Craighead Junction
Location type
JunctionName and dates
Craighead JunctionOpened on the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway).
Description
This was not a junction in the strictest sense of two lines meeting, but the northern end of the large Strathaven Junction Yard.
The yard was laid out on (chiefly) the east side of the railway. Short mineral lines ran to several collieries such as Craighead Colliery Pits Nos 1 and 2 (just to the north) and Whistleberry Colliery Pits Nos 1 and 2.
The original signal box was on the east side of the line at the point where the north end of the loops met the main line. Behind (to the east of) the box were headshunts for the yard.
To the north there was a loop on the northbound line as far as Blantyre Junction [CR].
The Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway passed under the yard, about half way between Craighead Junction and Strathaven Junction.
Additional headhunts were added and the signal box replaced in 1920. The new box was on the west side of the line.
The yard suffered from mining subsidence as did the nearby Hamilton Shed.
A connection to the former Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway's Blantyre Pits Branch opened in 1963 which allowed that line south to Peacock Cross to close. The new curve, approached from the south, ran south west to serve the C W Ireland Works.
It was closed in 1965 when replaced with a ground frame. The C W Ireland Works curve and branch closed in 1980.
Tags
Junction
| Nearby stations Blantyre Foundry Burnbank Blantyre Bothwell [North British] Bothwell [CR] Hamilton West Peacock Cross High Blantyre Hamilton [NBR] Hamilton Central Bothwell Park Halt Fallside Uddingston East Uddingston [1st] Uddingston | Craighead BP Chemicals Siding Craighead Yard [Loaded] Blantyre Junction [NBR] Craighead Colliery Pits Nos 1 and 2 Whistleberry Colliery Pits Nos 1 and 2 Greenfield Shed Craighead Yard [Empty] C W Ireland Works Auchinraith Junction Strathaven Junction Auchinraith Junction [NBR] Craighead Signal Box Greenfield Colliery Pits Nos 1 and 2 Whitehill Pit Whitehill Wagon Works |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Chronology Dates
| / /1878 | Hamilton 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. |
