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104-502: Trains were pulled by horses at first, although locomotives were employed later on. The mineral extraction was located in high ground and rope-worked inclines were incorporated into the line to bring loaded wagons down. The line used the track gauge of 4 feet 6 inches (1,370 mm), which was already in use on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch line. It opened in 1828, and in 1848 it amalgamated with two associated railways, forming

208-420: A considerable technological advance on the cast iron rails used previously. The rails were 20 lb/yd (10 kg/m) and 15 feet (4.6 m) long, but there was a subsequent change to 28 lb/yd (14 kg/m) and 18 feet (5.5 m) long. This change may reflect improvements in manufacturing capability, which must have been at its technical limit at the time. Describing the railway, Buchanan says that "It

312-548: A fresh act of Parliament, the Monkland Railways (Slamannan and Borrowstouness Deviation) Act 1851 ( 14 & 15 Vict. c. lxii) authorising some deviations of the new line, and the substitution of a fixed bridge over the Union Canal. The approach to Bo'ness Harbour itself was to be along the foreshore there, and the company was obliged to build a promenade on the sea side of the railway line there. John Wilson,

416-544: A loose collaboration. At the same time new intercity railways were being promoted and suddenly the coal railways disadvantages seemed dominant. Their near monopoly of mineral traffic in very small areas now seemed to exclude them from areas where new business was being developed, emphasised by the terminating points at canal basins, requiring transshipment to get to destination. Their primitive track on stone block sleepers, their distinct track gauge of 4 ft 6 in also necessitated transshipment where they connected with

520-522: A mile west of Armadale town, later Woodend Junction, to collieries) was authorised. A train of coal wagons passed along the Bathgate branch on 11 June 1855, apparently while the line was still in the possession of the contractors. The company applied for authority to run passenger trains to Bathgate; this was repeatedly refused: there were no platforms nor a turntable at Bathgate, nor any signalling there or at Blackstone. The Board of Trade Inspector visited

624-410: A quarter of a mile [400 m] to Kipps Junction, where it forked to short diverging lines on both sides to coal and ironstone pits. It continued, climbing on an easterly course, and forked at Rochsoles Branch Junction in undeveloped ground north of Leaend Burn. The main line continued on a rope-worked incline at gradients of 1 in 27 and then 1 in 23, and passed under Whinhall Road near Leaend Road; there

728-573: A railway from Blackstone (often spelt Blackston) on the Slamannan line just east of Avonbridge to the WM&;CR line near Boghead. Boghead is immediately south of Bathgate, and the new line would pass through the torbanite fields, but skirt past Bathgate and join the WM&CR facing away from the town, but towards the Works. In addition, a branch from the WM&CR to Armadale Toll and to Cowdenhead (about

832-493: A rope worked incline down to the wharf. Onward transport to Edinburgh involved transshipment to canal barges. The M&KR and the Ballochney companies enjoyed huge commercial success as the iron smelting industry boomed around Coatbridge, and as successful new mineral extraction started around Airdrie, although the Slamannan company's sought-for new mineral business barely materialised. The coal railways collectively worked in

936-582: A stationary steam engine on the Rochsoles branch. Though the Garnkirk & Glasgow ran trains over the Ballochney Railway to Airdrie, they had to use horse haulage on this section." Robertson states that locomotives were introduced on the Ballochney line in 1840. Rates for coal and lime were 3.75d for the first mile, 1.75d for the second, 1.25 for the third, fourth and fifth miles, 0.75d for

1040-683: A through journey of 25 miles was possible on the system—from the eastern end of the Slamannan to the Kirkintilloch canal basin—30% of all traffic travelled less than a mile, and half of it less than 2½ miles. Hence locomotives were involved in a ceaseless pattern of stopping and shunting, and averaged only 24 miles per day against the 90 miles normal on the Edinburgh & Glasgow. The sidings were expensive to work, and even private sidings required main line points which had to be renewed every three or four years ... these numerous points also meant

1144-572: A through passenger route between Glasgow and Edinburgh via Airdrie and Bathgate. Part of the Bo'ness extension line was re-opened as the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway , a heritage line. The remainder of the system has closed. The North Monkland Railway was an independent line built to serve pits and quarries to the north of Airdrie beyond the reach of the Monkland Railways system. It opened in 1878 and

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1248-462: A toll line, allowing independent hauliers to move wagons, using horse traction. It later acquired steam locomotives and ran trains itself. At first it was successful, and when the iron smelting industry became a huge success within the railway's area, it became even more successful. As coal extraction developed, pits were opened further north and east than the M&;KR reached, and the Ballochney Railway

1352-473: Is four miles and a furlong [6.6 km], and of the branches 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles [2.4 km]. Ballochney Colliery was south of the present-day Ballochney Road, in Plains . The Thrushbush branch diverged towards the north-east at Rochsoles Branch Junction and climbed immediately on another rope-worked incline, crossing under Glenmavis Road to Thrushbush Quarry at the present Dykehead Road. The line

