Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)

Introduction

This line ran through an area of hillfarming which also supported a large coalmining industry. Wilsontown itself was the site of one of the first ironworks in Lanarkshire, Wilsontown Iron Works, although by the opening of the railway this had closed and the area given over to mining under the control of William Dixon.





Dates

  /  /1847Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown Branches authorised. (Not built in this form or at this time.) South connecting branch, Ravenstruther to Fauldhouse, connecting branch to Silvermuir, branch to Rigside, Biggar to Broughton branch. Powers were allowed to lapse.
21/07/1859Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Act receives Royal assent.
22/10/1860Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Line opened from Wilsontown Junction [1st] to Wilsontown.
  /  /1865Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown branch extension authorised.
  /  /1866Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown South Junction to Wilsontown West Junction curve opened. Wilsontown Junction [1st] renamed Wilsontown North Junction.
  /  /1866Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Authorisation of the Climpy Branch, an extension of the existing (then goods only) line from Wilsontown. This was as part of the Lanarkshire and Midlothian Branches Act of 1866.
16/01/1866Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown extension opened to Wilsontown for goods.
  /  /1867Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Authorisation for the branch from Lawhead Junction to Lawhead and Cleuch Colliery.
  /  /1867Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Lawhead Junction to Cleuch Colliery branch authorised.
  /  /1867Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown and West Calder Railway authorised. (Not built.)
01/03/1867Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Opened to passengers. The service ran from Auchengray, where a bay platform was added to the existing 1848 station, to Wilsontown, via the south curve.
  /  /1868Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Haywood opened to passengers.
  /  /1869Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Lawhead and Cleuch Colliery branch partly opened. The remainder, although authorised, is not built.
06/01/1869Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Branch extended west from Wilsontown to Climpy Colliery. Extension to Shotts abandoned.
01/02/1869Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Cleuch Colliery branch opened. (Not long after opening the line was cut back in the same year.)
18/07/1871Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Westwoodside and Pool Branch opened for minerals.
  /  /1872Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Pool and Westsidewood Branch authorised. 45 chains of a 2 mile and 28 chains built, remainder abandoned. Initially it was a private branch. Acquired by Caledonian Railway in 18/07/1872.
  /  /1873Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown and West Calder Junction Railway authorised. (Not built.)
  /  /1876Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown and West Calder Junction Railway further time to complete. (Not built.)
  /  /1879Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown and West Calder Junction Railway abandoned.
  /  /1920Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
The Line was extended about this date (probably 1927/8) 3.5 miles west to Kingshill Colliery No 2. There was already a short section open between Wilsontown and to the west of Climpy Road to Climpy Colliery.
  /  /1920Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Pool Colliery branch closed.
  /  /1928Kingshill Colliery No 2
Sunk by the Coltness Iron Works. Served by the Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway). It was colloquially known as 'Queenshill'.
  /  /1945Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown North Junction to Wilsontown West Junction closed.
  /  /1946Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown South Junction was renamed Wilsontown Junction [2nd]. The Wilsontown branch was singled between Haywood and Wilsontown Junction [2nd].
  /  /1950Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Cleuch Colliery branch closed in the 1950s.
10/09/1951Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown to Auchengray (Wilsontown Junction [2nd]) closed to passengers. Wilsontown and Haywood are closed. Auchengray, on the Caledonian Railway's Edinburgh line, remains open until 1966.
04/05/1964Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Wilsontown Junction to Wilsontown closed.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Wilsontown Branch

Opened from Wilsontown Junction [1st] to Wilsontown in 1860.

This was the northern junction of a triangular junction. The other junctions were Wilsontown West Junction and Wilsontown South Junction.
...

More details

See also
Caledonian Railway
Looking north at Wilsontown North Junction. ...
Ewan Crawford //
1 of 1 images.


This was the western junction of a triangular junction. The other junctions were Wilsontown North Junction and Wilsontown South Junction.
...

More details


This junction was just east of Lower Haywood Signal Box. A single track mineral line ran south east and then south to Pool Colliery and Pool Colliery Pit No 3.
...

More details


This signal box (1872) was on the double track section east of Haywood station on the 1860 Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway). It was on the south side of the line opposite Haywood Colliery Pit No 10 (which was served by a loop).
...

More details




Haywood was a two platform station at the limit of the double track line from the triangular junction with the main line of the Caledonian Railway. Going west the line was single track to Wilsontown and beyond. There was a footbridge at the west end of the station.
...

More details
Scottish Rambler no 3 passing Haywood station (1868-1951) on the Wilsontown Branch, South Lanarkshire, on 29 March 1964, the year the branch ...
John Robin 29/03/1964
1 of 1 images.




