Caledonian Railway

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The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company operating in Scotland. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921. Due to legal complications this did not take place on 1 January 1923 when the majority of the amalgamations took place, but was delayed until 1 July 1923 (along with the North Staffordshire Railway).

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Early history 3 The main line 3.1 The Main Line connections to other lines 3.2 The Wishaw Deviation Line connections to other lines 4 Branches in Dumfries and Galloway 5 Branches in Peebles and South Lanarkshire 6 River Clyde and Clyde Coast branches 6.1 South side 6.2 North side 7 Expansion lines of around Glasgow and Paisley 8 Edinburgh and Lothians 9 The Central Scotland lines 10 Argyle and Perth 11 Callander and Oban Railway 12 The Crieff Lines 12.1 Crieff Junction Railway 12.2 Perth, Almond Valley & Methven Railway; and Crieff & Methven Railway 12.3 Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie Railway 12.4 Crieff and Comrie Railway 13 Chief Mechanical Engineers 14 See also 15 Notes 16 External links 17 References

[edit] Introduction

The company was well supported by Glasgow and Edinburgh shareholders, however more than half of its shares were held in England.^[1] It was an integrated railway company, in that it built and owned both the railway lines and the trains. It had a locomotive works, St. Rollox railway works, in Springburn, Glasgow, which became part of British Rail and is currently still in use, as a railway maintenance depot.

The company was formed in the 1830s to link local railways around Glasgow and Edinburgh to the railway network in England, at Carlisle. It sought to open the only cross-border main line (it was thought that only one main line was needed). Its empire was then extended to cover the triangle: Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh; and later reached out to serve Oban, Ballachulish, Dundee, Perth and Aberdeen.

In the Scottish Lowlands it competed against both the Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR) and the North British Railway; but, in the case of the G&SWR, not north of the River Clyde.^[2] There was little or no competition north of Oban, Ballachulish, Dundee, Perth and Aberdeen; this area was served mainly by the Highland Railway.^[2]

[edit] Early history

The earliest railways in Scotland and England were unconnected. Before the Caledonian railway, the quickest journey between Glasgow and London would have been Glasgow to Liverpool by sea and then Liverpool to London by train. However, from March 1841 it was possible to catch the train between Glasgow and Greenock, then travel between Greenock and Liverpool by sea; and then to London by train (see below).^[3]

A railway link from London to the north of England was developed in piecemeal fashion. From about 1838 the London and Birmingham Railway had linked those two destinations; the Grand Junction Railway linked Birmingham to Warrington; the North Union Railway was projected to reach Preston; and the Grand Junction Railway intended to extend the line to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. They got their engineer Joseph Locke to survey a route from Carlisle. The obvious way was to follow Thomas Telford's coach road through Annandale and Clydesdale.^[4] He did not believe a locomotive could climb the hills at Moffat and his preferred route was a longer route through Nithsdale to link up with the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway.^[4] However Locke was persuaded to resurvey the Annandale route.^[4]

This route was opened up as a railway line, the Caledonian Railway. The Caledonian wished to ensure that it was the only railway line built between Carlisle and Scotland, but they did not succeed in this. Two other lines were opened from Carlisle: these rival lines were the Glasgow and South Western Railway to Glasgow and the Waverley Line to Edinburgh.

After the Caledonian main line opened in 1849 it was possible to travel between London and Glasgow, by express train, without needing to change trains. It cut the total journey time to 12.5 hours.^[4]

[edit] The main line

Caledonian Railway Main Line

Stations (south to north) Station in bold are still open Carlisle Rockcliffe Floriston Gretna Gretna Junction Quintinshill Kirkpatrick Kirtlebridge Ecclefechan Lockerbie Nethercleugh Dinwoodie Wamphray Beattock Beattock Summit Elvanfoot Crawford Abington Lamington Symington Thankerton Strawfrank Junction Carnwath Carstairs Auchengray Cleghorn Cobbinshaw Braidwood Harburn Carluke Kirknewton Law Junction Ravelrig Wishaw and Coltness Railway Curriehill Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway Wester Hailes Gartsherrie Junction Kingsknowe Glenboig Slateford Greenfaulds Gorgie (East) Cumbernauld Merchiston Greenhill Lower Princes Street

