Whifflet North Junction
Location type
JunctionName and dates
Whifflet North Junction (1865-)Station code: National Rail
Opened on the Rutherglen and Coatbridge Branch (Caledonian Railway).
Opened on the Whifflet Extension (Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway).
Description
This is the junction between the 1845 Whifflet Extension (Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway) and the 1865 Rutherglen and Coatbridge Branch (Caledonian Railway). The junction allows a train from the Glasgow direction to enter Whifflet station and continue south towards Mossend Marshalling Yard.
The junction is south of the former Whifflet Lower and north of the present Whifflet station. There was a signal box on the west side, opened with the junction. Coatbank Street crosses over the line immediately to the east/south of the junction (the line is on a north west to south east orientation). The box was replaced in 1891.
The Rutherglen route closed to local passenger trains in 1964 but remained useful as a freight corridor, particularly with the heavy traffic from the Hunterston Ore Terminal to the Ravenscraig Steel Works from 1979.
Whifflet South Junction box was absorbed by Whifflet North Junction box in 1968.
The signal box was replaced by the Motherwell Signalling Centre in 1973.
With the closure of Ravenscraig in 1992 the Rutherglen route was able to be re-opened to passengers in 1993. A new terminus, actually a through station, was opened at Whifflet. This line has been electrified since and carries a regular service.
Tags
Junction
| Nearby stations Whifflet [NB] Whifflet Lower Whifflet Upper Whifflet Whifflet [CR] Calder Iron Works [Station] Carnbroe Calder Coatbridge Central [NB] Coatbridge Central Langloan Coatbridge Sunnyside Coatdyke Kipps Howes | Whifflet Goods Whifflat Junction [Rosehall Junction] Whifflet East Goods Rosehall Crossing Whifflet East Junction Coatbank Engine Works Whifflet Foundry Lochrin Iron Works [2nd] Whifflet Yard Coatbridge Tinplate Works Speedwell Wire Works Whifflet South Junction Whifflet Central Junction Lochrin Construction Works Tourist/other Rosehall Siding Signal Box |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