1456-644: The Monkland Railways Branches Act 1857 ( 20 & 21 Vict. c. lxxviii) was obtained for the purpose in July 1857 in the teeth of considerable opposition from rival promoters and others. The act authorised a large number of branch connections and other lines, and these were constructed in priority order, with the central part of the through connection delayed. First was a short westwards extension from Cowdenhead to Standhill Junction, and from there turning back to Craigmill (otherwise known as

1560-614: The Caledonian Railway was promoting a new trunk line from Carlisle to Glasgow and Edinburgh; it got its authorising act of Parliament, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. xci), in 1845 and opened in 1847/1848. It sought acquisition of the Wishaw and Coltness Railway and the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway to get access to Glasgow, and it concluded a lease of those lines. Suddenly those lines were out of

1664-665: The Monkland Railways . All of the route is now closed, although much of it can still be discovered. In 1794 the Monkland Canal was completed, enabling the cheap transport of coal from the Monklands coalfields, south of Airdrie, to the households and industries of Glasgow. Advantageous at first, in time the canal was accused of exploiting its monopoly, and in 1824 the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway (M&KR)

1768-579: The North Monkland Railway got an authorising act of Parliament, the North Monkland Railways Act 1872 ( 35 & 36 Vict. c. xci) on 18 July 1872. The line was opened on 18 February 1878, and carried goods and mineral traffic only. It ran from Kipps via Nettlehole and Greengairs, to join the Slamannan line at Southfield Row, an existing colliery spur south of Longriggend. It connected into numerous collieries on

1872-631: The Panther Creek Railroad opened as a replacement for the switchback line. The Lehigh Coal and Railroad is considered the first American company to use vertical integration , providing raw materials, shipping, processing and final goods. Some famous personalities who visited the railroad include Prince Maximilian of Wied , President Ulysses S. Grant , William Astor , son of John Jacob Astor , and Thomas Edison . The Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) purchased it in 1874 and leased it to brothers Theodore and H. L. Mumford who operated

1976-642: The Summit Hill mines of the L.C.&N. Company to their canal at Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania , descending 936 feet (285 m) in the nine-mile (14 km) trip. The Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway was the second permanent railroad constructed in the United States and the first over five miles long. Like its rival the B&;O Railroad , the Mauch Chunk at first used animal power. Mules hauled

2080-451: The "Incline", or proceeding to the Kipps, neither have they notice to avoid the waggons which are sometimes temporarily stationary on the line on their way to Kipps. The "waggons which are sometimes temporarily stationary" seems to mean individual wagons left unattended on the running line. There was an accident on the incline on 25 April 1859 (after the amalgamation of the Ballochney to form

2184-484: The Ballochney system as far as the foot of the inclines. In 1832 the Company disposed of its horses, leaving all the horse power provision to independent hauliers. Buchanan says that "A useful contrivance, [represented in an engraving in the original], has been here adopted for the ease of the animal in descending; instead of causing it to run behind the waggon, a carriage is made, in which the horse stands at his ease all

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2288-594: The Bathgate works started operations in February 1851. It was located alongside the Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway (WM&CR) on its branch to Bathgate. The chemical works, the torbanite fields, and the coal deposits in the area generally were attractive as a source of revenue for the Monkland Railways, and they obtained an act of Parliament, the Monkland Railways Branches Act 1853 ( 16 & 17 Vict. c. xc) giving powers in July 1853 to construct

2392-647: The Brownside and Blackrig Coal Pits, near the village of Clerkston, and called the Clerkston branch, of one mile and a quarter in length". Whiterigg : the short branch to Whiterigg was authorised in the Ballochney Railway Act 1826, but not built at first. As ironstone and colliery workings developed rapidly in this period, it was argued that the Whiterigg branch would be very beneficial, and it

2496-590: The Coatbridge ironworks. There was a large area of undeveloped moorland between Airdrie and the banks of the Forth, and a railway was promoted to develop the region. There were optimistic ideas of serving new collieries in the area, as well as the advantage of connecting Monklands to Edinburgh more directly. The Slamannan Railway opened in 1840 between Arbuckle and Causewayend, a wharf on the Union Canal ; it had

2600-470: The E&;GR at Garngaber, a little east of the present-day Lenzie station. The inconvenience of the transshipment emphasised the disadvantage of the now non-standard track gauge, and it was decided to change the track gauge to standard gauge. They got Parliamentary authority and made the change on 26 July and 27 July 1847. Operating costs were high: from 1845 to 1848 the ratio for the three railways that formed

2704-566: The E&GR main line to Causewayend. The short line was completed by January 1847, but remained dormant until the Monkland lines altered their line to standard gauge, in August 1847. The harbour at Borrowstounness (Bo'ness) was also not far from Causewayend, and a connection to it was desirable, enabling export and coastwise mineral trade. In addition there were ironstone pits and blast furnaces at Kinneil. The nominally independent Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway (S&BR) had been promoted by

