Polmadie Shed

Location type

Loco shed

Name and dates

Polmadie Shed (1875-1967)

Opened on the Polloc and Govan Railway.

Description

This was an important single ended shed with 16 roads, approached from the east. It was located north of the former Polloc and Govan Railway. It was an important shed around two miles south east of Glasgow Central, ideally located where many lines met.

The shed was rebuilt several times, notably around 1923 (replacement of wooden shed) and in the 1940s. Both times the yard was also rearranged.

With the later rebuilding the repair shop was in the north part of the building, separated from the running shed by offices and stores. Coaling plant and ash disposal were provided in the yard. There was a yard box within the lines at the east end.

British Railways assigned the code 66A with sub sheds Motherwell Shed and Paisley St James Shed.

After closure in 1967 the site was redeveloped as a diesel and electric traction maintenance depot. The site is now Polmadie Depot.

Tags

Shed

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map




Chronology Dates

  /  /1872William Smith Dixon Polloc and Govan Railway
William Smith Dixon gives the railway permission to build a new locomotive shed (Polmadie Shed), so long as it did not disturb Dixons own railway (Govan Iron Works Railway) which ran through an old quarry and was used for dumping slag and a level crossing over Polmadie Road to part of the Govan Colliery.
  /  /1872Govan Iron Works Railway
Dixon's Private Railway or Govan Iron Works Railway authorised to pass underneath the Polloc and Govan Railway on a new alignment (replacing an older alignment) west of Polmadie Shed, running from Govan Iron Works (north) to the colliery (south).
10/12/1872Rutherglen and Coatbridge Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Two road shed at Baillieston Shed opened in connection with Bredisholm and Baillieston pits. Sub-shed of Polmadie Shed.
25/09/1873Polloc and Govan Railway
Decide to build the new Polmadie Shed discussed with William Dixon Ltd.
30/12/1873Polloc and Govan Railway
Railway buys land for a new Polmadie Shed, Rutherglen, from William Dixon Ltd for £12,750.
29/12/1874Polloc and Govan Railway
Signal box at the new Rutherglen shed under construction called Polmadie Shed.
  /07/1875Polloc and Govan Railway
Rutherglen shed, built in timber, renamed Polmadie Shed, partly brought into use.
16/09/1875Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed fully open.
  /  /1878Glasgow Central Station (Caledonian Railway)
Eglinton Street Shed, a four road brick locomotive shed with 42ft turntable, opened to reduce light engine movements to Polmadie Shed via the congested Bridge Street Junction to Gushetfaulds section. The new shed was a sub-shed of Polmadie. Opened in anticipation of Glasgow Central.
  /09/1888Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
Four road shed opened at Ardrossan North, (Ardrossan Shed [CR]), with 42ft Cowans Sheldon Works turntable. Built by Robert McAlpine. Sub-shed of Polmadie Shed.
  /  /1923Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed starts to be re-built in brick.
  /  /1924Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed re-building in brick complete.
  /  /1934Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed turntable replaced with 70ft.
  /  /1935Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed coded 27A.
  /  /1940Polloc and Govan Railway
Second 70ft turntable installed at Polmadie Shed.
  /  /1940Polloc and Govan Railway
Northern part of the Polmadie Mineral Sidings (Shawfield Yard) traffic sidings incorporated into Polmadie Shed during re-construction of the shed. A new coaling plant was erected.
  /  /1949Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed coded 66A.
  /  /1951Scottish Central Railway
New Stirling South Shed round-house is set-out with a turntable from Polmadie Shed, however the work is abandoned and demolished.
28/05/1967Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed closed to steam.
  /  /1974Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed closed when West Coast Main Line electrification reaches Glasgow. The site was re-developed as a carriage depot.

Books


A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Scotland - The Lowlands and the Borders v. 6 (Regional railway history series)

An Illustrated History of Glasgow's Railways

Caledonian Railway

Glasgow Stations