Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway

Introduction

This early railway is mostly closed. It was largely a coal railway, a canal feeder, connecting collieries and iron works in the Monklands north west to the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirktintilloch Basin. Of the roughly 10 mile length, only portions of the line remain in use (as part of the West Coast Main Line) from Garnqueen South Junction to Gartsherrie East Junction, from near Sunnyside Junction to Greenside Junction (part of the Glasgow to Airdrie line),and from Sunnyside Junction to Whifflet (a diversionary route). Much of the rest of the route is now a footpath and cyclepath. For much of its length, in the north particularly, it followed a similar course to a major canal feeder for the Forth and Clyde Canal. The Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway was the first in Britain to have the right to operate locomotives in its Act of Parliament.

Why built

This railway connected the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Monklands district and in particular its coal mines. Coal bound for Edinburgh via the Union Canal came to the canal at Kirkintilloch Basin. Coal for Glasgow might preferentially use the Monkland Canal or, later, the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway.

The line was surveyed in 1823, Act 1824 and opened 1826.

Engineers Thomas Granger (survey) and John Miller. Contractor Thomas Grainger, Charles McCaul from Gartsherrie to Palacecraig and the Kipps Branch. Rails from the Bedlington Iron Company. Gauge 4ft 6in.

In 1831, Murdoch Aitken & Co's Hill Street Foundry provided locomotives for the line, replacing horses, as the traffic increased not long after opening.

The line was single track, almost entirely doubled 1839 to 1840. A deviations at Gartsherrie (Hornock) was carried out by William Baird and Co to allow enlargement of their Gartsherrie Iron Works in the 1860s. Coatbridge Sunnyside is on this deviation, the Hornock Deviation (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway).