2808-520: The E&GR main line. In addition the E&GR made stipulations about the composition of the Monkland wagon wheels which were impracticable to comply with. Accordingly, the Monkland Railways decided (in May 1850) to complete the originally intended through line from Causewayend after all. The E&GR took umbrage at this and put further difficulties in the way of the underbridge construction and disputation dragged on until May 1851. The Monkland Railways now got

2912-549: The Forth and Clyde Canal company had agreed to subscribe for stock in February 1826. £3,300 was subscribed by English investors. The engineer was to be Grainger. As was usual, the act laid down maximum toll rates for the railway: "For all Goods, Wares, Merchandize [sic], Coal and other Things: 3d per Ton, per Mile. For passing up or down any one of the Inclined Planes, or for any part of one, and for every Inclined Plane, 6d in addition." Four contracts were let to construct

3016-493: The Monkland Railways averaged 55%. Giving evidence at the hearing of the Monklands Amalgamation Bill in 1848, George Knight, secretary and General Manager of the three railways explained that: The Monklands complex consisted of 36 miles of railway proper and 12 miles of sidings, and had connected it with another 48 miles of private railways built by the various extractive and industrial interests. Although

3120-681: The Monkland Railways) and the Inquiry report describes operation of the incline. Colonel Yolland of the Board of Trade explains that the Ballochney main line has two inclines on it, with a space of about 100 yards of comparative level between them "at a place called Common Head", and that the Airdrie branch diverges there. At the foot of the second [lower] incline, there is about 330 yards [300 m] of line used by up and down trains, and at

3224-467: The Monklands coalfield and in connection with the iron works in the area. The Monklands section it had acquired was profitable, although its operating costs were very high, and it was concentrated in mining areas generally remote from the large population centres. However the best of the mineral deposits had been worked out, and the focus of the extractive industries had shifted into Caledonian Railway territory. The North British Railway set about rectifying

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3328-582: The North Monkland section closed the following year, together with the Bathgate to Blackston Junction line. The original line to Kirkintilloch closed in 1965 except for a short section to Leckethall Siding, which continued until 1982. The Ballochney section closed in 1966. Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway The Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway , also known as the Mauch Chunk and Summit Railroad and occasionally shortened to Mauch Chunk Railway ,

3432-501: The Slamannan Junction line to Bo'ness Junction on the E&GR and then the proposed Bo'ness Junction connection towards Bo'ness, so that trains would join and then immediately leave the E&GR main line. In 1850, as construction was progressing, it was belatedly realised that the configuration of the junctions on the E&GR main line was such that a through movement would be impossible; trains would have to shunt back on

3536-529: The Slamannan company to connect to Bo'ness Harbour, with a link to the E&GR west of Bo'ness Junction (later Manuel) so aligned as to allow through running from the Polmont direction to Bo'ness. The unbuilt line was absorbed into the Monkland Railways at the time of formation of that company, but the subscribed capital of £105,000 was to be kept separate. The Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cvii) of 26 June 1846 specified that

3640-531: The Union Canal was to be crossed by a drawbridge or swing bridge, and that screens were to be provided to avoid frightening horses drawing barges on the canal. In fact the E&GR made considerable difficulties over the construction of the new bridge to pass the S&;BR line under their own main line, and construction was delayed until 1848. With a resumption of friendly relations, it now appeared that some construction could be avoided if Slamannan to Bo'ness trains used

3744-559: The West of Scotland, but the through line from Airdrie to Bathgate closed to passenger traffic in 1956. A limited goods service continued on the line until l February 1982 but the line then closed completely, except for the short section from Airdrie to Moffat Mills, which remained open for goods traffic; however this was sporadic. The Benhar mines, the branch network based on the Westcraigs to Shotts Iron Works branch, closed in 1963, and

3848-664: The Woodend Branch), opened on 1 November 1858, to serve the Coltness Iron Company's mineral workings there. Similarly a short eastwards extension was made from a junction to the Clarkston Wester Monkland branch back to Stepends, with a short branch there for Wilson & Co of Summerlee Iron Works. Wilson built an internal network with a zigzag to gain height on Annies Hill. A further branch turned back from Barblues to Meadowhead Pit. The pit

3952-519: The branch to West Benhar was built in 1864. The Monkland Railways Company was absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway by the Edinburgh and Glasgow and Monkland Railways Amalgamation Act 1865 ( 28 & 29 Vict. c. ccxvii), dated 5 July 1865, on 31 July 1865. The following day, that company was itself absorbed by the North British Railway . The larger company used the acquisition to consolidate its dominance of mineral traffic in

