Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)

Introduction

This line is closed. It was intended to serve a number of mines in the Dolphinton area but these closed around the time the line opened. It was also an attempt to block an approach of the North British Railway from the east.






Dates

  /  /1863Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Act passed for a branch from Carstairs to Dolphinton [CR].
  /  /1863Caledonian Railway
Approval for the Strawfrank Junction to Dolphinton Junction curve. The curve is required as the Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway) will sever the Lampits Junction to Float Junction curve allowing direct running to Edinburgh Princes Street from the south, rather than reversal at Carstairs.
01/03/1867Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Carstairs to Dolphinton [CR] opened.
10/11/1868Scottish Central Railway
Decision taken to move the locomotive shed at Dunblane Shed to Dolphinton [CR] on the Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway). The Kinbuck banking engine and Callander [1st] engines operated from Stirling after 1865.
  /  /1896Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Turntable provided at Dolphinton [CR] to the west of the station, there may also have been a locomotive shed.
  /  /1906Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Locomotive shed at Dolphinton [CR].
31/12/1915Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Dolphinton [CR] shed closed.
  /05/1933Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Dolphinton [CR] shed removed.
04/06/1945Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Dolphinton [CR] to Carstairs (Dolphinton Junction) closed to passengers.
01/11/1950Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Dolphinton [CR] to Carstairs (Dolphinton Junction) closed to freight.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

The 1867 Dolphinton [CR] line started from a junction which allowed trains from Carstairs station to join the branch. A box opened with the junction. The Dolphinton branch severed the south to east 1848 curve (out of use from around 1860) and a replacement curve was built from Strawfrank Junction to Dolphinton Junction in 1872. It joined the Edinburgh line at Sheepfold Junction, this ...

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See also
Caledonian Railway
A new structure seen from the 1012 Edinburgh-Manchester Airport. Preparation for festive engineering works providing for re-sited electrification ...
John Yellowlees 24/12/2021
An Edinburgh-bound Virgin Voyager between Carstairs South and East Junctions on 28 August 2010. Photograped from a Glasgow Central - North Berwick ...
David Panton 28/08/2010
DBS 66037 climbs to Cobbinshaw with 6E28 Dalzell - Tees Yard steel empties at 14.27 on 5 February. ...
Ken Browne 05/02/2011
An east coast service slowly joins the single track east to west curve at Carstairs East Junction (formerly Dolphinton Junction) in 2004. The view ...
Ewan Crawford 22/12/2004
4 of 8 images. more


This was a small station south of Bankhead farm and a mile south of Carnwath at a very rural farmed location. The station had a single, short, platform on the north side of the single track line. There was a goods yard to the north, approached from the east, equipped with a single siding with a loop.
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Looking east to the former Bankhead station in a 2004 view. ...
Ewan Crawford 22/12/2004
Looking south along the B7016 (Biggar Road) past the abutments of the former railway bridge carrying the CR Dolphinton branch into Bankhead Station ...
Bill Roberton 03/10/2017
Looking south over the former Bankhead station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
3 of 3 images.


This was a single platform station south of the village of Newbigging. The platform was on the north (village) side of the single platform with a goods yard to the north, approached from the west. To the east of the station the line crossed over A721, the platform close to the bridge. The station building was small. To the north, at the road entry to the station yard, were two joined railway ...

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Not much remains of the former Newbigging station, except a railway cottage and this loading bank. ...
Ewan Crawford 22/12/2005
Looking west along the trackbed at Newbigging. ...
Ewan Crawford //
2 of 2 images.


A siding north east of Newbigging. Accessed from the south west, this was on the south side of the line.
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A view east at the site of Todholes Siding on the Caledonian Railway's Dolphinton Branch. The siding was on the right here, approached from behind the ...
Ewan Crawford 22/12/2004
1 of 1 images.


This milk platform was just to the south of Westhall Farm. It was located between Newbigging [Lanarkshire] (to the west) and Dunsyre.
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Remarkably well preserved ballast on the Caledonian's Dolphinton branch just west of the Westhall Milk Platform in a view looking east to the site of ...
Ewan Crawford 22/12/2004
1 of 1 images.


This was a small station in the village of Dunsyre, just south of Dunsyre Mains.
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Dunsyre station platform seen in a 2004 view looking east. ...
Ewan Crawford 22/04/2004
View looking east along trackbed at Dunsyre. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Railway remains at Dunsyre on the Dolphinton branch. View is south from the village in May 2007. The station, which closed in 1945, was located off to ...
John Furnevel 24/05/2007
3 of 3 images.




This was the terminus of the single track line from Carstairs, built to the west of the A702 which separated it from Dolphinton [NB], the terminus of the line from Leadburn. The village of Dolphinton is about two thirds of a mile south.
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What I believe to be Dolphinton (CR) facing east towards Broomlee. ...
Clive Barlow 26/05/2006
Looking south at Dolphinton (CR) station building and platform. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Looking west over Dolphinton (CR) station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
What I believe to be Dolphinton (CR) facing west towards Dunsyre. ...
Clive Barlow 26/05/2006
4 of 10 images. more