Dates

  /  /1823Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Survey by Thomas Grainger.
17/05/1824Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Act receives Royal assent. Engineer : Thomas Grainger and John Miller Contractors : Thomas Grainger and Charles McCaul. Line gauge was 4ft 6in.
  /  /1826Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Gartsherrie [M and K] station opened. (This seems unlikely at this date.)
  /  /1826Calder Waggonway
This waggonway linking the Calder Iron Works and Monkland Canal is replaced by siding from Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway. It is partly retained until the 1860s.
  /10/1826Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Line opened under horse traction as a single track line.
08/07/1828Ballochney Railway
Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
A passenger service from Airdrie to Glasgow advertised (before opening, or when partly opened?). A horse drawn spring-less coach ran over the Ballochney Railway from Airdrie Leaend to Kipps, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway from Kipps to Kirkintilloch Basin and, after connecting with track boats on the Forth and Clyde Canal, passengers reached Glasgow.
  /  /1831Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Locomotives provided by Murdoch, Aitken and Co.
  /  /1831John Watson (Senior)
Sells coal in Kirkintilloch carried there by the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway.
31/05/1831Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Coach service between Kirkintilloch Basin and Leaend ceased. This was due to the opening of the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway in May and the commencing of a through coach service to Leaend from Glasgow Townhead.
01/06/1831Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway
Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Ballochney Railway
Commencement of a service to Airdrie. Coaches for Airdrie Leaend are disconnected from the trains on arrival at Gartgill/Gartsherrie and taken on by horse to Leaend.
  /  /1832Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Weekly services from Carinhill Bridge (Calder Iron Works) and Clarkston [Wester Moffat] (Ballochney Railway) to Gartsherrie introduced. These ran from the summer to late in the year.
  /  /1833Forth and Clyde Canal
Barges fitted with rails introduced to carry railway wagons from the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway.
31/05/1834Wishaw and Coltness Railway Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway
Cleland Branch, Holytown [1st] to Newarthill, opened for minerals. (Not long afterwards a passenger service from Newarthill with the carriage joining Glasgow Townhead trains at Gartsherrie [GGR] was introduced. It ran from Newarthill in the morning and back in the afternoon/evening.)
  /  /1835Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Basin and further sidings opened at Kirkintilloch Basin.
  /  /1837Rosehall Railway
Branch opened to Rosehall Colliery from the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway.
  /  /1837Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
A locomotive erecting works in a workshop by the Ballochney Railway is abandoned, and Mosside Works is opened, on the other side of the railway from the old shed.
  /  /1838Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Workshops established at Mosside Works.
  /  /1838Rosehall Railway (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway)
Leased by Robert Addie and Robert Miller from the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway for 30 years.
  /  /1839Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Carriage service from Kirkintilloch Basin to Gargill/Gartsherrie to connect with Glasgow Townhead to Leaend service commenced.
  /  /1839Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Work to double line commenced.
  /  /1840Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Work to double line completed.
31/08/1840Slamannan Railway Ballochney Railway Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway
Passenger service from Edinburgh to Glasgow introduced by the Slamannan Railway. A trackboat along the Union Canal from Edinburgh to Causewayend Basin was followed by a train from Causewayend [SR] to Arbuckle along the Slamannan Railway. Running powers were then used from Arbuckle to Kipps via the Ballochney Railway, from Kipps to Gartsherrie [GGR] via the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and Gartsherrie to Glasgow Townhead over the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway. (Alternative date 05 August.)
  /  /1841Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Second basin and further sidings opened at Kirkintilloch Basin on the Forth and Clyde Canal.
  /02/1843Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway
Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway extended from Gartsherrie to new Coatbridge [CR], initially a terminus. (This line later extended through to Whifflet South Junction and was used by the Wishaw and Coltness Railway and the Caledonian Railway to avoid the more tortuous Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway route with level crossings through Coatbridge.)
07/10/1844Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Caledonian Railway
Agreement between the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and Caledonian Railway about a connection at Gartsherrie NB Junction (later name) and another at Garnqueen South Junction for the Greenhill branch. The Caledonian would have running powers between the two locations,
26/12/1844Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Carriage service from Kirkintilloch Basin to Gargill to connect with Glasgow to Leaend service ceases.
26/12/1844Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
New Kirkintilloch station opened to exchange with Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway station of same name by the Bothlin Viaduct.
26/12/1844Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Service between new Kirkintilloch station and Airdrie Hallcraig Street commences.
26/12/1844Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway's Horse-drawn service between Kirkintilloch Basin station and new Kirkintilloch station commences.
01/03/1845Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Passenger service from Glasgow Queen Street to Coatbridge [NB] and Airdrie (Commonhead?) begins around this date. This used the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, Garngaber Curve (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway), Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and Ballochney Railway. The Monkland line was upgraded for this service and began to use steam hauled passenger trains. This new service ran in competition with that from Glasgow Townhead over the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway to Coatbridge [CR] with a road coach connection to Airdrie.
29/03/1845Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Ballochney Railway Slamannan Railway
At the instigation of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, Ballochney Railway and Slamannan Railway pool their receipts. The Wishaw and Coltness Railway did not get involved.
14/07/1845Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway
Extended from Coatbridge [CR] to Whifflet South Junction. Whifflet [CR] station opened. The Wishaw and Coltness Railway passenger service to Glasgow Townhead ceases to use the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway to reach Gartsherrie and is diverted via Coatbridge [CR].
31/12/1845Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Ballochney Railway Slamannan Railway
