I visited Caledonian Aero at PIK several times in the 80s and was puzzled at this resource being so underutilized:
1) The reason it was a WWII ATC ferry station, its (relatively) good WX, was still evident. One Guy Fawkes Day, there were two dozen widebodies parked all over the PIK ramp and taxiways while the remainder of Great Britain was socked in. (Of course, no adequate pax facilities to permit unboarding)
2) The British Rail line from Ayr passes within a few hundred yards of the PIK terminal, but no easy connection between the two.
Was is economics? Or pure politics?