North Clyde Line
Encyclopedia
The North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland
. The route is operated by First ScotRail
, on behalf of Transport Scotland
. As a result of the incorporation of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
and the Edinburgh to Bathgate Line
, this route is the fourth rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
, by way of re-opening the line to Bathgate
meeting up with the line from Edinburgh
.
The main core of the route runs from to via and Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level)
. To the east of the city centre, there is a short branch to , while to the west there are two routes between and (via and via ), as well as branches to and .
The lines from to Dalmuir and Milngavie are also used by Argyle Line
services, whilst West Highland Line
services share the line between and . In the east, the line between Newbridge Junction and is shared with the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
and the Edinburgh to Dunblane Line
. In addition to the interchange with services from Glasgow Queen Street (High Level) and Edinburgh Waverley, there are interchanges with the Cumbernauld Line
at Springburn, with the Maryhill Line
at , and with the Glasgow Subway
at Partick. Some sections of the North Clyde Line are also traversed by freight trains.
The line runs through central Glasgow
, and the principal station on the line is Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level). The section through the city centre largely runs in tunnels between High Street and the former Finnieston station (west of Charing Cross at the intersection of Argyle Street
and Kent Road). This is in fact the oldest stretch of underground railway in Glasgow, opened as the Glasgow City & District Railway in 1886 and predating the Glasgow Subway by some ten years.
-era railway companies. In addition to the extension east of Airdrie, these are listed below:
The majority of these lines were absorbed by (or were subsidiaries of) the North British Railway
; the exceptions being the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
, which was part of the Caledonian Railway
, and the western part of the Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway
(which was joint between the North British and the Caledonian). At the time of the Grouping
in 1923, the North British Railway became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER), while the Caledonian Railway
became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
(LMS).
ways. A number of former LNER branch lines which fed into the North Clyde system were closed during the 1950s because they duplicated former LMS lines. Other lines closed due to lack of traffic, or later because they were not selected for inclusion in the electrification project. Notable withdrawals of passenger service occurred on:
. A new junction between the former LNER and LMS lines was built at Dunglass, just west of Bowling, allowing North Clyde Line services to use the former LMS (Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire) line through , and the original LNER (Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction) line from Dunglass to Dumbarton Central was closed. The outer areas were electrified to the 25 kV AC 50 Hz standard, with the central area, the Springburn, Bridgeton and Milngavie branches and the Yoker line being at 6.25 kV AC due to restricted clearances in tunnels. As insulation technology improved these lines were eventually converted to 25 kV.
In October 2010, the line between Bathgate and Airdrie opened complete with electrification at 25 kV for crew training and charter trains. The section between Bathgate and Haymarket (including the section that is common with the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
east of Newbridge Junction) was also electrified at 25 kV. This work was carried out as part of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
.
and Glasgow Central Railway
) closed to passengers and then freight. However, the section from through Glasgow Central (Low Level) was reopened as the Argyle Line in 1979. A new flying junction
was built east of Partick to connect the Argyle Line with the North Clyde Line. The Bridgeton Central branch closed to passengers on 5 November 1979, having been replaced by the re-opened Bridgeton Cross
station on the Argyle Line, though Bridgeton Central station was retained as a carriage cleaning facility. On 17 December 1979, Partickhill station was replaced by the new Partick (Interchange) slightly to the south, which provides a connection with the Subway.
ceased in the 1980s, leading to the closure of Balloch Pier terminus station on 28 September 1986. The Balloch line was further truncated in April 1988 when Balloch Central station was replaced by the new station on the opposite site of Balloch Road, which allowed the elimination of a level crossing
. The catenary
from the closed section to Balloch Pier was then used to reopen the line east of Airdrie to a new terminus at Drumgelloch in May 1989.
declared that in line with plans to upgrade the remaining section of the A8 road to motorway standard, public transport links between Glasgow
and Edinburgh
must also be improved. Therefore, to create a fourth direct rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the closed section of the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway
between and the 1989 Drumgelloch station was re-opened, and the existing lines from Newbridge Junction to Bathgate and Drumgelloch to Airdrie were upgraded. The whole line is double track and electrified, with a maximum line speed of 80 mph. The existing 30 minute frequency Helensburgh-Drumgelloch and Milngavie-Airdrie services have been extended to providing an enhanced 15 minute frequency between Bathgate and Edinburgh.
