Cathcart Circle Lines

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Cathcart Circle Lines
Legend Glasgow Central for SPT Network Pollokshields West Maxwell Park Shawlands Pollokshaws East Langside Pollokshields East Queen's Park Crosshill Mount Florida Cathcart King's Park Croftfoot Burnside Kirkhill Newton interchange with Argyle Line Muirend Williamwood Whitecraigs Patterton Neilston

The Cathcart Circle Lines form a suburban railway route linking Glasgow (Central) to Cathcart via a circular line, with branches to Newton and Neilston. All of the routes serve Glasgow's southern suburbs, i.e.on the south bank of the River Clyde. The routes are part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network.

Contents 1 History 2 Constituent lines 2.1 Cathcart Circle Line 2.2 Newton Branch Line 2.3 Neilston Branch Line 3 Passenger services

[edit] History

The Cathcart Circle Lines are formed of lines built by the Cathcart District Railway (Cathcart Circle) and the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway (Newton and Neilston lines). The first part of the railway, inaugurated in 1880, was the Glasgow to Mount Florida. The Newton and Neilston branches were originally built to provide a through route from the Lanarkshire coalfields to ports such as Ardrossan on the Ayrshire coast. There is still a junction with other lines at Newton, but the track beyond Neilston has been lifted.

The railways originally carried significant amounts of freight, but commuter trains are the only regular users now. Football special services are sometimes run to Mount Florida and King's Park stations for major matches at Hampden Park.

When the lines were originally built, much of the land around them was open countryside. The existence of a commuter railway was a major factor in the development of Glasgow's southern suburbs.

The routes were electrified in the 1960s, with Class 303 units replacing steam trains and early diesel units.

[edit] Constituent lines

The Cathcart Circle Lines are comprised of the following lines:

[edit] Cathcart Circle Line

Built by the Cathcart District Railway. "Outer Circle" services run in a clockwise direction, while "Inner Circle" services run in an anti-clockwise direction. Stations are listed in the clockwise direction.

[edit] Newton Branch Line

Built by the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway. Diverges from the Cathcart Circle Line at either Mount Florida (clockwise) or Langside (anti-clockwise).

[edit] Neilston Branch Line

Also built by the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway. Diverges from the Cathcart Circle Line at Cathcart (clockwise only).

[edit] Passenger services

Passenger services are operated by First ScotRail. The lines are electrified at 25 kV AC overhead, and most services are operated using Class 314 electric multiple units although Class 318s & Class 334s (Juniper units) make occasional appearances on the line. There are currently plans to retire the Class 314s by 2010 and move the Class 320s currently used on the North Clyde Line to the South Bank of the Clyde. All units are maintained at Shields Road depot, Glasgow.