considerable undertaking. The new railway joined the Stranraer to Challoch line at Cairnryan Junction, about two miles (about 1 km) east of Stranraer, facing for trains approaching from the east. The point of junction was later moved closer to Stranraer, at Aird. The line opened in July 1942. In the event the port was not needed, and only eighteen fully laden ocean-going vessels used the port during its lifetime. The port was closed after the war and the railway's last movement was a dismantling train in 1967. Smith speculates that if the port had been needed at full capacity, the limited rail access over difficult single lines (from Dumfries and from Ayr) would have been challenging. Goods services ran from Newton Stewart to Whithorn until the line closed on 5 October 1964. By the 1960s, these services ran three days per week; with conditional working on the Garlieston branch, when required. The section from Colfin to Portpatrick also closed in 1950; although Colfin to Stranraer remained open until 1959 for milk traffic. After that trains ran only to the north-western termini: Stranraer Town and Stranraer Harbour. The former Wigtownshire Railway closed completely to passengers on 29 September 1950; and the Portpatrick to Stranraer Town section closed in stages in the 1950s. The main line closed on 12 June 1965 in consequence of the Beeching review. Major structures on the route include the Loch Ken viaduct, across the Dee, the Gatehouse viaduct across the Big Water of Fleet, and the Glenluce viaduct, over the Water of Luce. Topography The Portpatrick Railway opened between Castle Douglas and Stranraer (later Town station) on 12 March 1861; from Stranraer to Portpatrick on 28 August 1862; and the East Pier branch at Stranraer (later Stranraer Harbour) on 1 October 1862. The Portpatrick Harbour section opened on 11 September 1868; it is likely that passenger use ceased in November 1868, but the short line remained open until 1870. However Portpatrick railway station, which opened on 28 August 1862, remained open until 6 February 1950. The line closed from Castle Douglas to Challoch Junction on 14 June 1965. The Challoch Junction to Stranraer (Harbour) section remains in use for trains from Ayr via Girvan. In Kirkcudbrightshire: (Castle Douglas; CD&DR station; also junction for the Kirkcudbright Railway;) Crossmichael; Parton; New Galloway Loch Skerrow; opened after June 1861; renamed Lochskerrow 13 June 1955; Gatehouse of Fleet; opened as Dromore