The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway begins to work the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, Ballochney Railway and Slamannan Railway.
  /  /1846Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Formation of line at Howes re-modeled further east at Sunnyside Junction to allow expansion of William Baird & Co's Gartsherrie Iron Works. William Baird & Co was the contractor for the work.
  /  /1846Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Ballochney Railway Slamannan Railway
Bill prepared to merge into the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, Ballochney Railway andSlamannan Railway. The Bill is rejected.
  /  /1846Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Ballochney Railway Slamannan Railway
On failure of merger Bill the E&G ceases to work the older railways.
  /01/1846Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Wishaw and Coltness Railway
Service from Morningside [1st] to Glasgow Townhead is diverted over the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway to reach Glasgow Queen Street.
23/03/1846Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Service between Kirkintilloch Basin and new Kirkintilloch station withdrawn.
27/07/1847Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Converted to standard gauge.
07/08/1848Caledonian Railway
Castlecary Branch (Caledonian Railway) opened from Gartsherrie North Junction to Greenhill Lower Junction to meet the Scottish Central Railway. Short connection from Gartsherrie South Junction to Gartsherrie NB Junction opened. (The route included running power over a short section of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway between Gartsherrie NB Junction and Gartsherrie North Junction.)
14/08/1848Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Ballochney Railway Slamannan Railway Monkland Railways
Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway merges with Ballochney Railway and Slamannan Railway to become Monkland Railways.
  /  /1854Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Caledonian Railway
Agreement between the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and Caledonian Railway regarding running over the M&K between Gartsherrie NB Junction (later name) and Garnqueen South Junction for the Greenhill branch.
  /  /1868Rosehall Railway (connecting with the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway)
Expiry of lease by Robert Addie and Robert Miller.
01/02/1871Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Coatbridge Sunnyside opened on re-aligned western part of the Kipps branch.
26/10/1871Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Coatbridge station opened.
26/10/1871Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Whifflet [NB] station opened.
26/10/1871Coatbridge Branch (North British Railway) Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Whifflet [NB] to College passenger service starts.
  /  /1872Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
New alignment opens with a bridge which takes the line over Monkland Canal, West Canal Street and Bank Street in central Coatbridge. The junction with the Sheepford Branch (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway) is taken out and a new alignment laid in to the south which crossed the Dundyvan Basin canal branch.
  /  /1872Whitelaw Fountain
In memory of Alexander Whitelaw, partner in William Baird & Co, who organised the raising of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway onto a bridge in 1847, rather than crossing the road over the Monkland Canal in Coatbridge with a level crossing.
07/10/1875Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Agreement over tolls for use by the Caledonian Railway of the section between Gartsherrie NB Junction and Gartsherrie North Junction.
02/06/1885Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
The Caledonian Railway is granted running powers to Coatbridge Tinplate Works from Whifflet South Junction.
  /  /1888Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Coatbridge Sunnyside opened.
  /  /1890Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
537 men employed at Mosside Works.
  /  /1905Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Branch to Bedlay Colliery opened - although a tramway occupied most of the route previously.
30/12/1907Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Caledonian Railway
Agreement between the North British Railway and the Caledonian Railway granting running powers in perpetuity between Gartsherrie NB Junction and Garnqueen South Junction.
01/05/1930Monkland and Kirkintilloch RailwayBallochney Railway Slamannan Railway Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway
Coatbridge (Greenside Junction) (excluded) to Manuel Low Level (excluded) closed to passengers. Commonhead, Rawyards, Airdrie Hallcraig Street, Whiterigg stations on the Ballochney Railway closed. Longriggend, Slamannan, Avonbridge, Blackston Junction, Bowhouse, Causewayend [MR] [2nd] closed.
10/09/1930Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Coatbridge Central [NB] station closed.
22/09/1930Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Whifflet [NB] station closed.
28/10/1940Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Gartsherrie station closed.
10/09/1951Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Passenger trains running from Sunnyside Junction to Whifflet South Junction through Coatbridge Central [NB] for the Bothwell [North British] service cease to run - last regular passenger service over this section of line.
  /  /1954Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Rosehall Branch (the Rosehall Railway) from Whifflet South Junction (excluded) closed.
  /  /1955Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Line from Whifflet South Junction (excluded) to Palacecraig Colliery closed.
08/01/1956Glasgow City and District Railway Coatbridge Branch (North British Railway) Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway New Monkland Line (Monkland Railways) Boghead to Cowdenhead Branch (Monkland Railways) Torbanehill and Bathgate Branch (Monkland Railways) Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Last regular Glasgow Queen Street Low Level to Edinburgh Waverley via Shettleston, Coatbridge Sunnyside and Bathgate Upper service runs.
  /  /1971Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Gartsherrie East Junction closed, line between here and the north end of Gunnie Yard lifted.
18/08/1971Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Ballochney Railway
Kipps Junction to Greenside Junction (excluded) closed.
11/12/1981Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Bedlay Colliery closed, along with railway to the colliery - the Bedlay Colliery (William Baird & Co) line and the M&K from by Bedlay south to Garnqueen South Junction closed.
  /  /1984Monkland and Kirkintilloch RailwayBallochney Railway
Area around the former Kipps Junction landscaped and remains of the railways and Northburn Steel Works removed.
24/01/1984Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Sheepford Branch (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway) to Sheepford Goods closed.
11/12/1994Glasgow Central Railway
The River Kelvin bursts its banks and floods the disused tunnels from Kelvin Bridge to Stobcross, where it floods the open Argyle Line railway. (Alternative date 9th.) The route through Glasgow Central Low Level is closed between Partick and Rutherglen and trains are diverted onto the Sunnyside Junction to Whifflet section of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway for access to Motherwell. This remains in operation for around nine months. Units 314208 and 314212 are trapped in the floodwater at Glasgow Central where the water reached half way up the sides of the carriages.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Kirkintilloch to Cairnhill