This was a passenger terminus built at the remote mining town of Wilsontown. Collieries here were served by waggonways long before the railway arrived, the Wilsontown Iron Works opening in 1779 (and closing in 1842). Following the closure of the iron works the colliery was bought and new mines sunk. The Caledonian Railway branch opened in 1860 to minerals and goods, and to passengers in ...

More details
Looking east at the former Wilsontown station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Looking west at the former Wilsontown station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
42737 with 'Scottish Rambler no 3' at Wilsontown on 29 March 1964. ...
John Robin 29/03/1964
3 of 3 images.





Haywood Colliery Loop

A mineral loop from close to Wilsontown West Junction to Lower Haywood Signal Box.





This signal box (1872) was on the double track section east of Haywood station on the 1860 Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway). It was on the south side of the line opposite Haywood Colliery Pit No 10 (which was served by a loop).
...

More details





Pool Colliery Branch

Opened 1872. Closed 1920s.

This junction was just east of Lower Haywood Signal Box. A single track mineral line ran south east and then south to Pool Colliery and Pool Colliery Pit No 3.
...

More details


This colliery was near the end of a short mineral line which ran south from Pool Junction. The mineral line was initially private but became a Caledonian Railway branch.
...

More details


Pit No 3 was near the end of a short mineral line which ran south from Pool Junction. The pit was just south of the original Pool Colliery.
...

More details





Cleuch Colliery Branch

Opened 1869 and closed in the 1950s.












Wilsontown Colliery No 9 Branch

This mineral line ran from east of Wilsontown station north to the colliery.








Wilsontown Colliery No 3 Branch

This mineral line started from immediately east of Wilsontown station and ran north west to the colliery.

This was a passenger terminus built at the remote mining town of Wilsontown. Collieries here were served by waggonways long before the railway arrived, the Wilsontown Iron Works opening in 1779 (and closing in 1842). Following the closure of the iron works the colliery was bought and new mines sunk. The Caledonian Railway branch opened in 1860 to minerals and goods, and to passengers in ...

More details
Looking east at the former Wilsontown station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Looking west at the former Wilsontown station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
42737 with 'Scottish Rambler no 3' at Wilsontown on 29 March 1964. ...
John Robin 29/03/1964
3 of 3 images.







Climpy Colliery Branch

An extension of the line opened in 1869. Closed with rest of the line in 1964.

This was a passenger terminus built at the remote mining town of Wilsontown. Collieries here were served by waggonways long before the railway arrived, the Wilsontown Iron Works opening in 1779 (and closing in 1842). Following the closure of the iron works the colliery was bought and new mines sunk. The Caledonian Railway branch opened in 1860 to minerals and goods, and to passengers in ...

More details
Looking east at the former Wilsontown station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Looking west at the former Wilsontown station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
42737 with 'Scottish Rambler no 3' at Wilsontown on 29 March 1964. ...
John Robin 29/03/1964
3 of 3 images.









Kingshill Colliery No 2 Branch

Opened in the 1920s to serve Kingshill Colliery No 2. Closed with the line in 1964.



This colliery (1931-1963) was located at the far west extent of the Wilsontown Branch (Caledonian Railway) on a mineral line opened for the colliery which branched from the 1869 Climpy Colliery extension of the Wilsontown line.
...

More details





Wilsontown West to Wilsontown South Junction

Opened in 1866, when Wilsontown Junction [1st] was renamed Wilsontown North Junction. On closure of Wilsontown West Junction to Wilsontown North Junction, in 1945, Wilsontown South Junction was renamed Wilsontown Junction [2nd].

This was the western junction of a triangular junction. The other junctions were Wilsontown North Junction and Wilsontown South Junction.
...

More details


This was the southern junction of a triangular junction. The other junctions were Wilsontown West Junction and Wilsontown North Junction.
...

More details

See also
Caledonian Railway





Haywood Colliery Branch

From just west of Haywood station this mineral line ran north east to Haywood Colliery Pit No 8 and other pits.

Haywood was a two platform station at the limit of the double track line from the triangular junction with the main line of the Caledonian Railway. Going west the line was single track to Wilsontown and beyond. There was a footbridge at the west end of the station.
...

More details
Scottish Rambler no 3 passing Haywood station (1868-1951) on the Wilsontown Branch, South Lanarkshire, on 29 March 1964, the year the branch ...
John Robin 29/03/1964
1 of 1 images.