Caledonian Railway Wishaw Devation Line

Stations (south to north) Station in bold are still open Law Junction Overton Wishaw Holytown Junction

This runs from Carlisle, via Annandale, Beattock and the Clyde valley, to Glasgow. The original Glasgow terminus was, however, at Buchanan Street; it remained the Glasgow terminus until 1897. A junction at Carstairs feeds the branch to Edinburgh.

The main line from Carlisle was opened as far as Beattock on 9 September 1847.^[5] The section from Beattock to Edinburgh opened on 15 February 1848; and the section from Beattock to Glasgow, Buchanan Street, opened on 1 November 1849 for passengers and on 1 January 1849 for goods.^[5] The final section of the journey was initially via Monklands, on the Wishaw and Coltness Railway and the Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway, which had opened in 1831.

The main line from Carlisle to Glasgow, (but now to Glasgow Central station) is still in use today, although quite a few of the original Caledonian railway stations have closed. It is now the northern section of the West Coast Main Line; the southern section being the former London and North Western Railway.

The original stations between Carlisle and Carstairs were: Rockcliffe, Floriston, Kirkpatrick, Gretna, Kirtlebridge, Ecclefechan, Lockerbie, Nethercleugh, Wamphray, Beattock, Elvanfoot, Crawford, Abington, Lamington Symington and Thankerton.^[2] Of these, only Lockerbie is still in use, and the Lockerbie-Carstairs section is still the longest stretch of UK railway uninterrupted by a station.

The line from Carstairs to Edinburgh (Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs line) is also still in use today, but the Edinbugh terminus of the Caledonian railway at the west end of Princes Street has closed and the line diverts to former North British Railway Edinburgh Waverley railway station at the other end of Princes street. The railway hotel building which formed the street frontage of the Edinburgh Princes Street Station was well known as the Caley Hotel, and is still in use as a hotel today.

The main line at Quintinshill, near Gretna Green was the site of the Quintinshill rail crash, which occurred on 22 May 1915.^[6] Two rival lines connected to the Caledonian Railway near this point: the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway, at Gretna, later to become the Glasgow and South Western Railway, and still in use today as the Glasgow South Western Line; and the North British Railway's Waverley Line, currently closed in its entirety.

[edit] The Main Line connections to other lines

• Carlisle and Port Carlisle Railway and Dock Company at Carlisle
• Border Union Railway (also known as the Waverley Line) at Carlisle and Gretna
• Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway at Gretna
• Solway Junction Railway at Kirtlebridge
• Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway at Lockerbie
• Moffat Railway at Beattock
• Leadhills and Wanlockhead Branch at Elvanfoot
• Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway at Symington
• Dolphinton Branch at Carstairs
• Lanark Branch at Lanark Junction
• Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway at Carluke
• Wishaw and Coltness Railway at Law Junction
• Wishaw Devation Line at Law Junction
• Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway at Gartsherrie Junction
• Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway at Gartsherrie Junction
• Scottish Central Railway at Greenhill Lower
• Wilsontown Branch between Auchengray and Cobbinshaw
• Cleland and Midcalder Line at Midcalder Junction
• Balerno Loop at Ravelrig and Slateford
• Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Railway at Slateford
• Edinburgh Station and Branches at Slateford

[edit] The Wishaw Deviation Line connections to other lines

• The Main Line at Law Junction
• Wishaw and Coltness Railway at Wishaw
• Cleland and Midcalder Line at Holytown Junction

[edit] Branches in Dumfries and Galloway

A branch of the Caledonian railway, known as the Solway Junction Railway, at Kirtlebridge, led down to Annan and crossed the Solway Firth, by a 1,940 yard (1,791 metre) viaduct, to Bowness-on-Solway and Whitrigg.^[7] The line was opened, with Caledonian Railway backing, completely by 8 August 1870. The Scottish part was bought by the Caledonian Railway on 5 August 1873; and the whole line on 6 July 1895.^[7] It joined up with the Maryport and Carlisle Railway. This line sought to bring iron ore, hematite, from Cumberland to the Lanarkshire steelworks. It was successful, but the iron ore started to run out by the end of the 19th century.

