77-401: The Carmyllie Railway was built in 1855 to enable transport of stone products from the Carmyllie area of Scotland to markets. At the time the stone was highly sought after for the urban development in progress. The 6.5 miles (10.5 km) line ran to the main line of the Dundee and Arbroath Railway at Elliot Junction railway station . In 1900 a passenger service was initiated on
154-487: A frenzy of provisional acquisitions of other lines being put forward or already being constructed, as they considered it was vital to secure territory to their own control and to exclude competing concerns as far as possible. It was not the only Anglo-Scottish route; the North British Railway opened its coastal route between Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed on 22 June 1846, forming part of what has become
231-633: A heavy mineral traffic. In the closing years of the 18th century, the pressing need to bring coal cheaply to Glasgow from the plentiful Monklands coalfield had been met by the construction of the Monkland Canal , opened throughout in 1794. This encouraged development of the coalfield, but dissatisfaction at the monopoly prices said to be exacted by the canal led to the construction of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway (M&KR), Scotland's first public railway; it opened in 1826. Development of
308-441: A large number of leases and working arrangements had been concluded with other railways being promoted or built nearby. This was mostly done by guaranteeing those shareholders an income on their capital, which meant no immediate cash was required. When the lines started working, suddenly a huge periodical payment was required, and the income was inadequate to satisfy it. There were also suggestions of improper share acquisitions, and in
385-555: A link between English railways and Glasgow . It progressively extended its network and reached Edinburgh and Aberdeen , with a dense network of branch lines in the area surrounding Glasgow. It was absorbed into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923. Many of its principal routes are still used, and the original main line between Carlisle and Glasgow is in use as part of the West Coast Main Line railway (with
462-592: A modified entry into Glasgow itself). In the mid-1830s, railways in England evolved from local concerns to longer routes that connected cities, and then became networks. In Scotland it was clear that this was the way forward, and there was a desire to connect the Central Belt to the incipient English network. There was controversy over the route that such a line might take, but the Caledonian Railway
539-431: A passenger station on 1 March 1905. Central station was operated by a single signal box , staffed with ten men. It was commissioned on 3 May 1908; it had 374 miniature levers, the largest of its type in the world, operating points and signals by electro-pneumatic and electro-magnetic equipment. The Moffat Railway was opened from Beattock on 2 April 1883. It was just over 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (2.4 km) long. It
616-603: A railway connection. The wealthy middle class saw the town as an elegant location and the Busby Railway opened in 1866. Commuting was already in fashion. The line was extended to East Kilbride in 1868, although at that time the then small village did not generate much business for the railway. When the main line was built, no branches were provided in the thinly populated terrain of the Southern Uplands . Four independent companies made branches themselves, and
693-507: A stub of the branch line, until 1984. Sections of the route between the former Elliot Junction station and Arbirlot have become a nature walk. The site of Elliot Junction station remains part of the operational railway between Dundee and Aberdeen, with the outline of the central island platform visible between the two running lines. The line was steeply graded, typically at 1 in 36 falling from Carmyllie. Passenger services operated from 1 February 1900 and closed on 2 December 1929. The service
770-567: A through station, and the Greenock line trains (operated by the Caledonian) continued to use it. A ninth platform was added to Central station in 1889, but a major expansion took place in the years 1901–1906, when the platforms were lengthened and four platforms added on the west side; a second river crossing was provided. In 1904 Bridge Street station was substantially changed to provide carriage washing and stabling facilities; it closed as
847-475: A traditional association with Clan Strachan . There is also a Carmyllie in the South Island of New Zealand , some 76 km east of Invercargill . This Angus location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Caledonian Railway The Caledonian Railway ( CR ) was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century with the objective of forming