4056-533: The cables by steel tow-bands running between two large diameter winch wheels located in the Barney tunnels. When a car was ready to ascend, it was drifted down the slight incline from above and behind the Barney tunnel to wait at a latch. The barneys came up and coupled behind to push the cars uphill. One of the inclines rose 664 feet (202 m) up Mount Pisgah , and the other crossed Mount Jefferson. The downhill trip continued to be powered by gravity. The up track

4160-407: The centre of the line shows that it was planned for horses. When it was strengthened for the introduction of locomotives in 1840, the work was only done as far as the foot of the inclines. The upper Ballochney, and the Slamannan beyond it, were for the time being left for horses". In an endnote Robertson adds, "The Ballochney main lines inclines [sic] were worked by gravity; there was also one worked by

4264-478: The centre of this massive industry, connected at first to all the local sources of coal and iron, and to the ironworks. Coal was already extracted on a small scale in New Monkland, north and east of Airdrie and not directly accessible to the M&KR, and Thomas Grainger , the engineer of the M&KR, prepared a pamphlet proposing a railway from the New Monkland pits to connect with the M&KR. Construction

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4368-533: The coal up from the new Lansford and Coaldale mines to the Summit Hill loading area for the gravity railway trip down to Mauch Chunk, thence to the Lehigh Canal (and in 1855, by rail transport ) and their customers. The railroad became an early American tourist attraction and is considered the world's first roller coaster , a role it would keep and satisfy with tourists for over five decades after it

4472-463: The collieries and ironworks, and gaining possession of the territory against newly promoted lines. Such a sale appeared at first to please everyone, but Lancashire shareholders in the E&GR felt that the terms of such a takeover were too favourable to the small Scottish lines, and a major row broke out in the E&GR: the scheme was dropped. In this period, numerous other railways were promoted and alliances seemed to be formed and abandoned quickly, but

4576-429: The company's revenue in the first seven years. On 1 January 1830 the motive power owned by the Company was entirely equine, consisting of Hector, Dick, Captin [sic], Darling, Prince, Diamond, Rattler, Brisk and Poney [sic]. (Independent traders had their own stable.) These horses worked through as far as Kirkintilloch on the M&KR system, but when the M&KR acquired locomotives in 1831 that railway worked trains over

4680-478: The development of the iron smelting industry around Coatbridge had led to phenomenal success, but hoped-for mineral discoveries in the moorland around Slamannan had been disappointing. The pioneering nature of the railways left them with a legacy of obsolete track and locomotives, and new, more modern, railways were being built around them. The new company responded with connections to other lines, and to Bo'ness Harbour, and built new lines to Bathgate , but it

4784-530: The east and west extremities of this portion of single line there are sets of points facing to all trains descending the second incline. The construction of these inclines is also very peculiar and such as I have not hitherto met with. At the lower end of each incline, the up and down lines of railway, or rather the north and south lines of railway, since from the mode of working they are alternately used for up and down trains, are placed at an interval of about 4 feet [1.2 m] apart; but at 397 yards [363 m] from

4888-404: The employment of a large number of men to supervise them. Traders could also benefit from using the company's waggons, and were not charged for their use on sidings and private lines. [The waggons] averaged only 5¼ miles per day against 23 miles on the Edinburgh & Glasgow. In 1846 it became clear that the E&GR directors favoured a purchase of the coal railways, giving it immediate access to

4992-432: The empty coal tubs to the summit and were sent down in the last batch of cars; the return trip required 4–5 hours. The road would send down groups of 6–8 coal cars under control of a brakeman, and once 40–42 cars were down, send down the special "mule cars" with the draft animals, thus having just enough animals to return all cars back to the top. The railway used gravity and two inclines . A powered double-incline led up to

5096-545: The farm of that name, to Arbuckle station; at that point there was an end-on junction with the Slamannan Railway when it opened on 5 August 1840 to the Union Canal at Causewayend, near Linlithgow. Dalmacoulter : The Thrushbush line was extended in 1843, continuing to climb to the engine house at the site of the present-day Broompark Crescent, and then Dalmacoulter Quarry, which was on the east side of Stirling Road. Monkland Railways The Monkland Railways

5200-477: The group of mutually friendly coal railways, and soon they were simply part of the Caledonian Railway. The three other coal railways (M&KR, Ballochney and Slamannan) decided that their interests lay in collaboration, and they formed a joint working arrangement from 29 March 1845; in effect the three companies worked as one. In 1844 the M&KR had built a short spur to transshipment sidings with

5304-635: The lack of good connection to Glasgow, and in 1871 the Coatbridge to Glasgow line was opened, from Whifflet. For the time being the Glasgow terminal was inconveniently located at College, later High Street, but the growth of daily travel to work by suburban train motivated the NBR to work towards a better network in the city. The Airdrie terminal of the Ballochney Railway (Hallcraig Street) was closed to passengers in 1870. Coal extraction continued to flourish in