Another branch of the Caledonian railway at Lockerbie, known as the Dumfries, Lochmaben & Lockerby Railway (sic), led to Dumfries, with intermediate stations at Lochmaben, Shieldhill, Amisfield and Locharbriggs.^[8] The line opened on 1 September 1863, with Caledonian Railway backing, and it was bought by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1865.^[8]

The Caledonian gained running rights over the Glasgow and South Western Railway's Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway, between Dumfries and Castle Douglas; and hence from Castle Douglas to Portpatrick, Stranraer and Stranraer harbour over a jointly owned line, the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway, which was formed on 6 August 1885.^[9] This allowed the Caledonian to run Irish boat trains from the south without having to go though Ayrshire.

A branch, the Moffat Railway, just over one mile and 5 furlongs long, ran between Beattock and Moffat.^[10] It was opened on 2 April 1883 and was taken over by the Caledonian, by Act of Parliament, on 11 November 1889.^[10]

[edit] Branches in Peebles and South Lanarkshire

The Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway Company led from the main line at Symington to Broughton. The Caledonian acquired it in 1861 and the line was extended to a new station at Peebles West, the extension opening in 1864.^[11] They ran the "Tinto Express" in competition with the North British Railway's "Peebles-shire Express".

[edit] River Clyde and Clyde Coast branches

[edit] South side

On 9 July 1847, the Caledonian amalgamated with the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway (GP&G), which allowed it to gain access to coastal shipping services at Greenock and to enter into direct competition against the G&SWR's shipping services. The section between Glasgow and Paisley, the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway, which opened in 1841, was jointly owned with the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway (GPK&A) (later to become part of the G&SWR). Both the GP&G's and the GPK&A's Glasgow terminus was Bridge Street railway station, adjacent to the River Clyde; and this remained so for another 60 years due to difficulties in obtaining agreement from the Admiralty to build bridges over the Clyde.

In 1873 the Caledonian Railway finally obtained a Act to build a railway bridge across the Clyde, and initially planned to widen Glasgow Bridge and use part of this; however, their plans were changed in 1875, when a new Act was obtained to build a separate railway bridge. A four track railway bridge was built by Sir William Arrol across the Clyde. By 1879, construction work had been completed on Glasgow Central station and Bridge Street station was also rebuilt. The Caledonian Railway mainline services to London were transferred from Buchanan Street railway station to Central Station. Bridge Street station however remained the terminus of the Caledonian Railways Clyde Coast services until Central Station was rebuilt 1901 - 1905. It then closed.

In 1862 the Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway was authorised. 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.^[12]

The opening of the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway by the G&SWR in 1869, against the opposition of the Caledonian Railway, led to a price cutting war between the Caledonian Railway and the G&SWR.^[12]

[edit] North side

The Glasgow Central Railway was a six mile underground railway passing through Glasgow from east to west.^[3]

The Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway, from the West End of Glasgow along the north shore of the River Clyde, to Dumbarton, was vested in the Caledonian Railway on 1 August 1909 by Act of Parliament.^[13]

[edit] Expansion lines of around Glasgow and Paisley

In addition to the the early lines, such as the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway and the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway which opened in the early 1840s, both Glasgow and Paisley saw a huge railway expansion which continued into the early 1900s. Many of these lines were built as part of the rivalry between the Caledonian Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway to gain passengers and goods at the other's expense.