Goods and (briefly) passenger line from Kirkintilloch Basin to Cairnhill Bridge.

This was the northern terminus of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway at 90 degrees to the Forth and Clyde Canal. It was a goods depot and briefly a passenger station. It was located in the west of Kirkintilloch. Also known as Middlemuir Basin.
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The site of Kirkintilloch Basin in 2001 looking north from very roughly the location where the sidings fanned out. The canal runs left to right in the ...
Ewan Crawford //2001
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This foundry was established on the south bank of the Forth and Clyde Canal in 1861/2 by Alexander Smith, formerly of the Sun Foundry [Glasgow]. It was separated from the Canal Bank by Southbank Road.
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This sign was mounted on the railway boundary wall south of the level crossing over Lenzie Road in Kirkintilloch, an oblique crossing a little south ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
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Also known as Woodleys Junction. This was the junction between the 1826 Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and a 1848 spur from Middlemuir Junction on the [[Campsie Branch (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway). The lines meeting here were single track. Originally the line from Middlemuir Junction was double, dropping to single immediately before the junction.
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Campsie Branch (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)
Woodley Junction looking north. Left; line to Kirkintilloch Basin. Right; line to Middlemuir Junction on the Campsie Branch. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
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This was the junction between the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the curve up to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway's at Garngaber High Junction. The line dropped quite steeply from the high junction down to the older line and had a fairly tight curve to negotiate before running parallel for a little way to reach the junction.
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Garngaber Curve (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway)
This was the original Garngaber Low Junction looking north. The trackbed to the left was an M&K built curve 'the bull's horns' which led to Garngaber ...
Ewan Crawford //1997
A DMU crosses the E&G viaduct over the M&K trackbed at Garngaber. ...
Ewan Crawford //
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This siding was at Muckcroft Level Crossing, east of the crossing and on the south side, approached from the east. ...

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Garngaber Curve (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway)


The line from Garnqueen divided into three here. Going to the north west, the original M&K route, two single track lines ran in parallel, giving the appearance of a double track line. The western track ran to Garngaber High Junction, the eastern to Woodley Junction. A newer route to Waterside Junction ran to the north. This later route was a conventional double track.
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Garngaber Curve (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway)
Waterside Junction to Bridgend Junction (North British Railway)
Looking north at the junction between the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and a short spur which connected it to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway ...
Ewan Crawford //
View south at Bridgend Junction in 1997 seen from the site of the signalbox. Here the M&K (right) met the North British's 1895 connection to the E&G ...
Ewan Crawford //1997
Monkland & Kirkintilloch Railway bridge under Muckcroft Road N of Bridgend Junction c. 1980. ...
Alistair MacKenzie //1980
3 of 3 images.




