The Glasgow South Western Line is a mainline railway in Scotland that runs from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, and then either Carlisle via Dumfries, or Stranraer via Ayr, with a branch to East Kilbride.
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History
The line was built by several railway companies during the 19th century:[1]
- 1812 - Kilmarnock to Barassie by the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway
- 1839 - Barrasie to Ayr (Falkland Junction) by the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway
- 1848 - Strathbungo to Neilston by the Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway
- 1848 - Kilmarnock to Cumnock opened by the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway
- 1848 - Gretna Junction to Carlisle by the Caledonian Railway
- 1850 - Cumnock to Gretna Junction opened by the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway
- 1856 - Ayr (Falkland Junction) to Maybole (Dalrymple) Junction by the Ayr and Dalmellington Railway
- 1856 - Maybole (Dalrymple) Junction to Maybole by the Ayr and Maybole Junction Railway
- 1860 - Maybole to Girvan by the Maybole and Girvan Railway
- 1861 - Challoch to Stranraer by the Portpatrick Railway
- 1866 - Busby Junction (near Pollowshaws West) to Busby by the Busby Railway
- 1868 - Busby to East Kilbride by the Caledonian Railway (East Kilbride Line)
- 1871 - Neilston to Kilmarnock opened by Glasgow and Kilmarnock Joint Railway, a joint undertaking by the Caledonian Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway
- 1877 - Girvan to Challoch Junction by the Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Railway
The Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway and the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway amalgamated to form the Glasgow and South Western Railway in 1850.
The Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway and Glasgow and Kilmarnock Joint Railway were amalgamated to form the Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway jointly operated by the Glasgow and South Western Railway and Caledonian Railway.
The lines forming the East Kilbride branch were operated by the Caledonian Railway.
Until 1923 the line via Dumfries was in competition with the North British Railway and Caledonian Railway as one of the mainlines into Scotland. With the passing of the Railways Act 1921 (Grouping Act) the line became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS).
In 1948, with nationalisation the line became part of the Scottish Region of British Railways. During the Beeching Axe in the 1960s many of the railway's branch lines were closed, including the direct route between Dumfries and Stranraer, via Galloway on the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway, leaving the present 'Y' shaped railway. The former G&SWR terminus at Glasgow St Enoch was also closed in this period (in 1966), with all services rerouted into Glasgow Central.
During the electrification of the West Coast Main Line in the early 1970s, the line was used as a major diversionary route whilst the Caledonian Railway's Annandale/Clydesdale route was closed, particularly during the weekends. Following completion of this project, the sections of line between Barrhead and Kilmarnock (with a crossing loop at Lugton) and Annan and Gretna (controlled from Carlisle) were singled. Re-doubling of the Annan to Gretna section was completed in August 2008, controlled from Dumfries Station signal box.
The line is not electrified, with the exception of parts of the line around the approaches to Glasgow Central and the section of the line shared with the Ayrshire Coast Line (Troon to Ayr).
In early 2009, work commenced to re-double the line between Lugton and Stewarton based on the 2008 plans published by Network Rail.[2] This would allow First ScotRail to run a half-hourly service to Kilmarnock.
There have been several studies recently as to the possibility of reopening Thornhill station, roughly halfway between Dumfries and Sanquhar.[citation needed]
Route
The line serves the following places.
- East Kilbride branch
- Stranraer line
After Kilmarnock, the line crosses the Ballochmyle Viaduct.
- Auchinleck
- New Cumnock
- Kirkconnel
- Sanquhar
- Dumfries
- Annan
- Gretna Green
- Carlisle
- Newcastle (limited service via the Tyne Valley Line)
Services
In the latter years of British Railways, operations were sectorised. All Scottish operations (excluding the WCML and ECML services), including this line, became part of the Regional Railways operation - being branded as ScotRail.
Following privatisation, passenger services upon the line were taken over by ScotRail, (part of National Express), and are now operated by First ScotRail with the track and signalling being operated (nationally) by Network Rail. The Dumfries route remains one of only three railway lines between the Scottish border and lowland areas alongside the East Coast Main Line and West Coast Main Line. Along with the Settle-Carlisle Railway, the line is much used as both a diversionary route, especially during the recent West Coast Main Line modernisation, and for freight, notably coal from the several open cast coalmines of the Ayrshire Coalfield that adjoin the line.
Between Glasgow Central and New Cumnock and Girvan the line is operated by Scottish Train Operating Company (TOC) - currently First ScotRail - on behalf of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. Electric train services are also provided between Glasgow and Troon and Ayr via the Ayrshire Coast Line. Some services continue on from Carlisle to Newcastle, with a daily direct service between Newcastle and Stranraer via Kilmarnock.
Trivia
The train chase sequence in the 1996 movie Mission Impossible was filmed on the Glasgow South Western line, with the image of a French TGV laid over the top of the footage of a standard British train using CGI.[citation needed]
References
Notes
- ^ Awdry
- ^ http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/StrategicBusinessPlan/RoutePlans/2008/Route%2026%20-%20Strathclyde%20and%20South%20West%20Scotland.pdf
Sources
- Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0049-7. OCLC 19514063.
- Butt, R.V.J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199.
- Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0086-1. OCLC 22311137.
- Yonge, John (May 1987). Gerald Jacobs. ed. British Rail Track Diagams - Book 1: ScotRail (1st edition ed.). Exeter: Quail Map Company. ISBN 0-9006-0948-6.
- Yonge, John (February 1993). Gerald Jacobs. ed. Railway Track Diagams - Book 1: Scotland and the Isle of Man (2nd edition ed.). Exeter: Quail Map Company. ISBN 0-9006-0995-8.
- Yonge, John (April 1996). Gerald Jacobs. ed. Railway Track Diagams - Book 1: Scotland and the Isle of Man (3rd edition ed.). Exeter: Quail Map Company. ISBN 1-8983-1919-7.
- Yonge, John (2007). Gerald Jacobs. ed. Railway Track Diagams - Book 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (Quail Track Plans) (fifth edition ed.). Bradford on Avon: Trackmaps (formerly Quail Map Co). ISBN 978-0-9549866-3-6. OCLC 79435248. http://www.trackmaps.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-06-27.
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