Rutherglen [3rd]

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Rutherglen [3rd] (1892-1979)

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

Opened on the The Switchback (Caledonian Railway).
Opened on the Clydesdale Junction Railway.

Description

This was a large station on two sides of a triangular junction with six platforms - four on the west to east main line and two on the west to north curve.

Rutherglen [1st] was a two platform station west of Farmeloan Road and directly north of Rutherglen Castle. It was closed and relocated to the east of Farmeloan Road Rutherglen [2nd]. This was a four platform (two island) station opened on Dalmarnock Junction. The main line was quadrupled.

The third station opened to the west in 1892 at Rutherglen West Junction. This had four platforms on the main line and two on the west to north curve. There were no platforms on the north to east curve, the old station remaining in use.

The two platforms on the west to north curve were a little staggered with the northbound platform being further west, much of it being west of Queen Street.

The new station opened for the Bridgeton [1st] and London Road service to Glasgow Central (high level) which began with the opening of the west ot north curve. It probably also opened in anticpiation of the new Glasgow Central Railway which was to open in 1896.

Additional platforms ((Rutheglen [4th] ) were to be added in 1896, three terminal platforms, two on the north to east curve and one on the main east-west line.

In 1964 the Glasgow Central Railway closed to passengers, leaving just the main line platforms.

The remaining platforms were to be reduced to the island platform on the slow lines of the main line ie the northern island.

The Argyle Line re-opened in 1979 and the main line station closed completely.

Some disused platforms remain on the main line.

The re-signalling of the main line when the mechanical boxes were replaced with Glasgow Central Power Box led to an interesting reassignment of lines here. Where before there had been an up slow, up fast, down fast and down sloe there is today up slow, down slow, up fast, down fast. This explains the retention (until 1979) of only the island platform on the slow lines.

Tags

Station junction terminus

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
02/07/2020