The new link received the final approval of the Scottish Parliament
on 28 March 2007 and gained Royal Assent
on 9 May 2007. Work commenced with a sod cutting ceremony at in June 2007, with reinstatement of double track between Newbridge and Bathgate being the first stage, completed in October 2008. The line is operated by Class 334s
and peak Class 320s
.
The line opened for driver training and charter trains in October 2010, with the passenger service commencing on 12 December 2010.
There are also, peak hour limited stop morning commuter services from Balloch to Queen Street and Airdrie to Milngavie. Limited stop evening commuter services run from Queen Street to Balloch.
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Milngavie, Dalmuir (via Yoker) and Dalmuir (via Singer), on 30 minute frequencies.
The section through Patrick and Hyndland stations is one of the busiest in Scotland, with 28 trains per hour using the double track line.
Monday to Saturday after 6pm
Passengers wishing to travel to Milngavie after 7pm must change at Partick or Hyndland for an Argyle Line service.
Sunday
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Balloch (via Yoker) and Milngavie on 30 minute frequencies.
Off-peak Monday to Friday
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Milngavie, Dalmuir (via Yoker) and Dalmuir (via Singer), on 30 minute frequencies.
Monday to Friday after 6pm
Passengers wishing to travel to Milngavie after 7pm must change at Westerton for an Argyle Line service.
Saturday
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Milngavie, Dalmuir (via Yoker) and Dalmuir (via Singer), on 30 minute frequencies.
Saturday after 6pm
Sunday
Off-peak Monday to Saturday
There are also, peak hour limited stop morning commuter services from Balloch to Queen Street and Airdrie to Milngavie. Limited stop evening commuter services run from Queen Street to Balloch. Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Milngavie, Dalmuir (via Yoker) and Dalmuir (via Singer), on 30 minute frequencies.
The section through Patrick and Hyndland stations is one of the busiest in Scotland, with 28 trains per hour using the double track line.
Monday to Saturday after 6pm
Passengers wishing to travel to Milngavie after 7pm must change at Westerton for an Argyle Line service.
Sunday
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Balloch (via Yoker) and Milngavie on 30 minute frequencies.
and Class V1/V3 2-6-2T
, which were allocated to depots at Parkhead and Kipps (Coatbridge).
Electrification brought the introduction of the legendary and locally-built Class 303
EMUs
, operated from a new depot at the former Hyndland terminus station. From 1967 they were joined by the similar Class 311
EMUs, which were built for the Inverclyde Line
electrification but which were initially allocated to Hyndland for maintenance and were occasionally used on the North Clyde Line. The Class 303 and 311 trains were nicknamed the "Blue Trains" because of the bright Caledonian Blue colour scheme they carried in the 1960s, at a time when most British Railways passenger stock was painted either green or maroon. In the late 1960s they began to be repainted in the new standard Rail Blue
, and from the late 1970s they received coaching stock blue/grey livery. This was followed by the distinctive Strathclyde PTE orange-and-black scheme in the 1980s. A few of the last surviving Class 303s eventually received the new SPT carmine/cream livery in the late 1990s. In September 2008 Transport Scotland
announced that the SPT carmine and cream livery would be discontinued; trains will start to be repainted in a new, blue livery with white Saltire
motifs at the ends of each carriage.
