Unused rooms at one of Scotland’s oldest working train stations have been transformed into a clubhouse for model railway enthusiasts, thanks to a ScotRail community project.

Kyle Model Railway Club this week moved into the revamped rooms above the main premises at ScotRail’s Irvine station, which dates back to 1839.
The award-winning club has ‘adopted’ the station as part of ScotRail’s Adopt a Station project, which enables volunteers to develop floral displays at stations and find innovative uses for vacant rooms.
Tom Rout, chairman of the Kyle Model Railway Club, said: “We are delighted to be based at Irvine station, where it will be easier for us to recruit new members than at our previous, more out-of-the-way location at Dunaskin.”
The clubhouse, which was previously used as a training suite, offers an attractive space for railway enthusiasts to exhibit their miniature railway layouts.

John Yellowlees, ScotRail’s external relations manager, opened the new clubhouse on Monday 16 April.
Mr Yellowlees said: “Our Adopt a Station policy is about finding community uses for surplus accommodation, and model railway clubs are a good use because they encourage young people to respect the railway environment.”
The accommodation has been converted with assistance from the Railway Heritage Trust and IDP Architects.
Irvine is the fifth ScotRail station to house a model railway club, with others at Gleneagles, Lanark, Fort Matilda and Maxwell Park.