Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway)

Introduction

This line is open to Passenger traffic and some goods traffic. The line is also known as the Hamilton Circle. The original line, promoted as part of the Clydesdale Junction Railway, ran from Newton to Hamilton. The line was later extended to Ferniegair and Motherwell, (Hamilton was renamed Hamilton West). The line is promoted and supported by the Rail 74 Community Rail Partnership .






Dates

  /  /1847Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Authorisation of a branch from Blantyre to Douglas/Weston. The branch was not built.
17/09/1849Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Hamilton Junction to Hamilton opened. Blantyre opens, an intermediate station. Originally promoted as the Clydesdale Junction Railway.
  /  /1862Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) Hamilton and Strathaven Railway
Authorisation to add further lines at Strathaven Junction.
  /  /1872Hamilton and Strathaven Railway
Blantyre curve authorised. This will link Blantyre Junction [CR] on the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) to Auchinraith Junction on the Hamilton and Strathaven Railway. The curve was not built at this time and would be re-authorised in 1878.
  /  /1872Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) Hamilton and Strathaven Railway
Authorisation to add further lines at Strathaven Junction, the Strathaven Junction Yard.
  /  /1878Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Authorisation to build the Blantyre West Curve and deviate the Hamilton branch to the north east of its original alignment between Blantyre station and Craighead Junction. This accommodated the Blantyre West Curve - Blantyre Junction [CR] on the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) to Auchinraith Junction on the Hamilton and Strathaven Railway curve. This was first authorised in 1872 and opened in 1882. The curve at either end of the deviation remains today.
01/05/1882Hamilton and Strathaven Railway
Blantyre curve opened from Blantyre Junction [CR] on the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) to Auchinraith Junction on the Hamilton and Strathaven Railway.
  /  /1959Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Four lines for DMU servicing prepared at Hamilton Shed.
  /05/1974Lesmahagow Railway Hamilton to Ferniegair (Caledonian Railway) Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
The Hamilton Circle is electrified from Motherwell to Newton.
29/08/2000Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Class 303 on fire at Blantyre station, passengers escape unhurt.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Newton to Hamilton

The main part of the line, still open, runs from Newton station to Hamilton West.

This is a two platform station. The location was formerly a four platform station, the two northern tracks no longer have platforms and allow non-stop trains to bypass the station.
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See also
Clydesdale Junction Railway
Glasgow Central Railway
As 320310 departs towards Glasgow via Rutherglen, 318269 and 318255 depart for a trip around the Hamilton Circle on 10 January 2019. ...
John McIntyre 10/01/2019
Late running meant a quick turnaround for 314210 and I barely had time to get into position for this shot before it pulled out back to Glasgow Central ...
David Panton 11/12/2019
A pair of Class 318s leave Newton heading to Motherwell via Hamilton on the afternoon of 10 January 2019. ...
John McIntyre 10/01/2019
A Larkhall to Dalmuir service at Newton on 8 September 2018. The long-disused signal box seems destined to lower over the western end of the station ...
David Panton 08/09/2018
4 of 37 images. more


This junction is immediately east of Newton station. Here the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) separates from the Clydesdale Junction Railway and heads south east to Hamilton. Both lines opened in 1849.
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Clydesdale Junction Railway


This signal box was on the 1849 Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) just south east of Hamilton Junction. Loops and sidings here served the eastern approach to the 1871 Hallside Steel Works and a mineral line ran south to Hallside Colliery.
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This signal box was for the former mineral line south to Bardykes Colliery at Spittal Farm. The approach was from the north west, the line making a trailing connection opposite the box on the north side of the line.
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This was the junction for the Bothwell Castle Colliery Pits Nos 3 and 4. The colliery was on the east side of the line.
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This is a two platform station. It was opened on the Hamilton branch of the Caledonian Railway. There is a station building on the Glasgow bound platform and a car park.
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A Larkhall service at Blantyre on 8 September 2018. ...
David Panton 08/09/2018
A Milngavie service enters Blantyre on 8 September 2018. Meanwhile a customer on the platform tries out a new hairstyle. ...
David Panton 08/09/2018
An early afternoon service to Larkhall, formed by unit 334026, calls at Blantyre platform 2 on 18 August 2006. At this time both the station and the ...
John Furnevel 18/08/2006
318 262 calls at Blantyre on 26 March with a service for Larkhall.
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David Panton 26/03/2011
4 of 13 images. more


This junction was directly south of Blantyre station. It was between the 1849 Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) and a curve opened in 1882 to allow coal trains from the 1860 Hamilton and Strathaven Railway direct access to Glasgow without reversal at Strathaven Junction. The far end of the curve was at Auchinraith Junction (also spelled Auchenraith).
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See also
Hamilton and Strathaven Railway


This was not a junction in the strictest sense of two lines meeting, but the northern end of the large Strathaven Junction Yard.
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Looking south to Hamilton as Black V passes with goods. NB line to Hamilton tunnelled under this yard. ...
John Robin 02/07/1963
1 of 1 images.