This station was located at Bridgend in the north west of present day Moodiesburn, which did not exist when the station was open. It was north of Chryston, by which name the goods station was known some time after 1900.
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View south from Bridgend Level Crossing in 1997 looking towards Chryston (note distinctive church). There had been a passenger station hereabouts, ...
Ewan Crawford 03/05/1997
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This was a tunnel under the Cumbernauld turnpike road with a clearance of 9ft over the rails. The tunnel might also be referred to as Bedlay, Chryston or Moodiesburn. Bedlay House was just to the west, Chryston beyond, and Moodiesburn to the east.
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Chryston Tunnel Bridge, named for a former tunnel which was opened out, carried Cumbernauld Road over the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway. It was ...
Ewan Crawford 03/05/1997
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This signal box opened in 1895. It was located at the level crossing south of Avenuehead. The box was on the east side of the crossing, south of the line. The line here was double track. It was reduced to a gate box in 1909. This section of line, Garngaber Low Junction to Bedlay Junction, closed in 1965.
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This was the junction for 1905 Bedlay Colliery opened on the 1826 Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway. The colliery line was single track and approached from the west. The M&K was double track by the opening of the colliery. A signal box opened in 1909 in the 'V' of the junction. A little to the east on the colliery branch was an exchange yard. There was a quarry siding ([[Drumcavel Rock ...

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Bedlay Colliery (William Baird & Co)
SC51467 has arrived at Bedlay signal box (closed 1967) on 18 October 1969 as part of a Rail Society of Scotland tour. The ash path across the lines ...
Colin Kirkwood 18/10/1969
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This short lived station was opened by the Monkland Railways company on the former Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, a line which was chiefly concerned with mineral traffic, not passengers.
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Looking north along the former course of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway at Garnqueen in 1997. Rails were still embedded in the roadway, ...
Ewan Crawford 03/05/1997
Line seen at Glenboig running north to Bedlay from a Cumbernauld-Glasgow DMU passing on the Hayhill Branch of the Caledonian. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
Looking north west along the trackbed of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch railway at Glenboig on 9 March 2010. See image 3013 in Notes & Queries ...
John Robin 09/03/2010
An EE Type 1 with a Bedlay Colliery - Ravenscraig coal train, thought to have been photographed in the late 1970s. The train is running south from ...
Alastair McLellan //
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The 1826 Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway was met here by the 1848 Caledonian Railway. The Caledonian used the M&K route to reach Garnqueen East Junction to the south, so a short portion of the main line was one of the earliest railways belonged to the North British. There were restrictions on the NB for their use of this section of their line to avoid the blocking of expresses by ...

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Caledonian Railway
A 20 with a loaded coal train heads south at Garnqueen South Junction in the 1980s. The works in the background is the Gartliston Fire Clay Works, a ...
Alastair McLellan //
Garnqueen South Junction looking south towards Coatbridge. This view was taken over a fence looking to the former junction site in 1987. The signalbox ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
A 1980s view of Garnqueen South signal box in its original location before re-erection at Bo'ness. A train is making an exit from the Bedlay branch, ...
Alastair McLellan //
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This brick works was opened by P&M Hurll, who also owned the nearby Garnqueen Brick Works. They also came to own the Birkhill Fireclay Mine and brick works in Drumchapel.
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The mostly demolished site of the Gartliston Fire Clay Brick Works in a view looking south west in 2001. The short portion of the Monkland and ...
Ewan Crawford //2001
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This level crossing is north of Coatbridge. Gartgill Road crosses the double track railway here on a section of line which is now a double track main line but started life as a portion of the Monkland and Kirktintilloch Railway, largely a coal railway, of 1826.
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A short section of the West Coast Mainline belonged to the North British. Looking north from Heatherbell Level Crossing to Garnqueen South Junction. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
68004 passing over Heatherbell level crossing with the Edinburgh Waverley to Motherwell empty coaching movement on the morning of 15/12/16. ...
Alastair McLellan 15/12/2016
A short section of the West Coast Mainline belonged to the North British. Looking south from Heatherbell Level Crossing to Gartsherrie East Junction. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
View north at Heatherbell level crossing between Gartsherrie South and Garnqueen North Junctions on 25 September 2007. Warning klaxons are sounding ...
John Furnevel 25/09/2007
4 of 5 images. more


This former junction was formed between the 1826 Monkland and Kirktintilloch Railway and a short connection made by the 1848 Caledonian Railway which ran south crossing the 1831 Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway on the level en route and meeting its 1843 branch to Coatbridge Central at Garnqueen South Junction.
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Caledonian Railway


