Hamilton West
Location type
StationNames and dates
Hamilton (1849-1876)Hamilton West (1876-)
Station code: HNW National Rail ScotRail
Where: South Lanarkshire, Scotland
Opened on the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway).
Opened on the Hamilton to Ferniegair (Caledonian Railway).
Open on the Glasgow to Larkhall.
Open on the Hamilton Circle.
Description
This is a two platform station with a car park on its west side and entrance from Clydesdale Street, to the south.
It was originally the terminus of the Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) from Newton. In its original form it was a single platform station with the passenger platform on the north side of the line and goods facilities (loading banks and goods shed) on the south side of the line. There were turnplates at the buffer end.
This terminus was not convenient for the town and a bus was used to reach the town.
The line was later (1876), partly due to the influence of the Duke of Hamilton, extended through Hamilton Central to Ross Junction and Ferniegair. This was an end on junction and Hamilton West occupied the same site as the original station but with two platforms and two lines. Hamilton Shed was developed to the west of the station and Townsland Colliery was to the east. These, and the station, were served from the north.
The extension passed under Peacock Cross itself and lines fanned out from Cadzow Junction.
The station remains open.
The line is promoted and supported by the Rail 74 Community Rail Partnership .
Tags
Station terminusExternal links
Canmore site recordNLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
03/08/2020
| Nearby stations Peacock Cross Hamilton [NBR] Hamilton Central Burnbank Blantyre Foundry Meikle Earnock Halt Blantyre Bothwell [North British] Bothwell [CR] Ferniegair [1st] Ferniegair [2nd] High Blantyre Chatelherault Quarter Junction Ferniegair [3rd] | Townsland Colliery Hamilton Shed Clyde Steel and Engineering Works Cadzow Junction Allanshaw Colliery Colliery Clyde Colliery Hamilton Engine Sheds Junction Earnock Sidings Wellhall Colliery Bent Colliery Burnbank Signal Box Strathaven Junction Yard Whitehill Wagon Works Whitehill Pit |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Chronology Dates
| / /1845 | Clydesdale Junction Railway Act receives Royal assent. The line was authorised from Glasgow, using the Polloc and Govan Railway to reach Hamilton with a branch to Motherwell [1st], the forks dividing at the later Newton station. The line would bring coal from pits in the Hamilton area, owned by the Dixons amongst others, to the Govan Iron Works. The Motherwell branch was authorised to not to be opened until the Caledonian Railway reached the Wishaw and Coltness Railway. |
| 01/06/1849 | Clydesdale Junction Railway Glasgow to Hamilton branch opened. |
| 17/09/1849 | Hamilton Branch (Caledonian Railway) Hamilton Junction to Hamilton opened. Blantyre opens, an intermediate station. Originally promoted as the Clydesdale Junction Railway. |
| 01/12/1866 | Lesmahagow Railway Passenger services start; a connecting bus runs between Hamilton and Ferniegair [1st] for route to Glasgow's South Side (passenger trains not allowed north of Ferniegair until improvements made including replacement of the Camp Viaduct). Trains runs south from Ferniegair [1st] to Lesmahagow [1st]. Blackwood [1st] slip carriage dropped at Southfield Junction and taken on separately. Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] branch opened to passengers. |
| 18/07/1872 | Hamilton to Ferniegair (Caledonian Railway) Hamilton West to Ross Junction (Ferniegair) authorised. Some deviation of the original line at Ferniegair is required. |
| 29/05/1876 | Lesmahagow Railway Hamilton West to Ross Junction opened to freight. |
| 29/05/1876 | Hamilton to Ferniegair (Caledonian Railway) Hamilton West to Ferniegair opened to freight. |
| 18/09/1876 | Lesmahagow Railway Hamilton West to Ross Junction opened to minerals. |
| 18/09/1876 | Hamilton to Ferniegair (Caledonian Railway) Hamilton West to Ferniegair opened to minerals. |
| 02/10/1876 | Lesmahagow Railway Hamilton West to Ross Junction opened to passengers. |
| 02/10/1876 | Hamilton to Ferniegair (Caledonian Railway) Hamilton West to Ferniegair opened to passengers. Station opened at Hamilton Central. Hamilton becomes Hamilton West. (Alternative date 14/07/1876 - although unclear, this may be the Haughead to Ross Jncts curve.) |
| 01/10/1945 | Hamilton and Strathaven Railway Strathaven Central to Hamilton West (Strathaven Junction) closed to passengers |
| 01/10/1951 | Lesmahagow Railway Brocketsbrae to Hamilton (Ferniegair Junction) closed to passengers. |
| 04/10/1965 | Lesmahagow Railway
Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway) Coalburn to Hamilton (Haughhead Junction) closed to passengers. Stations closed: Coalburn, Lesmahagow [2nd], Blackwood [2nd], Stonehouse [Lanarkshire], Larkhall Central. Additionally Strathaven Central to Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] closed to passengers. |
News items
| 21/12/2020 | Stations need to offer better access [Carluke Gazette] |