In 1860 the first part of the Hamilton and Strathaven Railway opened, climbing from the 1849 Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) to the higher ground to the west at High Blantyre and then turn south, ultimately reaching Strathaven [Flemington]. In particular this line would, for its northern portion between Hamilton and Quarter, serve many collieries en route.
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Hamilton and Strathaven Railway




Earnock Sidings looking south from a passing train. A workshop exists here for wagon maintenance. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Looking south at the Earnock Sidings, Hamilton. ...
Ewan Crawford //
The Royal Scotsman stock arrived here at the E. G. Steele works on the 10th of March 2019. Don't know if there were repairs to be done or if it's to ...
Bill Roberton /05/1993
3 of 3 images.


This junction was north of Hamilton West station. A minimal version still exists today to give access to the Earnock Sidings of E.G. Steele, a wagon repair works. It formerly gave access to Hamilton Shed and mineral lines.
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This single ended twelve road shed was located on the west side of the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) just north of Hamilton West.
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This is a two platform station with a car park on its west side and entrance from Clydesdale Street, to the south.
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Hamilton to Ferniegair (Caledonian Railway)
A 6 car 318 EMU on a Cumbernauld - Dalmuir service leaves platform 1 on a sunny January morning. ...
Colin McDonald 27/01/2017
A Dalmuir to Cumbernauld service calls at Hamilton West on 22 June 2019. Nobody in their right mind would travel from Glasgow to Cumbernauld this way. ...
David Panton 22/06/2019
334013 on a Dalmuir - Larkhall service draws in to platform 2 on a cold but sunny January morning ...
Colin McDonald 27/01/2017
A Larkhall - Dalmuir train boarding at Hamilton West in August 2006. SPT liveried EMU 318260. ...
John Furnevel 01/08/2006
4 of 11 images. more





Newton Goods Lines

South of Newton station was a goods loop, opened in 1871, serving Hallside Steel Works and several collieries. These lines are now lifted.

Newton West Junction is to the west of Newton station. It is where lines divide into the bypass lines, to the north, and platform lines, to the south. The platform lines are joined by the line from Kirkhill, to the south west, as they approach the station. This location is called Newton Kirkhill Junction although it used to come under Newton West Junction.
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See also
Clydesdale Junction Railway
Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
The 1049 Newton - Glasgow Central passes under the now reopened Old Mill Road bridge across the WCML at Cambuslang on 10th December 2015. see image ...
Colin McDonald 10/12/2015
Fossil fuel express changing the climate locally on 10th December 2015. ...
Colin McDonald 10/12/2015
The 1440 Glasgow Central - Euston Pendolino passes under the partly constructed Old Mill Road bridge across the WCML at Cambuslang on 28th August ...
Colin McDonald 28/08/2015
Contractors at work on 5 February 2015 sealing off the overbridge which carries Old Mill Road across both the West Coast main line and the Kirkhill ...
Colin McDonald 05/02/2015
4 of 5 images. more


To the immediate west of Newton the former Clydesdale Junction Railway and Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway part and run a short distance west before diverging.
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Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway


This steel works was to the south of Newton station. It was served by a goods loop which was added to the station's south, approach to the works being from the west. The works was opened by the Steel Company of Scotland, thus the original name of Newton West Junction: Steel Company of Scotland Works Junction.
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This junction is immediately east of Newton station. Here the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) separates from the Clydesdale Junction Railway and heads south east to Hamilton. Both lines opened in 1849.
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See also
Clydesdale Junction Railway





Earnock Colliery

A substantial branch ran from the Earnock Sidings to Earnock Colliery.

Earnock Sidings looking south from a passing train. A workshop exists here for wagon maintenance. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Looking south at the Earnock Sidings, Hamilton. ...
Ewan Crawford //
The Royal Scotsman stock arrived here at the E. G. Steele works on the 10th of March 2019. Don't know if there were repairs to be done or if it's to ...
Bill Roberton /05/1993
3 of 3 images.







Craighead and Strathaven Junction Yards

A series of large yards were located on the north side of the branch between Craighead Junction and Hamilton West. The yards were associated with the considerable coal industry in the area and flow of coal from the Coalburn Branch (Caledonian Railway).

This was not a junction in the strictest sense of two lines meeting, but the northern end of the large Strathaven Junction Yard.
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Looking south to Hamilton as Black V passes with goods. NB line to Hamilton tunnelled under this yard. ...
John Robin 02/07/1963
1 of 1 images.






This was a large marshalling yard to the north of Hamilton West. The yard was largely involved with the heavy coal traffic of Lanarkshire and developed alongside Strathaven Junction, expanding and reducing as demand required. Coal marshalled here was dispatched to Coatbridge, Motherwell and Glasgow. It is also known as Strathaven Junction North Yard and Hamilton Engine Sheds Yard.
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This junction was north of Hamilton West station. A minimal version still exists today to give access to the Earnock Sidings of E.G. Steele, a wagon repair works. It formerly gave access to Hamilton Shed and mineral lines.
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Bothwell Castle Colliery

A short branch served Bothwell Castle Colliery Pits Nos 3 and 4.

This was the junction for the Bothwell Castle Colliery Pits Nos 3 and 4. The colliery was on the east side of the line.
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Also known as Priory Colliery. Opened by William Baird and Company. Reprieved 1951. ...

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