This station opened on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway just east of the junction formed with the opening of the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway in 1831.
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Gartsherrie Ironworks and Railways (William Baird & Co)
Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway




This box was at the north end of Gunnie Yard [1st] on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway. It was on the east side of the line just north of where the Gartsherrie Ironworks and Railways crossed overhead. The yard started immediately to the south of the bridge.
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Gartsherrie Ironworks and Railways (William Baird & Co)


The yard consisted of sidings on either side of the former Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway between Gunnie North Signal Box and Gunnie South Signal Box. The yard was largely associated with the local iron works, particularly the Gartsherrie Iron Works.
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This was a large iron works to the north of Coatbridge. It was built by William Baird & Co in 1828. The location was chosen due to the quantity of blackband ironstone, coal and limestone in the area. The works produced forge quality iron which was internationally famous.
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Gartsherrie Ironworks and Railways (William Baird & Co)
Monkland Canal


This was a stopping place for passengers and junction on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway. It was located to the south of Gartsherrie Road, near the junction with Hornock Road, and north of the Gartsherrie branch of the Monkland Canal. It was more or less where the later opened line west to Glasgow High Street was built.
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This basin is today a tranquil location on the former Gartsherrie Branch of the Monkland Canal. It was formerly a transshipment point between the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the canal, having coal drops on its eastern side served from Howes on the M&K.
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Monkland Canal
An isolated section of the Monkland Canal, adjacent to Summerlee Museum (formerly the Summerlee Iron Works on the left in this view), in 2003. The ...
Bill Roberton //2003
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This was a junction on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway controlled by a signal box on the east side of the line.
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Langloan Railway
Sheepford Branch (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway)


68007 on the Caledonian main line between Coatbridge Jct and Whifflet with the morning empty coaching movement from EdinburghWaverley to Motherwell on ...
Alastair McLellan 07/05/2019
With the remains of Dundyvan Basin and the still open Monkland and Kirkintilloch 'mainline' behind, this was the view looking west in 2001 where the ...
Ewan Crawford //2001
2 of 2 images.


This was an island platform station. Parallel to it, and to the west, was Whifflet Lower and to the north, crossing both NBR and CR lines was Whifflet Upper. There was a platform building with a glazed canopy and access was via a footbridge which approached the south end of the platform from the Coatbank Street overbridge which crosses the NBR and CR lines.
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Caledonian 0-6-0 57581 photographed at Whifflet [NB], on its way to Ayrshire with the SLPF 'Covenanter' special on 20th October 1962. ...
Brian Haslehust 20/10/1962
The 'leaf train' on the Whifflet Loop line, passing the site of the former NB station (closed 1930) see image 10348. ...
Alastair McLellan 10/10/2016
Whifflet (N.B.R.) N.B.R. 0.6.2T 69163. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/05/1961
3 of 3 images.




This was the junction from which the 1828 Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway was extended south in 1834 by the Wishaw and Coltness Railway, leaving the route to Palacecraig on a branch. From the same junction the Rosehall Railway ran south to the Rosehall Colliery.
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Wishaw and Coltness Railway
As a result of the flooding which closed the line through Glasgow Central LL between 12/94 and 09/95 services from Lanark were diverted via Queen ...
John Clark //1995
At Whifflet South Junction (in the background) the Gartsherrie North Junction - Coatbridge Central - Whifflet extension of the Garnkirk and Glasgow ...
Bill Roberton //2001
The signal box at Whifflet East Junction, as viewed from Whifflet Street bridge on 7 March 1971, with the RB Tennent works in the background. It ...
Bill Jamieson 07/03/1971
3 of 3 images.


