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Description

This was the site of a signal box which controlled access to the short branch to the Burghlee Colliery, one of the Loanhead Collieries. Access was from the north with the sidings on the west side of the line. To the immediate south is the Bilston Glen Viaduct. From a small yard by the junction the lines ran west to further sidings at the loading area, south of the colliery.

The signal box here was on the west side of the line at the point of divergence of the branch. It closed around 1900, replaced with a ground frame.

Burghlee Colliery's exchange sidings were adapted in preparation for the opening of Bilston Glen Colliery. The exchange yard and colliery sidings were relaid as the exchange sidings for the new colliery with its own sidings further west. Bilston Glen Colliery opened in 1963 and Burghlee Colliery closed in 1964. There were seven looped sidings with a 'cripple' siding on the west side and head shunt on the west side north of the yard. The easternmost of the looped sidings joined the main line independently with a separate connection directly south of the yard connection. A new control cabin was added on the west side of the yard. From 1965 Loanhead signal box controlled the access.

The yard remained in use after the closure of the main line south in 1969. The closed main line track remained until 1972.

The colliery closed in 1989 and due to extensive stockpiling of coal it took until 1991 to clear the coal supplies, with the colliery surface buildings demolished before the site was cleared of coal.

Today the main line trackbed is a footpath and the yard site is crossed with unofficial footpaths.

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