Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway

Introduction

This railway is closed. The line was built between Dumfries (Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway) and Castle Douglas. Castle Douglas became a junction for Stranraer (via the Portpatrick Railway) and Kirkcudbright (via the Kirkcudbright Railway). A short section of the line remained until 2002 between Dumfries and Maxwelltown. ScotRail provide passenger services from Dumfries to Glasgow Central and Carlisle.






Dates

  /  /1856Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Act receives Royal assent.
  /  /1859Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Goldielea Viaduct built, designed by John Miller (Junior).
07/11/1859Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Line opened as a single track railway, operated by the Glasgow and South Western Railway.
11/03/1861Portpatrick Railway
Stranraer to Castle Douglas (on the Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway) formally opened. (Alternative date 12/02/1861.)
01/09/1863Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway
The Caledonian Railway associated Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway is opened giving the company access to Dumfries. In response the Portpatrick Railway applies for running powers over the Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway to Dumfries and the Caledonian Railway negotiates running the Portpatrick Railway, a blow to the Glasgow and South Western Railway which had considered the Portpatrick line to be within its territory.
17/02/1864Kirkcudbright Railway
Opened from Castle Douglas (Portpatrick Railway and Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway) to Kirkcudbright.
  /  /1865Castle Douglas and Dumfries RailwayGlasgow and South Western Railway
Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway absorbed by Glasgow and South Western Railway. Running powers were granted to the Caledonian Railway giving access to the Portpatrick Railway.
06/04/1877Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Fixed rates arranged for the carriage of granite from Craignair Quarries from Dalbeattie to Glasgow and Carlisle.
  /  /1894Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Buittle station closed on doubling of line between Dalbeattie and Castle Douglas.
  /  /1965Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Troop trains for Northern Ireland make use of the line. These ran from Woodburn to Stranraer Harbour.
14/06/1965Portpatrick Railway Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Challoch Junction (excluded) to Dumfries (excluded) closed to passengers. Glenluce, Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart, Creetown, Gatehouse of Fleet, New Galloway, Parton and Crossmichael closed. Challoch Junction to Maxwelltown Factory Siding (excluded) closed to all traffic. On the surviving part of the line Castle Kennedy and Dunragit stations closed.
  /  /1967Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Track lifting begins.
  /  /1968Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Track lifting completed.
  /  /1990Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway
Dumfries to Cargenbridge closed. The line was left in place except for sidings at Cargenbridge.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

This junction is just to the north of Dumfries station and the Edinburgh Road Bridge.
...

More details

See also
Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway
Descending the ramp to join Nunholme Road from the eastern end of the Mawelltown Railway Path in September 2009 (see 71016). On the other side of ...
John Furnevel 01/09/2009
Novel little sign in Dumfries in the shadow of the closed Maxwelltown branch (formerly the Port Road) off the Nith Line. Tom Train refers to a certain ...
Brian Smith 18/03/2016
EWS 66235 passing Maxwelltown Goods Junction on the northern approach to Dumfries in April 2006 with a coal train from Killoch bound for Drax power ...
John Furnevel 17/04/2006
View from a passing train, on 31st August 1985, showing the former 'Port Road' to Stranraer diverging from the GWSR main line north of Dumfries. By ...
Bill Roberton 31/08/1985
4 of 9 images. more


This junction was at the north end of Dumfries station and was formed between the 1859 Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway and the 1863 Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway. To reach the D&CDR the DL&LR crossed the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway (Glasgow and South Western Railway main line) on the level.
...

More details

See also
Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway
Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway
Corkerhill based Jubilee 45621 Northern Rhodesia heading home after leaving Dumfries on Saturday 15 July 1961 with a down Leeds relief. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/07/1961
Black 5 44675 approaching Dumfries on 16 July 1961 with a St Enoch - Carlisle semi-fast. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 16/07/1961
Jubilee 45710 Irresistible of Newton Heath shed takes a Saturday Manchester - Glasgow train north away from the Dumfries stop on 15 July 1961. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/07/1961
Weekend PW activity taking place at the north end of Dumfries on 15 July 1956. Passing the works slowly on the right is Corkerhill Jubilee 4-6-0 no ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/07/1956
4 of 7 images. more


This is an eleven arch double track viaduct; five of 30ft at the east end and six over the river of 50ft at the west end.
...

