This junction was on the Hamilton Circle between Hamilton West and Hamilton Central. It was directly south of Peacock Cross. Hamilton West station is to the north. Several collieries were served to the south.
The junction opened in 1876 with the Hamilton to Ferniegair (Caledonian Railway) and the colliery branch Cadzow Colliery Branch (Caledonian Railway). The signal box was on the west side, immediately south of Peacock Cross.
To the south the line split between (going from west to east)
- Allanshaw Colliery (-1930s)
- Fairhill Colliery (1890-1930s)
- Cadzow Colliery (1876 and retained to serve Cadzow Engineering until the 1950s)
- Bent Colliery (-1930s)
- the main line east to Hamilton Central (open)
In 1877 the fan out of lines directly south of the junction was crossed by a viaduct carrying the Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway.
The collieries were closed by the 1950s leaving only the branch to Cadzow Engineering on roughly the site of the Cadzow Colliery.
In 1952 the the Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway closed to passengers and the last approach into Hamilton [NBR] was closed and lifted. To the north the line north of Blantyre Junction [NBR] was also closed. The portion between Blantyre Junction and Cadzow still served works and a new connection was put in to allow it to remain open to goods. This curve ran from the Cadzow Engineering branch north and then west to meet the remaining portion of the GBH&CR at Peacock Cross alongside the Allanshaw Foundry. The signal box at Cadzow Junction closed in 1953.
The connection was reduced to a reversing spur when the Cadzow Engineering line was cut back. It closed in 1963 when a new link was made further north. (This northern link allowed Birdsfield Siding to remain open until 1980.)
Nearby stations Peacock Cross Hamilton West Hamilton [NBR] Hamilton Central Burnbank Meikle Earnock Halt Blantyre Foundry Ferniegair [1st] Ferniegair [2nd] Blantyre Bothwell [North British] Bothwell [CR] Chatelherault Quarter Junction Ferniegair [3rd] | Clyde Steel and Engineering Works Allanshaw Colliery Townsland Colliery Hamilton Shed Bent Colliery Clyde Colliery Colliery Wellhall Colliery Hamilton Engine Sheds Junction Earnock Sidings Hamilton Gasworks Burnbank Signal Box Earnock Colliery Pits Nos 1, 2 and 3 Strathaven Junction Yard Tourist/other Hamilton Old Parish Church |
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. |
/ /1952 | Cadzow Colliery Branch (Caledonian Railway) From 1952 a link for access to the Hamilton area remains of the Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway is laid in close to Cadzow Junction. This gave access to Charles Ireland's scrap yard at Burnbank. |
11/02/1963 | Cadzow Colliery Branch (Caledonian Railway) Cadzow Junction connection to the Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway closed. |