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#1732801260448924-535: Is a Church of Scotland church and a primary school. The Elliot Water rises in the west of the parish. Carmyllie was formerly known for its stone quarries . For many centuries these produced high quality sandstone that was shipped all over the world. Carmyllie post office was closed in September 2008. Between 1900 and 1965 Carmyllie was linked to Arbroath by the Carmyllie Railway . Carmyllie has
1001-538: The Caledonian Railway Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. clxii), on 31 July 1845, for lines from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Carlisle. The share capital was to be £1,800,000 (equivalent to £225 million today). The Glasgow and Edinburgh lines combined at Carstairs in Clydesdale , and the route then crossed over Beattock Summit and continued on through Annandale . The promoters had engaged in
1078-448: The quarries began to be worked on a more extensive scale. Windmills with movable wooden frames were erected for the purpose of pumping the water ... The machinery employed at that time consisted of a small single power crane which with care might be made to lift a stone a ton in weight. The present state of things at Carmylie is much different from what it was even twenty or thirty years ago. There are about 300 men in constant employment at
1155-551: The Argyle Line ) in 1979. The Paisley and Barrhead District Railway was incorporated in 1897 and transferred to the Caledonian in 1902; it was to link Paisley and Barrhead and enable a circular service from Glasgow. The line was substantially ready in 1902 but by now street tramways were electrically operated and eminently successful. It was plain that a passenger service would not be viable against tram competition and
1232-637: The Clyde railway bridge was complete on 1 October 1878. The new Glasgow Central station on Gordon Street opened in December 1879. It had eight platforms, but was considered to be unsatisfactory, having narrow platforms; the circulating area was "ridiculously small"; there was no good cab stance and inadequate siding accommodation. The Bridge Street terminus was jointly operated with the Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR); it had to be reconstructed as
1309-479: The Clydesdale Junction Railway was being promoted. The Caledonian acquired that line during its construction, and it opened in 1849. It gave an alternative and shorter access to another Glasgow passenger terminal, named South Side , and to the Clyde quays at General Terminus (over the connected General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway ). The South Side station was already being used by
1386-535: The East Coast Main Line . The Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway had opened in 1841 with the declared intention of reaching Carlisle by way of Dumfries ; it did so in 1850, changing its name then to the Glasgow and South Western Railway . The main line was opened from Carlisle to Beattock on 10 September 1847, and throughout between Glasgow and Carlisle on 15 February 1848. A continuous railway route between Glasgow and London existed for
1463-534: The Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway , worked by the Caledonian. One day, they hoped, they might extend that line into Ayrshire . Meanwhile, the line was leased (for 999 years) to the Caledonian in 1849. The Caledonian recognised that the Townhead terminus was unsatisfactory and constructed a deviation from Milton Junction to a new Glasgow terminus at Buchanan Street . It opened on 1 November 1849. Trains to Edinburgh , Stirling and Carlisle used
1540-551: The Solway Firth by a 1,940 yd (1,770 m) viaduct; the company worked the line itself. It considerably shortened the route to the Lanarkshire ironworks, and was heavily used at first, but the traffic was depleted by cheap imported iron ore within a decade. The Scottish part of the line was acquired by the Caledonian Railway in 1873, and the whole line in 1895. Serious ice damage and later heavy maintenance costs made
1617-558: The Wishaw and Coltness Railway . These two lines worked in harmony, merging to form the Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway in 1841, and competing with the M&;KR and its allies. All these lines used the local track gauge of 4 ft 6 in ( 1,372 mm ), and they were referred to as "the coal lines"; passenger traffic was not a dominant activity. During this period,
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#17328012604481694-552: The Caledonian Railway and the NBR). At Arbroath the NBR had built its own line from there to Montrose and northwards. The transfer took place by Act of Parliament of 21 July 1879, and was effective from 1 February 1880. The railway had been conceived for the transport of minerals down to the coast. Over the years agricultural products and household materials had been carried in ordinary goods trains also. The Government had wished to encourage