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5408-468: The lands of Colliertree, and terminating at West Moffat Colliery, belonging to Dr. Clerk, where it crosses the Edinburgh and Glasgow road about 1 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles [2.8 km] east of Airdrie." This locality is close to the North Calder Water near Katherine Park Lane. A long tramway ran eastwards from that pit to a malleable iron works at Gartness. Priestley refers to "a branch to

5512-635: The line as a tourist attraction. On May 24, 1929, the CNJ sold the line to the new Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway Company, which operated until 1932, when the line fell victim to the Great Depression . The mortgage on the property foreclosed and it was sold to scrapper Isaac Weiner for $ 18,000 (equal to $ 401,971 today). In 1976, a 47-acre (19 ha) section of the former right-of-way, from Ludlow St. in Summit Hill to F.A.P. 209 in Jim Thorpe ,

5616-532: The line from Kipps on the M&KR to "Airdrie Depot", i.e. the Leaend depot near Mosside Farm; from there to the top of the inclined plane at Rawyards; from there to Ballochney; and the Clarkston branch. A branch to Whiterigg and Stanrigg had been authorised in the Ballochney Railway Act 1826, but it was not made at this time. Birkinshaw's patent malleable rails were ordered, as used on the M&KR. These had been

5720-407: The line had been chiefly worked by horses, but had then been prepared for locomotive operation on the upper section of about 2.5 miles (4.0 km); it had an inclination of 1 in 70. The preparation involved installing heavier rails, for the upper section now had 54 lb/yd (27 kg/m) rails compared with the original fishbelly rails of 20 to 28 lb/yd (10 to 14 kg/m). This upper section

5824-495: The line in 1856 to review the proposals for passenger operation; he reported that there was no turntable at Bathgate, but that one had been ordered. He continued: The Bathgate and Bo'ness [routes] form a junction at Blackstone; from thence the traffic of the two branches will be conducted separately along the single line common to both, as far as Avon Bridge, a distance of three-quarters of a mile, then they will be united in one train, and proceed to Glasgow. To prevent any danger along

5928-421: The line. In 1836 the maintenance of the track was put out to contract. The company became relatively prosperous: even in 1831 it paid a dividend of 1½%, and 4% the following year. In the period 1838 to 1842 it was paying dividends of 14–16%, and when the connecting Slamannan Railway was promoted, the Ballochney company was able to contribute half the capital for that line. Writing in 1842, Whishaw states that

6032-511: The link; the submission to Parliament for an act of Parliament was supported financially by the E&GR and the Monkland joint companies together. In fact its shareholders sold the company to the E&GR immediately after obtaining the enabling act of Parliament, the Slamannan Junction Railway Act 1844 ( 7 & 8 Vict. c. lxx), and the E&GR built the line from Bo'ness Junction (later renamed Manuel High Level) on

6136-628: The more remote localities were dependent on the mineral activity they served, and after World War I there was some geological exhaustion as well as competition from cheap foreign imports. This intensified after World War II , by which time the North British Railway had formed a constituent of the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923, and then been nationalised into the Scottish Region of British Railways in 1948. Now many of

6240-401: The new standard gauge lines. Their obsolete locomotives, horse haulage by independent hauliers is some parts, the rope-worked inclines and the antiquated operating methods were all considerable disadvantages. In 1842 the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway (E&GR) opened its main line (to Haymarket at first) on the standard gauge of 4 ft 8½ in with modern locomotives. At this time

6344-407: The north-west [sic] about 2 miles [3.2 km], embracing Raw Yards North Colliery and other properties containing valuable minerals. It then turns eastwards about half a mile [800 m] farther ... from this point the railway continues in an easterly direction about 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles [2.0 km], and terminates at the extensive colliery of Ballochney. The whole length of the railway

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6448-471: The only large newcomers were the E&GR and the Caledonian Railway. Having been rebuffed by the E&GR, the Monkland companies decided upon a formal merger, and obtained the necessary sanction by an act of Parliament, the Monkland Railways Act 1848 ( 11 & 12 Vict. c. cxxxiv) on 14 August 1848. The new Monkland Railways Company was formed with a nominal share capital of £329,880,

6552-410: The pits and ironworks were declining substantially or closing, and the mineral branches closed with them. The Rosehall branch had already closed in 1930, and the Slamannan line, passing through remote and thinly populated territory, closed in 1949. The Cairnhill line closed in the 1950s. The communities of Airdrie and Coatbridge continued to flourish, enhanced by other economic activity associated with

6656-487: The portion of line common to the two branches, the Bathgate train, both in going and returning, will have the precedence: the signal man at Blackstone will have instructions not to turn off the signal of the Boness branch until the Bathgate train has passed on its way to Avon-Bridge; of the train proceeding to Bathgate and Boness, the latter will follow the Bathgate train at an interval not less than five minutes. The turntable