Lines built by the Caledonian Railway included:

• Busby Railway (absorbed by the the Caledonian in 1882)
• Cathcart District Railway, also known as the Cathcart Circle Line. Operated by the Caledonian Railway.
• Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway from Newton to the Clyde Coast at Ardrossan.

There were also interests in several Joint Railways in the Glasgow area:

• Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway
• Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway

[edit] Edinburgh and Lothians

[edit] The Central Scotland lines

The core of the Central Scotland Lines came as a result of the absorption of the Scottish Central Railway in 1865.

[edit] Argyle and Perth

[edit] Callander and Oban Railway

The Callander and Oban Railway was an independent railway company but it was supported by the Caledonian Railway.^[14] The Caledonian railway company ran the train services, but the line remained independent until it was taken over by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at Grouping.^[14] An extension from Connel Ferry to Ballachulish was authorised on 1 August 1896 and opened on 24 August 1903.^[14]

[edit] The Crieff Lines

[edit] Crieff Junction Railway

The Crieff Junction Railway connected the main line from Stirling to Perth at Gleneagles to Crieff.

[edit] Perth, Almond Valley & Methven Railway; and Crieff & Methven Railway

Around one and half miles north of Perth, was the junction with the Perth, Almond Valley & Methven Railway. This line was added to by the Crieff & Methven Railway to reach Perth from the east.

[edit] Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie Railway

This line connected Comrie to the Callander and Oban Railway at Balquhidder Junction south of Lochearnhead.

[edit] Crieff and Comrie Railway

This line connected the line entering Crieff from the south and east to the Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie Railway at Comrie.

[edit] Chief Mechanical Engineers

• Robert Sinclair 1847-1856
• Benjamin Connor 1856-1876
• George Brittain 1876-1882
• Dugald Drummond 1882-1890
• Hugh Smellie 1890
• J. Lambie 1890-1895
• John F. McIntosh 1895-1914
• William Pickersgill 1914-1923

[edit] See also

• List of early British railway companies
• Caledonian Railway Single
• Caledonian Railway 72 Class
• Caledonian Railway 498 Class
• Caledonian Railway 782 Class
• Caledonian Railway 812 Class
• Locomotives of the Caledonian Railway

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• The Caledonian Railway Association
• The Caledonian Railway on RAILSCOT

[edit] References

• No Author, (1980). British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer. 5th Edition, Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-0320-3.
• Awdry, Christopher, (1990). Encyclopedia of British Railway Companies. London: Guild Publishing.
• Heap, Christine and Riemsdijk, John van, (1985). The Pre-Grouping Railways: Their development, and individual characters, Part 3, London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 0-11-290432-7.
• Nock, O.S. and Cross, Derek, (1960). Main Lines Across the Border. Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd. (Revised in 1982, ISBN 0-7110-1118-4).
• Rolt, L.T.C., (1966). Red for Danger: The Classic History of British Railway Disasters, (Extended Edition). Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd.
• Robertson, C.J.A., (1983). The Origins of the Scottish Railway System: 1722 - 1844. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers. ISBN 0-85976-088-X.
• Thomas, John (1971). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain, Volume 6, Scotland: The Lowlands and the Borders. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5408-6.

The "Big Four" pre-nationalisation British railway companies v • d • e
Great Western • London Midland & Scottish • London & North Eastern • Southern
GWR constituents: Great Western Railway • Cambrian Railways • Taff Vale Railway Barry Railway • Rhymney Railway • (full list) LNER constituents: Great Central • Great Eastern • Great Northern • Great North of Scotland Hull & Barnsley • North British • North Eastern • (Full list) LMS constituents: Caledonian • Furness • Lancashire & Yorkshire • Glasgow & South Western London and North Western • Midland • North Staffordshire • (Full list) SR constituents: London and South Western Railway • London, Brighton and South Coast Railway South Eastern Railway • London, Chatham and Dover Railway • (Full list)
See also: History of rail transport in Great Britain 1923 - 1947 • List of companies involved in the grouping