1771-592: The Caledonian Railway had been formed as an intercity trunk line, its attention was early on turned to other demands. Local interests in Lanark promoted a branch line to their town, opening in 1855. Coal owners in South Lanarkshire pressed for a railway connection, and the Lesmahagow Railway was formed by them, opening in 1856. It was later absorbed by the Caledonian, but other lines followed in
1848-454: The Caledonian acquired the line in 1865. The Portpatrick Railway had opened between Castle Douglas and Portpatrick in 1861–62 and the Caledonian Railway worked that railway; it obtained running powers over the G&;SWR between Dumfries and Castle Douglas, and at a stroke the Caledonian had penetrated deep into the south-west, and to the ferry service to the north of Ireland, territory that
1925-454: The Caledonian built two. The Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway was opened in 1860, having been taken over by the Caledonian during construction. It was extended to Peebles in 1864. In 1863 an independent line, the Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway was opened. The line was encouraged by the Caledonian Railway, giving westward access into Dumfriesshire , and worked by it;
2002-587: The Caledonian gained access to Loch Lomond with the opening of the Dumbarton and Balloch Joint Railway (originally built by the Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway ), built jointly with the NBR. In 1888 the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway opened a 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (10.5 km) line from Giffen on the Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway to Ardrossan . Its purpose
2079-559: The Caledonian's activity in the region. The Rutherglen and Coatbridge line , later linking Airdrie , and the Carfin to Midcalder line were routes with significant passenger traffic. Many lines to coal and iron ore pits further east were built, but serving remote areas the lines closed when the mineral extraction ceased. With the Barrhead line in full operation, interests in Busby wanted
2156-783: The Carmylie Quarries. The Scottish North Eastern Railway (SNER) purchased the line from the Marquess of Dalhousie in 1865, under the terms of the Scottish North-Eastern Railway Purchase of Carmyllie Railway Act, 1865 . The SNER itself was absorbed by the Caledonian Railway on 10 August 1866. The Caledonian saw its future as the controller of a large railway network throughout much of Scotland, and it engaged in continuing absorptions of smaller concerns. Parliament began to take
2233-534: The Clydesdale Junction line, mostly used for local trains to Motherwell and Hamilton ), and Bridge Street (on the Paisley line). Gradually the financial difficulties were got under control, by economy, and by the discovery that several of the lease agreements were illegal. Handsome dividends continued to be paid, but it was not until March 1853 that the dividend was paid wholly from revenue. If
2310-593: The E&;GR and NBR station, later named Waverley ; but the NBR rejected the idea. Eventually in 1870 the Lothian Road station was much improved and extended, and the new terminus was named Princes Street . The owner of Granton Harbour encouraged, and half-funded, the construction of a branch from near Lothian Road, and this opened in 1861. A branch from the Granton line to Leith Docks was made in 1864. This line
2387-560: The G&SWR had assumed was its own. The Portpatrick Railway later reformed with the Wigtownshire Railway as the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway ; the Caledonian was a one-quarter owner. The North British Railway opened its branch line to Dolphinton , east of Carstairs, and the Caledonian feared that the next step would be an incursion by the NBR into Caledonian territory, possibly seeking running powers on
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2464-517: The Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway (successor to the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway ), and the Wishaw and Coltness Railway , which the Caledonian had leased from 1 January 1847 and 1 January 1846 respectively. The Glasgow station was the Townhead terminus of the Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway. During the process of seeking Parliamentary authorisation, the Caledonian observed that
2541-564: The Sidlaw Hills and consists chiefly of a series of high grounds scarcely approaching to hills with their intervening valleys running from south west to east The quarries belong to the Earl of Dalhousie and are at present leased by Messrs Duncan Falconer & Co They have been worked for several centuries all over the parish. Earlier farmers had quarried stone on their own land and carted the stone to Arbroath in their milk carts; but about 1804
