In the 1960s, there were still steam locomotives based at Ayr depot and a wealth of branch lines crossed the Ayrshire countryside. Although there was a wave of closures following the Beeching Report, by the 1980s it was decided that what railways were left were worth keeping and some stations such as Kilmaurs and New Cumnock were re-opened. This book takes a look at railway traction in Ayrshire, including at Kilmarnock, Largs, Greenburn, Irvine, Hunterston and Ardrossan Harbour.

Colin J. Howat, who has lived in Ayrshire all his life and spent many years working in the rail industry, uses his wonderful collection of colour and black and white photographs to document the last forty years of diesel and electric traction in Ayrshire, including both passenger and freight trains.