Rutherglen Central Junction

Location type

Junction

Names and dates

Dalmarnock Junction (1861-1979)
Rutherglen Central Junction (1979-)

Station code: National Rail
Opened on the Dalmarnock Branch (Caledonian Railway).
Opened on the Clydesdale Junction Railway.

Description

This junction is south east of Rutherglen station. It is where the Argyle Line joins the West Coast Main Line from Glasgow Central High Level.

When first opened, in 1861, it was the junction for the Dalmarnock Branch (Caledonian Railway) thus the original name of Dalmarnock Junction. The branch ran north to Bridgeton Goods.

This was branch was extended north to London Road [Glasgow] in 1877. This did not carry passengers until 1879. The branch was not served by the existing Rutherglen [1st] station. As a result this closed in 1879 and a new Rutherglen [2nd] station was opened east of Dalmarnock Junction. A signal box was opened in the 'V' of the junction. On the west side of the branch was a parallel mineral line which served Farne Colliery.

A new west to north curve opened in 1892, with Rutherglen [3rd] station on the curve and on the main line. But more was to come. The Glasgow Central Railway opened in 1896 extending the branch north and then west via Glasgow Central Low Level to meet the Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway west of the city on the north bank of the River Clyde. Further platforms were to opened to extend the station Rutherglen [4th] and carriage sidings added. Rutherglen [2nd] was to close, replaced by platforms just to the west (the main line part of Rutherglen [3rd]) and the platforms on the east to north curve (Rutherglen [4th]).

The box absorbed Rutherglen Weighs Signal Box (to the east) in 1947.

The Glasgow Central Railway closed in 1964 and the west and east curve platforms closed. The triangle of lines remained open for goods traffic to Bridgeton [1st] and London Road [Glasgow].

The signal box closed in 1971. Glasgow Central Power Box took over in 1973.

In 1979 the branch was to re-open as the new Argyle Line and the slow line island platform of Rutherglen [3rd] closed, replaced by the island platform of Rutherglen.

Tags

Junction
08/08/2019



Chronology Dates

24/06/1861Dalmarnock Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Line opened from Dalmarnock Junction (Rutherglen) to Bridgeton Goods. This was the first south bank line in Glasgow to cross the River Clyde (via the Clyde Viaduct [Rutherglen] [1st]).
  /  /1872Dalmarnock Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Dalmarnock Junction (Rutherglen) improvements authorised.
28/03/2000Clydesdale Junction Railway
Derailment at Rutherglen Central Junction.