2618-501: The amalgamation. However, it was later decided to proceed, and the amalgamation took place by Act of Parliament of 7 August 1851. The GP&GR operated the line between Glasgow and Paisley jointly with the Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR), and the Paisley line used a terminus at Bridge Street in Glasgow. The Caledonian now worked trains at three termini in Glasgow: Buchanan Street, South Side (from
2695-542: The company was supported by Scottish investors, more than half of its shares were held in England. Establishing itself as an intercity and cross-border railway, the Caledonian set about securing territory by leasing other authorised or newly built lines, and fierce competition developed with other, larger Scottish railways, particularly the North British Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway . The company established primacy in some areas, but remained less than successful in others; considerable sums were expended in
2772-400: The demand for passenger travel in these areas, but as yet they used horse traction. The Cathcart District Railway was promoted as an independent concern but heavily supported by the Caledonian. It opened in 1886 from Pollokshields to Mount Florida and Cathcart (the eastern arm of the present-day Cathcart Circle Line ) in 1886, and was extended via Shawlands to form a loop in 1894. It
2849-454: The end of January 1855 It was a private mineral railway, and was probably worked by the D&;AR. This had a considerable effect on the volume of the trade, and by 1864 Bremner wrote (using the spelling Carmylie ): The Carmylie Quarries ... are the most extensive in the country. They are situated six miles from Arbroath in the parish of Carmylie which forms part of the south eastern breast of
2926-579: The expensive construction of Newton Street Tunnel, the longest in Scotland. In competing with rival rail and steamer connections, the Caledonian became frustrated with its reliance on independent steamer operators, and tried to obtain powers to operate the vessels directly; this was refused by Parliament on competition grounds, and in reaction the company founded the nominally independent Caledonian Steam Packet Company in 1889. The CSPC expanded its routes and services considerably; following nationalisation of
3003-686: The first long-distance railways were opened in England; the Liverpool and Manchester Railway , the first intercity line, opened in 1830 and was an immediate success. It was quickly followed by the Grand Junction Railway in 1837, the London and Birmingham Railway in 1838 and the North Union Railway reaching Preston in 1838, so that London was linked with the Lancashire and West Midlands centres of industry. It
3080-540: The first passenger trains ran on 1 February 1900. Geraldine Mitton states that this was the first such operation in Scotland: "From Arbroath a light railway runs (7 miles) up country to the village of Carmyllie, 600 feet above the sea, famous for its quarries of "Arbroath pavement". This, the first light railway in Scotland, was opened for passenger traffic on 1st Feb. 1900." During World War I many railways suspended passenger operation in marginal areas because of
3157-518: The first time. (It had been possible to travel via Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne since 1846, but this involved crossing the River Tweed at Berwick by road, and the River Tyne at Gateshead / Newcastle by congested road bridge or ferry.) The Caledonian Railway's Edinburgh line from Carstairs opened on 1 April 1848. The terminal at Edinburgh was at Lothian Road . Glasgow was reached over
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3234-714: The idea was killed by fierce opposition from the Clyde Bridges Trust (which would lose toll income) and the Admiralty (who insisted on a swing bridge ). Another scheme failed to get finance in 1866 and again in 1873, but in 1875 an Act was obtained to build a bridge crossing the Clyde and bringing the South Side route into the city centre. A four-track railway bridge crossing the river was designed by Blyth and Cunningham and built by Sir William Arrol & Co. ;
3311-511: The intended passenger service was never started. The area of the north bank of the river Clyde became increasingly important for industry, and therefore became heavily populated. The North British Railway and its satellites had gained an early monopoly of this traffic, but its importance encouraged the Caledonian to enter the area. The Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway was nominally independent, running from near Maryhill to Dumbarton , opening progressively between 1894 and 1896. In 1896
3388-570: The line scraped a bare living and closed in 1938. In the mid-1850s the steamer connections on the Firth of Clyde assumed ever increasing importance, and journey transit times from settlements in Argyll and the islands to Glasgow became critical. The inconvenient situation of the Greenock station and pier encouraged thoughts of more convenient routes, and in 1862 the Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway
