Polkemmet Junction

Location type

Junction

Name and dates

Polkemmet Junction (1855-1969)

Opened on the Longridge to Bathgate (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway).
Opened on the Torbanehill and Bathgate Branch (Monkland Railways).

Description

This was a four way junction in the west of Bathgate. Today the location is a double track electrified railway with no junction.

The first line here was the Longridge to Bathgate (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway) opened in 1850 (completing a route from Morningside [NB] to the west).

It became a four way junction in 1855 with the opening of the Torbanehill and Bathgate Branch (Monkland Railways), the new line approaching from Blackston Junction and then running west to colliery lines at Boghead Junction. This line was later extended west, first to Cowdenhead (later Armadale) and to Stepends (near Airdrie) in 1860.

The signal box, on the east side of the junction between the Airdrie and Morningside [NB] routes, was replaced in 1904. This was when the line west to Airdrie was doubled as far as Armadale and the line south to Chemical Works Signal Box was doubled. On the west side was a weighbridge on a looped siding.

The route north (the former route to Blackston Junction) closed around 1923. The line to Chemical Works Signal Box was singled in 1967. The location ceased to be a junction when the route to Longridge [2nd] closed in 1969 and the signal box closed. The remaining line was singled in 1979 and closed altogether in 1982.

Bathgate to Airdrie re-opened in 2010.

Tags

Junction




Chronology Dates

10/08/1964Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway
Longridge to Bathgate (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)
Fauldhouse and Crofthead to Bathgate (Polkemmet Junction) closed to goods (remains open to minerals).
20/01/1969Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway
Whitrigg Colliery to Polkemmet Junction (excluded) closed to freight.