REPAIR work on an Ayrshire railway line closed for several weeks after a 'sinkhole' appeared on the tracks has had an unexpected benefit - for the area's bees.
The line between Barassie and Kilmarnock was closed for more than a month in the summer of 2022 after the large hole appeared close to the tracks.
The line closure caused significant disruption to services between Kilmarnock and Ayr, Girvan and Stranraer.
The line reopened last July after repair work overseen by Network Rail was completed.
But that wasn't the end of Network Rail's efforts at the site - because after trains were able to start running once again, the infrastructure company teamed up with Scottish Woodlands to create a 'bee bank' next to the line, close to where the sink hole appeared.
The bee bank - the first one ever created on Scotland's railway network - is designed to support several solitary bee species, including mining bees, which favour the bare, sandy banks for burrowing.
It provides warm, sheltered patches of bare ground, where solitary mining bees can nest.
Logs, canes and rocks have also been placed into the structure to provide additional habitat for other species that favour alternative nesting habitats.
The site sits close to a B-Line corridor and the River Irvine - an ideal position to promote biodiversity and enhance connectivity with the railway corridor and surrounding habitats.
B-Lines is part of BugLife’s initiative to create a series of insect pathways across the country, much like the rail network, and provides new areas of habitat for a range of insects, including bees and butterflies, as well as habitat for other wildlife.
Thomas Podger, senior project engineer at Network Rail Scotland, said: “I’m pleased our team has worked to create the first bee bank on our network and has been able to create a place for nature in what would otherwise be unused ground.
Read More: Ayr Gaiety volunteer nominated for prestigious Social Enterprise award
“Aligning biodiversity enhancement projects to the B-Line corridors can help us achieve a greater positive impact for each project, and allows us to be part of a wider joined-up approach to conserving our pollinator species.
“This site supports our goal to promote biodiversity within our lineside.
"With thanks to Scotia Seeds for advising on a native seed mix, Scottish Woodlands for building the bee bank and our in-house ecologist for her advice.”
The area adjacent to the bee bank was seeded with a seed mix appropriate for the substrate on site and was selected in line with advice provided by Scotia Seeds.
The native dry meadow wildflower mix aims to increase the diversity of species in the area and provide the world’s pollinators with food, shelter and places to breed.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here