3465-410: The line seriously unprofitable and it was closed in 1921. When the Caledonian's first main line opened, it used the Townhead terminus of the Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway , and almost simultaneously, it acquired access to the South Side station planned for the Clydesdale Junction Railway . It extended from Townhead to Buchanan Street , an "inadequate and very cramped station" in 1849, but
3542-718: The line under the terms of Light Railway legislation . It was the first such in Scotland. However it was unsuccessful and ended in 1929. The line closed completely in May 1965 except for a stub at Elliot which continued to serve a private siding until it too closed in 1984. In the nineteenth century, urban development in Scotland proceeded at great speed, and there was considerable demand for construction materials. The sedimentary rocks located around Arbroath were exceptionally suited to roofing slates and paving slabs, being easily worked into flat sheets, and this product became known as Arbroath pavement . The most important quarry for extraction of
3619-489: The line was remote from the quarries, and was of no use in transporting the stone. The Marquess of Dalhousie was the principal landlord in the area, and he determined to improve the situation by building a railway branch line to the D&AR at Elliot. The route was fairly easy, descending with the Elliot Water. Dalhousie had no opposition to his scheme and did not seek an Act of Parliament. The line probably opened at
3696-487: The main line. To head this off, the Caledonian built its own Dolphinton branch from Carstairs; it opened in 1867. Dolphinton had a population of 260 and two railways, and traffic was correspondingly meagre, and the line closed in 1945 to passengers and in 1950 to goods. The independent Solway Junction Railway was opened in 1869, linking iron mines in Cumberland with the Caledonian Railway at Kirtlebridge , crossing
3773-444: The material was around the village of Carmyllie, a settlement located in high ground about 6 miles (8 km) west of Arbroath. With the exception of certain turnpike roads, the roadways in the area were very poor, and transport to market by horse and cart to Arbroath (for onward coastwise shipping) was difficult. The General Report of 1814 stated: The quarries of Carmyllie, near Arbroath, are famous for paving freestone, and are
3850-491: The most esteemed in Scotland. The stones are easily quarried; of various thicknesses; large dimensions; and so smooth, that they require little dressing, yet are hard and durable. These advantages, however, are lessened by the tedious land carriage to the port of shipping (Arbroath), distant seven miles, and without a railway. In 1839 the Dundee and Arbroath Railway (D&AR) opened its line, giving access to Arbroath harbour, but
3927-543: The new London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). As the line had been jointly owned and operated, it officially retained joint status under the LMS and LNER. In 1948 the railways were nationalised, and the line moved to the control of British Railways, Scottish Region. In the early 1960s the Metal Box company established a new factory at Elliot, on the north side of the line and of the main road (A92). A private siding connection
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#17328012604484004-518: The new station; the Stirling trains had to reverse at Gartsherrie Junction. The Garnkirk's old Glebe Street (Townhead) station was reduced to goods and mineral duties. In 1853–54 the Hayhill Fork, between Gartcosh and Garnqueen, was opened, enabling direct running from Buchanan Street towards Stirling. In the period between formation of the Caledonian Railway and the opening of the main line ,
4081-540: The passenger traffic to the Lanark and Larkhall branches remain in operation. In North Lanarkshire , the North British Railway was a keen competitor, having taken over the Monkland Railways . The area contained the rapidly-growing iron production area surrounding Coatbridge , and servicing that industry with coal and iron ore , and transport to local and more distant metal processing locations, dominated
4158-474: The period 1848 to 1850 a number of shareholder inquiries disclosed bad practices, and many board members had to resign in February 1850. The company had obtained Parliamentary powers to merge with the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway (GP&GR) in 1847, but even more alarming revelations of financial impropriety emerged regarding that company, and the Caledonian considered getting authorisation to cancel
4235-403: The place. The machinery consists of eight planing machines, several cutting machines, eight saws for jointing pavement, one machine for making steps, coping and tabling; two polishing machines, six steam engines and from twelve to fourteen steam and other cranes ... The weight of stones sent away from the Carmylie Quarries daily is about 150 tons. A single line of railway extends from the quarries -