More details
'Jumbo' 57349 crossing the Nith with a Dumfries - Kirkcudbright train in the summer of 1956. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 16/07/1956
Plaque commemorating the opening of the Queen of the South viaduct, Dumfries, as a footpath/cycleway in July 2008. ...
Brian Smith 27/02/2009
High water on the Nith at Dumfries looking north in September 2009 following a period of heavy rain which resulted in local flooding. In the ...
John Furnevel 01/09/2009
Walking the dogs - Dumfries 2006. The arched bridge across the Nith carried the line to Castle Douglas (1859) and later on to Stranraer. Beyond it is ...
John Furnevel 17/04/2006
4 of 4 images.




This was a two platform station to the west of Dumfries. The main station building, of two storeys, was on the northbound (Dumfries bound) platform with a large shelter on the opposite platform. There was no footbridge, there being a road bridge at the north end.
...

More details
Road approach to the former Maxwelltown station in 2017. The station, now a private residence, closed to passengers in 1939. The old station yard off ...
Ross Wilson 26/05/2017
The Port Road looking west through Maxwelltown towards Stranraer in May 2003, with the line having reverted to nature. Part of the fuel distribution ...
John Furnevel 27/05/2003
View east from Terregles Road, Maxwelltown, looking towards Dumfries on 29 May 2007, following conversion of the old trackbed into what has now become ...
John Furnevel 29/05/2007
View west over the site of the former Maxwelltown station on 29 May 2007. Part of the old up platform supports a garden fence with the refurbished ...
John Furnevel 29/05/2007
4 of 13 images. more




This is a disused double track eight arch masonry viaduct south of the former Maxwelltown station and just north of the former Maxwelltown Factory Siding. Also known as Cargenbridge Viaduct. The viaduct is 276 ft overall and 47 ft high.
...

More details
KEEP OUT - DANGEROUS STRUCTURE. So reads the BRB(R) warning sign attached to the fenced off piers of Garroch Viaduct, located two miles west of ...
John Furnevel 29/05/2007
One of the supporting pillars of Garroch viaduct, approximately half a mile west of Maxwelltown on the former Port Road between Dumfries and ...
John Furnevel 30/05/2007
About a mile west of the former Maxwelltown Station is Garroch viaduct. It is closed off and appears to be blocked by an industrial area on the far ...
John Gray 10/04/2010
View west at Garroch Viaduct towards Castle Douglas on 16 March 2010. The viaduct marks the end of the 'Maxwelltown Railway Path', a tarmac surfaced ...
Ken Strachan 16/03/2010
4 of 7 images. more


This was a siding for a Second World War munitions factory opened by the Ministry of supply in 1940. The siding made a trailing connection to the line west of Maxwelltown station and was approached by reversal from the west. The works, known as MoS Drungans (Dumfries), produced guncotton. This was converted to triple-base cordite at MoS Dalbeattie (Southwick Ammunition Factory) and into ...

More details
The 'Doon Hamer' railtour, with a misleading 'Ardeer' displaying, at Cargenbridge Siding in a view looking to Dumfries. The line formerly continued ...
Roger Geach Collection 23/08/1975
1 of 1 images.


This is a fine eighteen arch double track masonry viaduct on a curve. It is 1011 ft long overall and 92 ft high.
...

More details
Goldielea Viaduct viewed from the south. ...
Ewan Crawford //2004
1 of 1 images.


This was a two platform station with the east end located in a cutting on the approach to an overbridge. The main station building was on the westbound platform and there was a goods yard at the west end, south of the line, approached from the west.
...

More details
Looking west over the former Lochanhead station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
1 of 1 images.


This was a two platform station to the south of a level crossing. The main station building was on the westbound platform. There was a goods yard on the east side, approached from the south.
...