In the 1970s, a new electric locomotive/EMU depot was built at Shields Road
south of the Clyde, and this took over maintenance of the EMUs used on the Cathcart Circle
and Inverclyde Lines, including all of the Class 311s. However, reopening of the Argyle Line in 1979 resulted in the introduction of Class 314
EMUs, which were allocated to Hyndland but used almost exclusively on the Argyle Line but it was still used on the North Clyde line. In 1987, Hyndland depot closed and was replaced by new carriage sidings at Yoker, with maintenance transferred to Shields Road. Thereafter, Class 311s began to appear more frequently on some North Clyde services. However, it was not until 1990 that a start was made on replacing the Class 303s, which still operated the great majority of services on the North Clyde Line.
Class 320
EMUs were introduced in 1990 and took over most North Clyde services, enabled the withdrawal of many Class 303s and all of the 311s. A few Class 303 units continued to operate on the North Clyde Line until December 2002, when they were finally withdrawn. They were replaced by the Class 334
Alstom
"Juniper"
EMUs, together with Class 318
units which had been cascaded from the Ayrshire Coast Line
s. The Class 318s and 334s also replaced the Class 314 units on the Argyle Line, and these were in turn been displaced to the Cathcart Circle and Inverclyde Lines (to replace the last 303s).
From May 2011 Class 334 and Class 320 operate all North Clyde line services. Class 318 are also seen on tracks shared with Argyle Line services.
between Shields Junction
and Bellgrove, and building a new curve between Gallowgate and High Street. Reopening of the closed line from Strathbungo to Gorbals would allow trains from Barrhead and East Kilbride to use Crossrail. Funding for the scheme has yet to be sought, and the project remains a long term aspiration only.
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...
. The route is operated by First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
, on behalf of Transport Scotland
Transport Scotland
Transport Scotland was created on 1 January 2006 as the national transport agency of Scotland. It is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department and accountable to Scottish Ministers...
. As a result of the incorporation of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a railway in central Scotland.Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive in 2003, the plan was to open up a fourth direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. The project was...
and the Edinburgh to Bathgate Line
Edinburgh to Bathgate Line
The Edinburgh to Bathgate Line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It is also known as the Bathgate branch and the Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway.-History:...
, this route is the fourth rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Route
The North Clyde Line, as electrified in 1960, ran east-west through the Greater Glasgow conurbation, linking northern Lanarkshire with western Dunbartonshire, by way of the city centre. Fifty years later, in 2010, the line was extended east from AirdrieAirdrie, North Lanarkshire
Airdrie is a town within North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on a plateau roughly 400 ft above sea level, and is approximately 12 miles east of Glasgow city centre. Airdrie forms part of a conurbation with its neighbour Coatbridge, in the former district known as the Monklands. As of 2006,...
, by way of re-opening the line to Bathgate
Bathgate
Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the M8 motorway west of Livingston. Nearby towns are Blackburn, Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston, and Linlithgow. Edinburgh Airport is away...
meeting up with the line from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
The main core of the route runs from to via and Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level)
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
. To the east of the city centre, there is a short branch to , while to the west there are two routes between and (via and via ), as well as branches to and .
The lines from to Dalmuir and Milngavie are also used by Argyle Line
Argyle Line
The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. It connects the Lanarkshire towns of Lanark, Larkhall and Motherwell to West Dunbartonshire via central Glasgow using sub-surface running...
services, whilst West Highland Line
West Highland Line
The West Highland Line is considered the most scenic railway line in Britain, linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban on the west coast of Scotland to Glasgow. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the iconic...
services share the line between and . In the east, the line between Newbridge Junction and is shared with the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line is a mainline railway line linking Glasgow and Edinburgh via Falkirk in Scotland. It is the principal route out of the four rail links between Scotland's two biggest cities, hosting the flagship "Shuttle" service between and .- Places served :The route...
and the Edinburgh to Dunblane Line
Edinburgh to Dunblane Line
The Edinburgh to Dunblane Line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It links the city of Edinburgh via Falkirk to the city of Stirling, Lecropt and the town of Dunblane...