6760-570: The proprietor of important iron works at Kinneil obtained permission to run some mineral trains there while the line was still under construction, and the first trains ran from Arden on 17 March 1851, but opening from the E&GR line at Bo'ness Junction (Manuel) took place in early August 1851, with the undesirable backshunt on the E&GR main line now apparently permitted. Full opening of the through line took place on 22 December 1851. Passenger traffic started, after some difficulties in obtaining approval, on 10 June 1856. The Bathgate Chemical Works

6864-432: The rope for that incline. Note: As the railway was operated by hauliers and used horse traction, modern concepts of stations, signalling and running lines and sidings did not yet apply. It was only with the introduction of passenger operation that the notion of "stations" became important. Many of the place names are different from the current spellings. Main line : From Kipps, the Ballochney Railway route ran east about

6968-534: The route, and many short mineral lines were built off the main line to connect the pits. The line sold itself to the North British Railway effective from 31 July 1888, the £10 shares being bought out at £6 each. The Monkland Railways were now just a network of branches of the North British Railway, concentrating on serving collieries and ironworks, and the communities that built up around them. The through Bathgate - Airdrie - Coatbridge line became an important secondary line for passengers and freight. However many of

7072-431: The second half of the nineteenth century, and new pits opened throughout the Monklands area. Many of these were remote from the network of the Monklands section of the North British Railway, and many private mineral branch lines and tramways were built to close the gaps. Quarrying was also an important activity. A new railway was promoted to reach some of the pits and quarries north of the Ballochney and Slamannan lines, and

7176-403: The sixth and seventh, and 0.5d thereafter. For grain and manufactured textiles, the rate was 2.75d for the first mile, and 2.25d per mile thereafter. Whishaw describes the rope-worked incline: "There is a self-acting plane of 1,200 yards [1,100 m] in length on that portion of the line next the Monkland [and Kirkintilloch] Railway; the lower part being a single way, the middle part double, and

7280-480: The sum of the capital of the three former companies; the shares were converted as follows: With revenue of about £100,000 annually it was a profitable concern. The Slamannan Railway terminated at Causewayend, a wharf on the Union Canal. This was close to the new E&GR main line, and a connection seemed desirable. An independent company, the Slamannan Junction Railway , was formed to build

7384-647: The time the waggons are descending, and starts perfectly fresh to his task of drawing them back. This plan was first practised in North America on the Mauchunk Railway. The reference is to the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway . This system was still in use on 21 July 1841, when a child called Margaret McWakenshaw "unloosed a horse-carriage from a train of waggons" and was injured when then trying to prevent it running away down

7488-429: The top of the first, and 413 yards [378 m] from the top of the second incline, this interval or space is altogether done away with, and the single centre rail serves for the inner wheels of ascending or descending tracks, carriages, &c. The two inclines are separately worked, in each case by means of a wire-rope, with a short piece of chain at each end; the loaded waggons going down the incline serving, by means of

7592-614: The top of two separate summits along Pisgah Ridge on the return leg and each summit had "a new down track" returning the cars several miles farther west in each case. This saw-tooth elevation profile gave the new return track a swooping characteristic ride later deliberately designed into roller coasters . About the same time, when other mine heads were opened in lower elevations of the Panther Creek Valley LC&;N added several descending switchback sections and other shorter cable railway climbing inclines to bring

7696-540: The train, independent of the break on the tender. The goods trains usually have a separate breaksman, besides the two inclinemen, and this breaksman, whose duty it is to assist in shunting the goods trains, generally rides down on the engine. The waggons belonging to the Monkland Railway are said to be mostly provided with breaks, but a large proportion of those, not belonging to the Company, are said to be without them. In such cases spraggs of wood are used to skid

7800-477: The upper end of the wire-rope at the wheel or drum. The mineral traffic is sent down the inclines in trucks, without the assistance of a locomotive engine in front; but all the passenger traffic and the goods traffic proceeding from Rawyards to Airdrie is preceded by a locomotive. Two breaksmen or inclinemen go down the inclines with every mineral train; and all passenger trains, if not consisting of more than six vehicles, have one break in front and another in rear of

7904-422: The upper part formed with three rails. The ascending train consists usually of four loaded wagons and the descending train of six or seven empty wagons; the time occupied in the ascent is 3•50 minutes; the rope used is about 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches [110 mm] circumference; the sheeves [sic] are of 14 inches [360 mm] diameter, and are placed at intervals of 21 feet." Priestley states that this

8008-457: The wagon wheels had flanges for guidance (as opposed to a plateway, where plain wheels run on the flat of an L-shaped plate) so that the wagons were specific to railway use, and the company hired wagons to the hauliers. Whishaw recorded that there were 270 wagons in use on the system, each weighing about 24 cwt (1200 kg); the horses in use belonged to the coal proprietors, not the railway itself. Wagon rental to hauliers accounted for 8.4% of

8112-439: The wheels when trains are descending the inclines. There are three passenger trains from Glasgow to Airdrie, two from Airdrie to Glasgow, and two each way between Bathgate and Airdrie, in the course of each day. The actual accident being reported on took place when a locomotive descending the upper incline cast off the rope at the foot, but was pushed by the weight of wagons behind onto the lower incline without being able to attach