More details
The hamlet of Killywhan lies approximately 7 miles south west of Dumfries on the old Port Road to Stranraer. Since closure in 1959 the site has been ...
John Furnevel 09/11/2005
Looking south across fields towards the former Killywhan station in November 2005. The station building has been refurbished and extended since ...
John Furnevel 09/11/2005
The hamlet of Killywhan, between Dalbeattie and Dumfries, photographed looking east in the autumn of 2009. The old station survives here as converted ...
John Furnevel 01/09/2009
The closed Killywhan station viewed from the east. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 6 images. more




This was a two platform station. The goods yard was on the east side, approached from the north, or by reversal from a spur from the south. The main station building was on the westbound platform.
...

More details
The former station at Kirkgunzeon (1859 - 1950) on the old Port Road, 10 miles west of Dumfries. Photograph taken in September 2009 looking south, ...
John Furnevel 01/09/2009
The former Kirkgunzeon station, ten miles west of Dumfries, looking northwest in November 2005. The trackbed is to the right. ...
John Furnevel 09/11/2005
A cold and frosty November morning at Kirkgunzeon, between Dumfries and Dalbeattie, in 2005. View is south east, with part of the platform still ...
John Furnevel 09/11/2005
Black 5 45163 passing Kirkgunzeon on 16 July 1956 with the down 'Midday Paddy'. [Ref query 263] ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 16/07/1956
4 of 8 images. more


This was a two platform station. The main station building was on the westbound platform and there was a short siding at the west end, approached from the west.
...

More details
Southwick station viewed from the east. ...
Ewan Crawford //
1 of 1 images.




The right bridge is the closed mainline from Dumfries to Stranraer and the left line is part of the internal railway network at Southwick depot. View ...
Ewan Crawford //2004
1 of 1 images.




This was a two platform station in the north of Dalbeattie. It had a stone station building on the westbound platform and timber one on the eastbound.
...

More details
Standard 2-6-4T 80117 pauses at Dalbeattie with a Dumfries- Kirkcudbright service. ...
Brian Haslehust 24/04/1965
General view through Dalbeattie station on Saturday 14 July 1956, looking east towards Dumfries. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 14/07/1956
The cut-back remains of Dalbeattie station looking north west from Station Road in the spring of 2007. View over part of the large goods yard once ...
John Furnevel 29/05/2007
Remains at Dalbeattie in May 2007 looking east towards Dumfries. Up ahead Station Road has been extended since closure and now runs through the ...
John Furnevel 29/05/2007
4 of 14 images. more


The original single track timber viaduct was replaced with a girder bridge in 1886. The replacement was built to allow a second track and the line was doubled in 1894.
...

More details
Jubilee 45724 Warspite photographed just west of Dalbeattie heading for Dumfries with the up midday 'Paddy' on 16 July 1956. The train ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 16/07/1956
The River Urr flows south through Kirkcudbrightshire towards the Solway Firth a mile west of Dalbeattie on 1 September 2009. Trains on the former ...
John Furnevel 01/09/2009
Surviving columns of the Urr Viaduct on the former Dumfries - Stranraer line stand alongside the River Urr just to the west of Dalbeattie in May 2002. ...
John Furnevel 31/05/2002
3 of 3 images.




This station was also known as Buittle Mill, Buittle Halt and Buittle Mill Halt. It opened shortly after the line. It had a station building on a single platform and a siding. Services were limited calling on Wednesdays only with one train each way.
...

More details
The SLS/BLS Scottish Rambler No 2 has just passed through the site of Buittle station (1859-1894), heading west, behind Jubilee 45588 Kashmir. ...
John Robin 15/04/1963
1 of 1 images.




This was a two platform station in the north of Castle Douglas.
...

More details

See also
Kirkcudbright Railway
Portpatrick Railway
Time for a blether with the crew of Standard tank 80117, before it sets off from Castle Douglas with a Dumfries to Kirkcudbright service. ...
Brian Haslehust 24/04/1965
A Standard 2-6-4 tank waits at Castle Douglas with a service for Kirkcudbright in June 1964. ...
Brian Haslehust 22/06/1964
Standard 2-6-4T 80117 at Castle Douglas with a Dumfries to Kirkcudbright service in April 1965. ...
Brian Haslehust 24/04/1965
Looking west over the former junction between the Portpatrick Railway and the Kirkcudbright Railway. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 31 images. more