4312-506: The process, not always finding the approval of shareholders. A considerable steamer passenger traffic developed on the Firth of Clyde serving island resorts, and fast boat trains were run from Glasgow to steamer piers; the company was refused permission to operate its own steamers, and it formed a partnership with a nominally independent, but friendly, operator, the Caledonian Steam Packet Company . In 1923
4389-494: The provision of rail passenger services in remote areas without the heavy costs of main line operating controls, and in 1896 the Light Railways Act 1896 was passed. A Board of Trade certificate was required without the expense of an individual Act of Parliament, and with (unspecified in legislation) relaxations of operational procedures. The branch line obtained authorisation to operate as a light railway in 1898, and
4466-509: The rails going to the bottom - to Elliot Junction near Arbroath a distance of five miles. The Carmylie Railway as it is called passes near the village of Arbirlot and skirts the beautiful Kelly Den which is of so much interest to the geologist. The line was constructed by the Earl of Dalhousie who sold it some years ago to the Caledonian Railway Company. It is used exclusively for the carriage of paving and other stones from
4543-413: The railways in 1948 it became owned by British Railways, but was divested in 1968 and later became a constituent of Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), which remains in state ownership. In the final decades of the 19th century, as the cities spread into conurbations, the company's attention turned to increasing traffic in areas now thought of as "suburban". Street running tramways were already responding to
4620-518: The railways of Great Britain were "grouped" under the Railways Act 1921 and the Caledonian Railway was a constituent of the newly formed London Midland and Scottish Railway ; its capitalisation at that time was £57 million (equivalent to £4.11 billion today), and it had a single-track mileage of 2,827 miles (4,550 km). It extended from Aberdeen to Portpatrick , and from Oban to Carlisle , running express passenger services and
4697-462: The route from there to the southwards main line was very circuitous. The Caledonian also worked the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway with a terminus at Bridge Street , also inconveniently situated south of the Clyde: the Caledonian, therefore, had three unsatisfactory Glasgow termini. As early as 1846 proposals to cross the Clyde from Gushetfaulds to a Dunlop Street terminal had been put forward;
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#17328012604484774-536: The shortage of manpower, and the passenger service on the Carmyllie branch was temporarily withdrawn in January 1917; it was reinstated in September 1917, Saturdays only, and daily from 1 January 1918. Typical passenger services in 1922 consisted of two round trips per day between Arbroath and Carmyllie, one in the morning and one in the evening, with journey times between 31 and 46 minutes. The passenger service to
4851-420: The sparsely populated but mineral-rich area. As new coal mines opened, so new branches were needed, connecting Coalburn , Stonehouse , Strathaven , Muirkirk and Darvel and many other places, with new lines built right up until 1905. When the coal became exhausted in the second half of the 20th century, the railways were progressively closed; passenger traffic had always been light and it too disappeared. Only
4928-444: The time; a route around them, either to the west or the east, involved much lengthier main lines, and made connection to both Edinburgh and Glasgow more problematic. Many competing schemes were put forward, not all of them well thought out, and two successive government commissions examined them. However, they did not have mandatory force, and after considerable rivalry, the Caledonian Railway obtained an authorising act of Parliament ,
5005-475: The use of blackband ironstone by David Mushet , and the invention of the hot blast process of iron smelting by James Beaumont Neilson in 1828, led to a huge and rapid increase in iron production and demand for iron ore and coal in the Coatbridge area. The industrial development led to the construction of other railways contiguous with the M&KR, in particular the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway and
5082-476: The very small communities was lightly used, and on 2 December 1929 it was finally withdrawn. The line was now serving goods and mineral traffic only. In 1923 the main line railways of Great Britain were "grouped" by the terms of the Railways Act 1921 ; the Caledonian Railway was a constituent of the new London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and the North British Railway was a constituent of