8216-406: The wire-rope passing over a wheel or drum at the head of the incline, to bring up the waggons from below. Rollers are placed between the rails for supporting these wire-ropes as they are drawn up or down. The rope at the tail of each descending train being cast off, as soon as the train reaches the comparatively level portion of line at the foot of each incline, and before it descends so low as to foul

8320-419: The works owner obviously wanted an alternative carrier, and approached the Monklands company to propose a branch line southwards from the "new line". This was agreed to, and an act of Parliament, the Monkland Railways (Branches) Act 1860 ( 23 & 24 Vict. c. clxxviii) giving authority for the 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile line was obtained in August 1860. The line opened by 5 February 1862. A short branch off

8424-513: Was a coal-hauling railroad in the mountains of Pennsylvania that was built in 1827 and operated until 1932. It was the second gravity railway constructed in the United States, which was used by the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company to transport coal from Summit Hill downhill to the Lehigh canal. The railway operated on 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) gauge track, and it

8528-414: Was a passenger platform, called Airdrie Leaend here from 1828 to 1843. The line passed under Commonside Street and continued to climb on a rope-worked incline, at gradients of 1 in 20, 1 in 22 and 1 in 23½ to Rawyards, where there was a siding group and the line forked again; the main line passed on north-easterly, running north of Airdriehill Farm: From the point at Raw Yards the main line advances to

8632-484: Was a railway company formed in 1848 by the merger of three "coal railways" that had been built to serve coal and iron pits around Airdrie in Central Scotland, and connect them to canals for onward transport of the minerals. The newly formed company had a network stretching from Kirkintilloch to Causewayend, near Linlithgow . These coal railways had had mixed fortunes; the discovery of blackband ironstone and

8736-591: Was a rise of 352 feet (107 m) from the junction with the M&KR to Arbuckle (on the extension which he regards as the main line). The Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway was operating passenger trains to Leaend and complained about the safety of its passengers to the Ballochney Company: The Conductors of the Passenger Carriages have still no notice by lights or otherwise of the approach or position of waggons coming down

8840-425: Was abandoned as a primary freight railroad. By 1845 the increasing demand for coal and the poor logistics of a single-track route meant the company needed to improve its railroad. In 1846, they built a new uphill line using two steam-powered, Josiah White engineered 120 horsepower (89 kW) funicular systems to replace move cars uphill. These inclines used two telescoping wheeled Barney pusher cars attached to

8944-407: Was about 6 miles (10 km) in extent, and it included two self-acting inclined planes to gain altitude in reaching the high ground where the mines were located. The railway operated like a toll road; independent hauliers were permitted to place wagons on the line and haul them with their own horses to the destination, paying the company a toll for the facility. The track used edge rails, in which

9048-505: Was close to the Ballochney workings, but the location was referred to then as Planes, later spelt Plains. These extensions were completed by early February 1860. However the Stepends branch was short lived: it closed in 1878. That left two sections. The first was the gap from Barblues (sometimes spelt Barbleus, near Stepends) to Standhill Junction (near Blackridge; the junction was with the uncompleted Shotts Iron Works line (below), and that

9152-414: Was commenced in the summer of 1826 and opened to the public on 8 August 1828", but Martin states authoritatively that this represents the final completion of the construction of the whole line. "Revenue-earning traffic on the railway actually commenced very much earlier, on 12 November 1827" although this may only have been over a short distance from Kipps Colliery to the junction with the M&KR. The line

9256-555: Was completed by 27 April 1861 when a trial mineral train passed over the line; full opening to mineral trains was about 10 May 1861. This enabled through running from Coatbridge to Bathgate, but over the Ballochney inclines and running north of Airdrie. The second gap was the line south of Airdrie, from Sunnyside Junction to Brownieside Junction, avoiding the rope worked inclines. This may have opened, also for mineral traffic only, in early August 1861. Passenger working between Coatbridge and Bathgate started on 11 August 1862; however there

9360-430: Was constructed in 1830, bringing the total network mileage to 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles [8.9 km]. Buchanan describes this: "A branch about half a mile [800 m] in length goes off to the north-west to embrace the extensive colliery of Whiterig, and which has been recently extended to the ironstone mines of Gavil and others." Arbuckle : in 1830, another branch was opened, extended from Airdriehill Junction, near

9464-542: Was constructed to serve some of them, running from Kipps, near Coatbridge, to pits around Arbuckle and Clarkston, and a quarry. It opened in 1828. The area it reached was on high ground, and two rope-worked inclines were necessary to gain altitude. The Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway was opened in 1831 connecting the Monklands directly to Glasgow without the need to transshipment to a canal. The Wishaw and Coltness Railway opened from 1833, connecting iron pits and works further east to Whifflet (then spelt Whifflat) for access to

