Sunnyside Junction
Location type
JunctionName and dates
Sunnyside Junction (1870-)Station code: National Rail
Opened on the Glasgow and Coatbridge Branch (North British Railway).
Opened on the Hornock Deviation (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway).
Description
This junction is the successor to the original junction between the main line of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the Kipps branch, and the line to Glasgow.
With the expansion of the Gartsherrie Iron Works the line north was realigned further east, the Hornock Deviation (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway), the two alignments existing together for some time. Gunnie Yard [1st] developed to the north, associated with the iron works.
With the opening of the route west to High Street in 1870, the Glasgow and Coatbridge Branch (North British Railway), there was further realignment and the present Sunnyside Junction took form.
The original signal box was on the north side of the line. The Hornock/High Street Junction was to the west and Kipps/Whifflet junction to the east. It was replaced in 1920 with a new box in the 'V' of the west junction.
After 1960 the signal box took over Greenside Junction, further east, until the junction's closure in 1972. Also in 1960 it took over Blairhill's Blairhill and Gartsherrie box.
The box closed in 1991. In its latter days this box was painted yellow, presumably for 'Sunnyside'.
The former main line south is now single and the route north, latterly only serving Gunnie Yard [2nd] and the cement works, has closed.
To the south of the west to south curve was a yard, altered over the years as the layout of lines changed (initially one of its uses was the approach to the coal drops on Howes Basin). This bordered and served the Summerlee Iron Works, now the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life.
The line to the south was singled in 1973 with the strengthening of the bridge by Coatbridge Fountain, this to allow heavier trains to Gunnie Cement.
The line north of the junction to Gunnie Yard [2nd] is now out of use.
Tags
JunctionExternal links
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
| Nearby stations Howes Coatbridge Sunnyside Coatbridge Central [NB] Coatbridge Central Blairhill Kipps Gartsherrie [M and K] Whifflet Upper Whifflet Lower Gartsherrie [GGR] Whifflet [NB] Gartsherrie Coatdyke Langloan Whifflet | Summerlee Iron Works Sunnyside Engine Works Howes Basin Gartsherrie Shed [GGR] Gartsherrie Iron Works Gunnie Cement Atlas Foundry [Coatbridge] Greenside Junction Britannia Works [Coatbridge] Tourist/other Summerlee West Signal Box Summerlee East Signal Box Summerlee Heritage Centre Gartsherrie Iron Works Signal Box Gunnie South Signal Box Coatbridge Level Crossing |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Chronology Dates
| / /1846 | Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Formation of line at Howes re-modeled further east at Sunnyside Junction to allow expansion of William Baird & Co's Gartsherrie Iron Works. William Baird & Co was the contractor for the work. |
| 10/09/1951 | Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Passenger trains running from Sunnyside Junction to Whifflet South Junction through Coatbridge Central [NB] for the Bothwell [North British] service cease to run - last regular passenger service over this section of line. |
| 10/09/1951 | Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Railway Bothwell [North British] to Blairhill via Coatbridge (Sunnyside Junction) closed to passengers. Bellshill [NB] closed. Some irregular passenger trains continue to use the line. |
| 29/09/1986 | Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway Balloch Pier closed to passengers. The electric catenary was used to electrify the Sunnyside Junction to Whifflet South Junction line. |
| /07/1989 | Yoker Re-signaling Scheme Re-signaling complete. Boxes at Helensburgh Central, Craigendoran, Dumbarton Central, Dalmuir Park, Singer, Milngavie, Westerton, Hyndland, Clydebank Dock, High Street East Junction, Bellgrove, Parkhead, Shettleston, Heatheryknowe Junction, Sunnyside Junction, Airdrie replaced by the new Yoker Signalling Centre. |
| 11/12/1994 | Glasgow Central Railway The River Kelvin bursts its banks and floods the disused tunnels from Kelvin Bridge to Stobcross, where it floods the open Argyle Line railway. (Alternative date 9th.) The route through Glasgow Central Low Level is closed between Partick and Rutherglen and trains are diverted onto the Sunnyside Junction to Whifflet section of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway for access to Motherwell. This remains in operation for around nine months. Units 314208 and 314212 are trapped in the floodwater at Glasgow Central where the water reached half way up the sides of the carriages. |