5159-509: The view that this was anti-competitive and granted running powers to the rival North British Railway (NBR) over much of the northern part of the Caledonian Railway system. The NBR opened the Tay bridge in 1878, giving it direct access to the north shore of the Firth of Tay . Its objective was to reach Aberdeen, and it requested the transfer of the Dundee and Arbroath line to joint ownership (between
5236-438: Was a one-platform station named Lothian Road . This was the first line to offer travel without change of carriage between Edinburgh and London: passengers on the rival North British Railway needed to cross the River Tweed on foot to continue their rail journey. The unsatisfactory Edinburgh terminus needed improvement but funds were limited, and the Caledonian built a short spur to Haymarket ; talks had taken place about using
5313-523: Was authorised. It was an independent company intending to provide a fast connection from Rothesay on the Isle of Bute ; it opened on 13 May 1865 and in August 1893 it amalgamated with the Caledonian Railway, having been operated by the Caledonian Railway since its opening. In 1889 the Caledonian itself opened an extension line from Greenock to Gourock , more conveniently situated than Greenock; this involved
5390-418: Was clearly desirable to connect central Scotland into the emerging network. At first it was assumed that only one route from Scotland to England would be feasible, and there was considerable controversy over the possible route. A major difficulty was the terrain of the Southern Uplands : a route running through the hilly lands would involve steep and lengthy gradients that were challenging for the engine power of
5467-572: Was formed on 31 July 1845 and it opened its main line between Glasgow , Edinburgh and Carlisle in 1848, making an alliance with the English London and North Western Railway which connected Carlisle to the English Midlands and London . In the obituary of the engineer Richard Price-Williams written in 1916 the contractor of the Caledonian Railway is stated to be Thomas Brassey and the civil engineer George Heald . Although
5544-454: Was installed off the Carmyllie branch, facing Carmyllie and requiring a backshunt off the main line. With the growth of efficient road transport, the residual goods service on the line also declined substantially, and the line closed on 19 May 1965, when LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 No. 46464 operated a service train to collect furnishings and effects from along the length of the route. The Metal Box factory private siding continued in use, served by
5621-589: Was opened to passengers from 1879: the Leith terminal was later renamed Leith North. After 1900 the port authorities built new modern docks to the east of the former Leith docks, and the Caledonian further extended its Leith line to reach the new facilities: the Leith New Lines opened in 1903. It had been planned to open a passenger service on the line, and passenger stations had been built, but tram competition made it clear that an inner suburban passenger railway
5698-484: Was suspended on 1 January 1917; it was back in the timetable in September 1917, Saturdays only; daily from 1 January 1918. Carmyllie Carmyllie ( Gaelic : Càrn Mhoillidh ) is a rural parish in Angus, Scotland . It is situated on high ground between Arbroath , on the coast, and the inland county town of Forfar . The main settlements in the parish are Redford , Greystone , Guynd and Milton of Carmyllie. There
5775-466: Was to shorten the route for Caledonian mineral traffic, and it was worked by the Caledonian. In 1903–04 it was extended eastwards to Cathcart and Newton, enabling the heavy mineral trains to avoid the Joint Line and the congested area around Gushetfaulds from the Lanarkshire coalfields to Ardrossan Harbour . The Caledonian Railway entered Edinburgh from Carstairs on 15 February 1848; its terminus
5852-581: Was worked by the Caledonian and absorbed on 11 November 1889. The Caledonian Railway sought to develop both Moffat and Peebles as watering places, and ran The Tinto Express from both places, combining at Symington , to Edinburgh and Glasgow for several years. With the intention of revitalising the lead mining industry, the Leadhills and Wanlockhead Branch was opened as a light railway from Elvanfoot in 1901–02. With challenging gradients to reach Scotland's highest village in otherwise remote territory,
5929-468: Was worked by the Caledonian, although the company retained its independence until 1923. The Glasgow Central Railway was authorised as an independent company to build a surface line from Rutherglen to Maryhill . It encountered fierce opposition, and the scheme was taken over by the Caledonian and converted into a route mainly in tunnel under Argyle Street . It opened in 1896, further encouraging suburban passenger travel. It closed in 1959 but reopened (as
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