated volunteers of the Ayrshire Railway Preservation Group, which was set up to keep the steam train world alive in Ayrshire, they are eager to make this weekend a success and lay down future foundations.

The event will take place on Sunday, September 29 from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

Alex Wallace from DVR says the place is steeped in locomotive history, and it must be preserved.

He said: "The place is dripping with history of vehicles from years gone by and we're eager to keep that going as long as we can.

"We always get great turnouts at our open days, so that's why we're working to make sure we can keep entertaining and educating people here.

"Having a celebration for the 50th anniversary is great for the team and the area, and shows how much of a grasp this kind of thing has had for so many years.

"People love coming to visit and seeing the changes through the years."

SUNDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 50th Anniversary open day additional attractions: Classic Cars; Motor Bikes; Vintage Buses;...

Posted by Doon Valley Railway on Friday 20 September 2024

Currently, the team owns the train and platform that draws people from all over to the site, as well as two buildings which will be used as a storage building and visitor site.

In spite of the challenges they have faced over the last few months, the team has plans on expanding the railway in the future, and building on the land they have, as well as extending the length of the current track.

This weekend's party will be the final official open day of the season, with the hope that the popularity can be built on next year.

Alex added: "Our previous open days this year have been great, so we're hoping to make this one extra special.

"There's been a lot of work by a lot of people over the 50 years, so it only seems right that we mark it with a day like this."

This weekend's event will include the likes of classic cars on show, motor bikes, vintage busses, local stalls and other attractions.

Previous events have included Christmas-themed journeys on the train, which is something that is being planned for this year again.

More information can be found on the Doon Valley Railway Facebook page or website.