This was a roll foundry making rolls used in the steel industry and other products. It was founded by Robert Tennent in 1857 whose firm was R. B. Tennent & Sons Ltd.
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One of R B Tennant`s Sentinel steam locomotives makes its way between two parts of the foundry. From memory the engine was named Robin and the year ...
John Clark //1972
RB Tennant seen from across the tracks at Whifflet during the demolition of the works in 2001. ...
Bill Roberton //2001
Demolition of the RB Tennent works in 2001. A now disused track of the internal railway system can be seen to the right. ...
Bill Roberton //2001
A forlorn photograph of the entrance to RB Tennents in 2001 during the demolition of the site. ...
Bill Roberton 06/07/2001
4 of 4 images.


To the east was a large yard for the Calder Iron Works on the line to Faskine. The yard was on the original alignment of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, the railway being deviated to the north. The far end of the deviation was at Calder Iron Works Signal Box [NBR].
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Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway
Whifflet Central Junction (NB) looking south. The line to Palacecraig ran off to the left and to Hamilton to the right. The works is now disconnected ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
Looking south at Whifflet over the site of the former works lines. Tennents had a works here, latterly run by Sheffield Forgemasters. Sadly this has ...
Ewan Crawford 26/09/2009
Whifflet Central Junction (NB) looking north. Behind the camera the lines to Palacecraig and Hamilton parted. Tennents works on right. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
The Meadow Works of Sheffield Forgemasters (formerly RB Tennents) seen from the north in 1998. By this date the works' railway was isolated from the ...
Ewan Crawford //1998
4 of 5 images. more




Short lived station to serve the Calder Iron Works. ...

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The original route of the railway passed right through the Calder Iron Works. The deviated line was north of the Calder Iron Works. This signal box was at the point where the deviation (over the Dixon Cut of the Monkland Canal) rejoined the original route at the east end of the deviation. The box was at the east end of double track and on the north side of line. The west end of the ...

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Kipps Branch

Passenger and goods line from Sunnyside Junction to Kippsbyre Colliery.

This was a stopping place for passengers and junction on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway. It was located to the south of Gartsherrie Road, near the junction with Hornock Road, and north of the Gartsherrie branch of the Monkland Canal. It was more or less where the later opened line west to Glasgow High Street was built.
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This was a double track junction east of Coatbridge Sunnyside. It was formed between the Kipps branch of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the later New Monkland Line (Monkland Railways).
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New Monkland Line (Monkland Railways)
Airdrie and Balloch services pass at the site of Greenside Junction on 4th May 2019.
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Alastair McLellan 04/05/2019
This is the site of Greenside Junction, with the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway turning to the right while the line to the Kipps Shed and the ...
Alastair McLellan 04/05/2019
2 of 2 images.


This works opened by the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway 'opposite' the Greenside Works of the Ballochney Railway between Greenside Junction (west) and Kipps Junction (east). The works was on the south side of the line and approached from the west. It was named for Mosside Farm, to the east. The works carried out maintenance of locomotives and wagons. Locomotives were built ...

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This shed was located to the north side of the Kipps branch of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway just east of Greenside Junction. It was a double ended three road shed approach from both east and west. The site was bounded to the north by the gas works. There was a modern coal bunker at the east end of the site, close to the water tank. The turntable was to the west.
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Caley 0-4-0ST 56029, and NB J83 0-6-0T 68442, are probably frozen solid as they huddle together at Kipps shed on 2 March 1963. Snow is still on the ...
Colin Kirkwood 02/03/1963
The hard winter of 1963 is not yet over, as witnessed by the icicles firmly attached to J88 No 68345, as it shares a siding with Y9 0-4-0 ST No 68104 ...
Colin Kirkwood 02/03/1963
J35 0-6-0 no 64472 stands on Kipps shed, Coatbridge, in September 1961. ...
K A Gray 25/09/1961
Locomotives stabled in the sidings alongside Kipps shed, thought to be in 1960, with J72 0-6-0T no 68733 standing centre stage. Built by Armstrong ...
K A Gray //1960
4 of 15 images. more




This was a junction which grew to serve numerous lines and yards.
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North Monkland Railway
Ballochney Railway


This was a marshalling yard of around 17 single ended sidings east of Kipps Junction. It was located on the south side of the Ballochney Railway and was approached from the west.
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Ballochney Railway