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Link to original post by Richard - see Here.

Apologies for not having an exact date for this, but just to get Stevenston up and running
I thought I would submit this. If anyone can come up with evidence of an exact date
I will happily change & edit this post accordingly.
January 1772.
Work started on Scotlands first commercial canal in Stevenston, Ayrshire.
The canal would be used mainly for the transportation of coal from the neighbouring coal-pits
to Saltcoats harbour for shipment to Ireland. The canal was the first of several Scottish canals
to be built that would be known as 'barge canals' - built for use by a single user or small group
of private users. The Stevenston Coal Canal was just over 2 miles long, had no locks,
was 12 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Most of it was cut from the old course of the sea channel - a
relic of the days when Ardeer was an Island. Several branches were cut to reach the coal pits
with the 'Master Gott' being the last remaining vestige. The coal was carried on the barges and
the waste was dumped along the route to act as a wind-break and form a protection against
the recurring problem of blown sand. The coal was carried from the canals end to the waiting
boats by railway as the canal had no direct physical link to the harbour at Saltcoats.
http://www.jim-shead.com/waterways/Hist ... wpage=STVN
http://www.futuremuseum.co.uk/collectio ... anals.aspx
http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/21 ... on+sluice/

Sorry to create a contradiction, Richard, but when I looked at the article I recently posted on the canal, which can be found here , it suggests an exact date...of 19th September , 1772 !

Maybe January was when they started digging it? but I would have thought it might have taken longer than that. Or it was in use but had an official opening ceremony later in the year ?

Susan

No problem, Susan, the most important factor here is accuracy.
I am inclined to agree with your findings and suggestion of work commencing in the January.
I think, however, that 8 months would not be an unreasonable length of time for such an undertaking
and due to various "branches" being added at later dates, I get the impression that construction/work
was a constant on-going process - especially with repairs, alterations and improvements etc.
I have altered my post accordingly.
Thank's, Susan.

1st January 1917.
Stevenston Railway Station was closed on this day, due to "wartime economy", until the 1st February 1919.
The station was originally opened on the 3rd September 1888 as Stevenston railway station.
On the 2nd June 1924 the station was renamed Stevenston Moorpark.
The station closed to passengers on the 4th July 1932, but reopened within 2 years with the introduction of
a special return fare price. The line was used by trains going to Ardrossan's Montgomerie Pier and the
Ardrossan Shell Mex plant until 1968.
The former site of Stevenston Moorpark station is now occupied by Caley Court (a residential home).

2nd January 2008.
It was announced on this day that the takeover of ICI plc by Dutch firm Akzo Nobel was complete.
Shareholders of ICI received £6.70 in cash or Akzo Nobel loan notes to the same value per 1 nominal ICI share.
Some parts of ICI were transferred to Henkel as a result of the deal and Akzo agreed to sell its Crown Paints
subsidiary to satisfy the concerns of the European Commissioner for Competition.
Concerns regarding the ICI UK Pension Scheme were also raised & addressed at the time.
The ICI Nobel plant at Ardeer in Stevenston has, for many decades, been a major employer in the area.
Imperial Chemical Industries:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_C ... Industries
Secret Scotland - ICI Ardeer:
http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index. ... /ICIArdeer

Richard wrote:1st January 1917.
Stevenston Railway Station was closed on this day, due to "wartime economy", until the 1st February 1919.
The station was originally opened on the 3rd September 1888 as Stevenston railway station.
On the 2nd June 1924 the station was renamed Stevenston Moorpark.

Aaah. Gone are the days of the beautiful former railway station.... When my grandparents were still alive, a big thrill was going to that station to get a ticket for a day out.

GLASGOW HERALD
11 JANUARY 1912

PROPOSED STEVENSTON STATION EXTENSION

At a meeting of Stevenston Parish Council - Mr. James Patrick presiding - a letter was read from the Glasgow and South-Wester Railway Company stating that the suggestion of the Council as to an additional booking office and covered platform at Stevenston Station had been considered by the Directors, but they regretted that they could not comply with the request.

A discussion followed and it was unanimously agreed on the motion of Mr. Peter Reid, seconded by Mr. George Sinclair, to call a public meeting of the inhabitants to protest against the decision of the Company.

A committee was formed to make the necessary arrangements.

Funny how things seem to coincide; this post and Hughie's new thread about naming streets.

The three parish council members mentioned above all have streets named after them in Stevenston.

Patrick Ave, Rieds Ave and Sinclair St.

JD.

11 JANUARY 1901

The 5.15 p.m. Glasgow and South-West train from Ardrossan to Kilmarnock met with an accident a short distance from Stevenston Station. It came into collision with a waggon and the engine and tender were thrown off the line. The waggon was smashed. None of the passengers were injured. It appears that five empty waggons were being shunted in the opposite direction when one of them left the rails at the lye, and lay near the down line blocking it.

[No one injured? Obviously the 'litigious society' had not held their inaugural meeting .]

Penny Tray wrote:...[No one injured? Obviously the 'litigious society' had not held their inaugural meeting .]

It may now be too late to make a claim, otherwise :

InjuryLawers4You wrote:We understand that not all accidents are the same, but no matter what type of accident you have been involved in, if it has been caused by someone else’s negligence, we’re here to help you claim the compensation that you deserve.

13 JANUARY 1910

"In connection with the recent flooding in parts of Ayrshire and the damage caused thereby the Northern District Committee of the County Council today appointed a committee to consider the question, and particularly as regards Stevenston, Dreghorn, Beith, Dalry, Kilwinning and West Kilbride.

The Committee are to have in view the possibility of such flooding in the future."

[The locations rule out high tide problems. Maybe it was rivers bursting their banks and bad drainage?

I wonder what caused the problem in Stevenston?]