9568-402: Was double track. The gauge of the railway was 4 feet 6 inches (1,370 mm), with the interval between tracks 4 feet 10 + 1 ⁄ 2  inches (1,486 mm). The observations regarding preparation for locomotive operation seem to be contradicted by Robertson : "... in spite of the powers for steam haulage in the Ballochney act, the existence of the double plane in

9672-402: Was equipped with a ratchet which would prevent a car that detached from the cable from running away down hill. This invention later evolved into the anti-rollback device used on roller coasters. The railroad changed its name to the Mauch Chunk, Summit Hill and Switchback Railroad. The modernization of the railroad reduced a passenger round-trip from 4.5 hours to just 80 minutes. In 1872,

9776-572: Was established in 1851, in open country a mile or so south of the town. James Young , an industrial chemist, had developed an industrial process of manufacturing paraffin from torbanite , a type of oil shale. He had obtained a patent for the process in October 1850, and the torbanite had been discovered on the Torbanehill estate, about halfway between Bathgate and Whitburn. Young joined in partnership with Edward William Binney and Edward Meldrum and

9880-426: Was immediately a considerable traffic from the mines to the works, and it made a long detour, starting eastwards from Armadale, away from the direction of Calderbank, and then round via Slamannan. The company observed that the gap of ten miles could be closed relatively cheaply, and a direct line would also connect worthwhile coalfields on the way, as well as the important paper works at Caldercruix. An act of Parliament,

9984-490: Was no direct route to Glasgow yet, except over the former Garnkirk railway Caledonian section. The New Line is sometimes referred to as the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway , but it was never independent of the Monkland Railways. However an independent Bathgate, Airdrie and Coatbridge Railway had been proposed in 1856. The important iron works at Shotts was connected to the Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway but

10088-530: Was not utilized as a common carrier that linked with other railroads. The rail line was laid on top of the company's earlier 9-mile (14 km)-constant-descent-graded wagon road . The railway operated for more than half a century as a tourist attraction after it ceased day-to-day operations as a freight railroad in 1872. The onset of the Great Depression resulted in its eventual closure. Pennsylvania's first railroad and first anthracite carrier opened on Saturday, May 5th, 1827, when seven cars of coal passed from

10192-451: Was often referred to as the Rochsoles branch. It climbed at gradients of 1 in 20, 1 in 22 and 1 in 23½. Clarkston branch : at Rawyards, a branch diverged on a south-easterly course to Clarkston, (originally Clerkston ,) terminating at Burnhead Road there. Buchanan, referring to Raw Yards says "At this point a branch, about 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles [2.0 km] in length, goes off to the south-east, embracing Raw Yards South Colliery and

10296-476: Was opened, connecting the coalfields to the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirkintilloch; onward conveyance by canal barge from there to Glasgow and Edinburgh was possible. Ironstone was also smelted on a small scale at first, and from 1828 James Beaumont Neilson developed the hot blast process of iron smelting, and iron manufacture quickly became a huge industry, centred on Coatbridge, and the M&KR found itself at

10400-562: Was promised to be cheap, and the Ballochney Railway Act 1826 ( 7 Geo. 4 . c. xlviii) of 5 May 1826 authorised the construction by a new company, the Ballochney Railway Company , with share capital of £18,425 and borrowing powers of £10,000. The Ballochney Railway was to connect the pits to the M&KR at an end-on junction at Kipps, between Coatbridge and Airdrie. Money was scarce at the time, and

10504-479: Was provided, and Monkland Railways passenger operation to Bathgate started on 7 July 1856. The Bathgate station was at the end of Cochrane Street, and later became Bathgate Lower station. The 1853 act also gave authority for a branch from Colliertree, near Rawyards, southwards to Brownsburn, where the Calderbank Iron Works would join it with an internal private railway. The Monkland Railways portion

10608-416: Was taken over by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in 1865. Much of the network was dependent on proximity to pits and ironworks and as those became worked out or declined, the traffic on the network declined too, but the Coatbridge - Airdrie - Bathgate line remained open for passengers until 1956. The section east of Airdrie then closed, except for minor freight movements, but it was reopened in 2010, forming

10712-435: Was taken over in 1888, but it closed in the 1960s. In 1826 the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway (M&KR) opened, with the primary purpose of carrying coal from the Monklands collieries, south of Airdrie to Kirkintilloch , from where it could continue to market in Glasgow and Edinburgh over the Forth and Clyde Canal . As a pioneering railway, it adopted a track gauge of 4 ft 6 in, and at first operated as

10816-544: Was to be 1 mile 32 chains (2.3 km). The mineral line was opened on 1 October 1855. (Some contemporary maps misleadingly refer to the Clarkston line at Rawyards as "the Brownsburn Branch".) The Monkland Iron and Steel Company had extensive mineral workings in the Armadale area at Cowdenhead, now connected to the extension from Bathgate, and their iron works was at Calderbank, near Airdrie. There

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