Location type

Names and dates

Note: text in square brackets is added for clarity and was not part of the location's name.

Description

This junction was immediately west of Maryhill Park station and east of the Maryhill Viaduct [GDH]. It was formed with the opening of the Stobcross Railway in 1874, a branch from the 1858 Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway serving the west of Glasgow, Partick and the Queens Dock.

The branch started by running over an independent viaduct over the River Kelvin, the Maryhill Viaduct [SR] built immediately to the south of and adjoining the Maryhill Viaduct [GDH], thus provided a four track wide viaduct.

Close to the junction sidings ran to the south side of Maryhill Park station, served from the branch.

A signal box opened for the junction, on the north side of the junction and east of the two viaducts with a fine overview of the whole layout.

To the north, and east of the Maryhill Viaduct [GDH], a mineral line ran north to the Dalsholm Paper Mills.

In the 'V' of the junction between the main line and Stobcross branch was a considerable set of sidings, all served from the east from the branch line, at the west end of the Dawsholm Viaduct [SR]. Those closest to the main line were looped. Also from the west end of the viaduct a mineral line ran west and north to reach the Garscube Colliery and Glasgow Portland Cement Works. A signal box opened at the west end of the looped sidings in 1894, whereupon Maryhill West Junction became Maryhill Central Junction. Later further sidings were added on the north side of the main line serving the Dawsholm Chemical Works and Garscube Chemical Works. Maryhill West box closed in 1935.

Around 1960 the box was renamed Maryhill Park Junction. Maryhill East Junction closed in 1961 (box closed in 1965) and Maryhill [NB] station became Maryhill Park in 1960.

The box burned down in 1980. It was replaced with a new modern box on the south side of the junction, but this never opened and the curve to Knightswood South Junction closed. The route via this curve and Clydebank had often been used by the West Highland sleeper which was simply re-routed. Goods traffic to Clydeside had all but finished also allowing the closure.

The re-opened 2005 curve to Anniesland is from a new Maryhill Park Junction made at the west end of the viaducts, the southern of which remains out of use.

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