The Barrhead Branch was a short lived branch line of the Glasgow and South Western Railway

Glasgow and South Western Railway

The Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...

 in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

] that connected the G&SWR Paisley Canal Branch

Paisley Canal Line

The Paisley Canal Railway line was originally a Glasgow and South Western Railway branch line running from Glasgow, Scotland, through three stations in Paisley, to North Johnstone...

 to the G&SWR / CR

Caledonian Railway

The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...

 Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway

Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway

The Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway was a railway co-owned by Caledonian Railway and Glasgow and South Western Railway and was an amalgation of two different lines: the Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway and the Glasgow and Kilmarnock Joint Railway.-Glasgow, Barrhead and...

.

History

The line opened on 1 June 1886. Passenger services ceased between Barrhead and Potterhill in 1913. After Potterhill closed to passengers on 1 January 1917, freight trains continued to use the line for some time, including trains delivering to the nearby Cadbury

Cadbury Schweppes

Cadbury is a confectionery company owned by Kraft Foods and is the industry's second-largest globally after Mars, Incorporated. Headquartered in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom, the company operates in more than 50 countries worldwide....

's Depot until the late 1960s. The line closed on 2 March 1970.

There was one passenger train after 1917; a rail tour operated by the Stephenson Locomotive Society

Stephenson Locomotive Society

The Stephenson Locomotive Society was founded in the UK in Autumn 1909 for the study of rail transport and locomotives.It was originally named The Stephenson Society in honour of George Stephenson. In late 1911 the professional engineers seceded from the Society to form the Junior Institution of...

 on 1 September 1951. The train started at Paisley East Goods on the Paisley and Barrhead District Railway

Paisley and Barrhead District Railway

The Paisley and Barrhead District Railway was a railway in Scotland that ran between the towns of Paisley and Barrhead. Despite stations being built on the line, the railway was only ever open to freight services. For this reason it was known locally as "the dummy railway".-History:The railway was...

 at Cecil Street and made its way to Barrhead South. It then travelled , via Elderslie and Johnstone to Paisley West, and from there to the goods station at Gleniffer Depot on the Barrhead Branch. On the return journey, the train called at Paisley for some of the passengers to alight, and then continued to St Enoch railway station

St Enoch railway station

-External links:* *...

.

Description of route

The line started at Paisley West railway station

Paisley West railway station

Paisley West railway station was a railway station in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The station was originally part of the Paisley Canal Line.-History:The station opened on 1 June 1897, and closed 14 February 1966.- Sources :*...

. There was only one intermediate railway station

Train station

A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...

 at Potterhill

Potterhill railway station

Potterhill railway station was a railway station to the south of Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The station was originally part of the Glasgow and South Western Railway's short-lived Barrhead Branch.-History:...

 and a short branch to Gleniffer Goods Depot that served Glenfield works (Fulton Textile Mills) which closed in 1966. A very large stone bridge, still visible today was built where the branch crossed the Paisley and Barrhead District Railway

Paisley and Barrhead District Railway

The Paisley and Barrhead District Railway was a railway in Scotland that ran between the towns of Paisley and Barrhead. Despite stations being built on the line, the railway was only ever open to freight services. For this reason it was known locally as "the dummy railway".-History:The railway was...

 near Caplethill Road, Paisley. It had a terminus independent of the Caledonian Railway at Barrhead Central

Barrhead Central railway station

Barrhead Central railway station was a railway station serving the town of Barrhead, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The station was on the Glasgow and South Western Railway's short-lived Barrhead Branch.-History:...

. It is possible to follow the route of the former railway from Paisley West to Potterhill on the current online Ordnance Survey map by entering grid reference NS479627.

Connections with other lines

• G&SW Paisley Canal Branch
  Paisley Canal Line
  The Paisley Canal Railway line was originally a Glasgow and South Western Railway branch line running from Glasgow, Scotland, through three stations in Paisley, to North Johnstone...
  
   at Corsebar and Potterhill Junctions
• Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway
  Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway
  The Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway was a railway co-owned by Caledonian Railway and Glasgow and South Western Railway and was an amalgation of two different lines: the Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway and the Glasgow and Kilmarnock Joint Railway.-Glasgow, Barrhead and...
  
   at Barrhead

There was no connection with Paisley and Barrhead District Railway

Paisley and Barrhead District Railway

The Paisley and Barrhead District Railway was a railway in Scotland that ran between the towns of Paisley and Barrhead. Despite stations being built on the line, the railway was only ever open to freight services. For this reason it was known locally as "the dummy railway".-History:The railway was...

which was routed close by with several bridges over the G&SW Barrhead Branch.

Sources

• The Railway Magazine Nov 1951 issue page 784
• RAILSCOT on the G&SWR Barrhead Branch
• Barrhead Branch web page with Google satellite images, past and current and photographs
• Google satellite image - curve around Meikleriggs Cricket Ground (top left) to Potterhill Station near former Cadbury's factory at Neilston Road
• Google satellite image - Curve from Potterhill Line into Gleniffer depot - PBDR line from Glenfield station can also be seen crossing it