One of the unusual treasures of Millport, and well worth a visit during the summer, is a secret railway! Yes, you read that right!

While the island of Cumbrae maybe lacking a train station, thanks to The Garrison Model Rail Club, you can envisage exactly how Millport would look like if it did have its own track!

The Garrison Model Rail Club opened in Easter 2008, and been supported by businesses, organisations and residents who have contributed to the club.

It is a bit of a secret hideaway as the model railway is located within two huts inside the grounds of the Garrison, and is an excepionally nice surprise, a bit like discovering the secret train platform 9¾ in Harry Potter!

The detail of the models are very in-depth including The Garrison, Royal George Hotel, the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, Millport Pier, the churches and Cathedral of the Isles, as well as well-kent local shops and housing. No stone has been left unturned by the intrepid duo of John Syme and Andrew Watson who originally set up the concept.

And in more recent times, the club has expanded to include a second railway which has been set up which includes many models of Glasgow including Finneston Quay, the Armadillo, the River Clyde and other famous sights of Glasgow. A map poster dating back to the days of the steam train also adorns the wall which shows the ticket prices across the west of Scotland!

The whole concept came about after the club was given donations of rolling stock for the model railway track.

It is the children who get the opportunity see the best view, and that is really who it is aimed at, explained John, who designed all the models to capture the appeal of the island, and Glasgow.

The model railway scene is a bit like Legoland in terms of its style and format, and has proved a hit with families. The whole miniature Millport model railway project took 18 months to create, and it is a testament to the enthusiasm of model railway enthusiasts.

Treasurer John Burtt said: “The Glasgow set-up even includes the underground system - the Clockwork Orange - there is a wee partition where you can see the tube train starting with its three carriages. The Finnieston Quay and the Armadillo is on the scene, and The Rotundra, and all the shops such as House of Fraser, Marks and Spencers, and even the Dumbarton Rock makes an appearance. “Kathleen Donald, one of the elderly citizens on the island, gave us her badge as she was a stationmaster at Sheilds Road underground- and it is a nice touch and we have put that up on the wall.” “The Millport section now includes a new model of the Field Studies Centre. Crocodile Rock, Lion Rock and Fintry Bay all make an appearance, as well as most of the shops along the front, as well as the swing park at West Bay.

“There is also the ferry slip with a boat in it, and one in reserve - if only we had that for real!” It is open during the Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays in the summer months from 1-4pm. The club tends to meet on Monday mornings. Contact John for membership details (£5 a year for juniors, and £10 for adults) - entry is by donation.

For more details, contact John Burtt on 01475 530351.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoaLvhB-7RM