The understated splendour of the South Ayrshire coast remains one of Scotland’s best kept secrets.   Look beyond the famous golf course at Turnberry (middle left) and you won’t find many tourists taking in the wild views (lower left).   So it was a pleasant surprise when the main bus service through the area from Ayr to Stranraer was upgraded with a fleet of new vehicles in early 2007.   Traditionally this route was part of the trunk (3) Glasgow to Stranraer via Ayr service operated by erstwhile Y-Types and T-Types during Western days, and more recently by indestructible PS-Type Volvos from Stagecoach.   Nowadays the rugged route starts at Ayr (top left) but extends beyond Stranraer to the quaint fishing village of Porptatrick (above) and consists of a set of interworked services numbered 58/358 and 60/360.   The new buses are nine East Lancs bodied MANs, an unusual purchase for Stagecoach, and even more unusually painted in SPT (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) livery with Carrick Coast Link lettering.   They are allocated to Ayr and Stranraer depots and can be seen on any hair pin bend or any brow of a hill between the two towns.   Sunny new vehicles for a sunny old route.