. In addition to the interchange with services from Glasgow Queen Street (High Level) and Edinburgh Waverley, there are interchanges with the Cumbernauld Line
Cumbernauld Line
The Cumbernauld Line is a suburban railway line linking Glasgow and Cumbernauld in Scotland. It is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network.On weekdays and Saturdays, alternate trains continue towards Falkirk Grahamston....
at Springburn, with the Maryhill Line
Maryhill Line
The Maryhill Line is a suburban railway line linking Glasgow and Anniesland via Maryhill in Scotland. It is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network. The line between Glasgow and Maryhill forms a part of the West Highland Line and was re-opened to stopping passenger services in 1993...
at , and with the Glasgow Subway
Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world after the London Underground and the Budapest Metro. Formerly a cable railway, the Subway was later electrified, but its twin circular lines...
at Partick. Some sections of the North Clyde Line are also traversed by freight trains.
The line runs through central Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, and the principal station on the line is Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level). The section through the city centre largely runs in tunnels between High Street and the former Finnieston station (west of Charing Cross at the intersection of Argyle Street
Argyle Street, Glasgow
Argyle Street is a major thoroughfare in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland.With Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street, Argyle Street forms the main shopping artery in the city centre...
and Kent Road). This is in fact the oldest stretch of underground railway in Glasgow, opened as the Glasgow City & District Railway in 1886 and predating the Glasgow Subway by some ten years.
Constituents
Like most of Glasgow's suburban railways, the North Clyde Lines as they are known today were built piecemeal from a patchwork of routes from various VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
-era railway companies. In addition to the extension east of Airdrie, these are listed below:
- 1842 - Haymarket to Newbridge Junction opened by Edinburgh and Glasgow RailwayEdinburgh and Glasgow RailwayThe Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was a railway built to link Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Act of Parliament for building the railway received its Royal Assent in 1838 which was open on 28 July 1863. Services started between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket on 21 February 1842. The line was...
; - 1846 - Edinburgh Waverley to Haymarket opened by Edinburgh and Glasgow RailwayEdinburgh and Glasgow RailwayThe Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was a railway built to link Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Act of Parliament for building the railway received its Royal Assent in 1838 which was open on 28 July 1863. Services started between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket on 21 February 1842. The line was...
; - 1849 - Newbridge Junction to Polkemmet Junction opened by Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway;
- 1850 - Dumbarton Central to Balloch Pier opened by Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction RailwayCaledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction RailwayThe Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway, also known as Dumbarton & Balloch Joint Railway, was built to connect Balloch at the southern end of Loch Lomond down the course of the river Leven to Dumbarton, and east along the north bank of the River Clyde to Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, at...
; - 1858 - Cowlairs to Bowling and Dalreoch to Helensburgh Central opened by Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh RailwayGlasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh RailwayGlasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway is an historic railway in Scotland.-History:It was authorised by an Act of Parliament on 14 August 1855.The railway was absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway on 31 July 1862....
; - 1862 - Polkemmet Junction to Coatbridge Sunnyside opened by Bathgate and Coatbridge RailwayBathgate and Coatbridge RailwayThe Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway, also known as the "New Monkland Line", was built by Monkland Railways. It opened on 28 July 1863. The line was absorbed into the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway on 31 July 1865...
; - 1863 - Westerton to Milngavie opened by Glasgow and Milngavie Junction RailwayGlasgow and Milngavie Junction RailwayThe Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Railway was a Scottish railway. It extended the Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway from Westerton to Milngavie, Glasgow.- History :...
; - 1870 - Coatbridge Sunnyside to Bellgrove opened as the Coatbridge BranchCoatbridge Branch (NBR)The Coatbridge Branch was a railway that ran between Bellgrove in the east end of Glasgow and Coatbridge and built by the North British Railway, which in turn became part of the LNER on 1 January 1923.-History:...
of North British RailwayNorth British RailwayThe North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
; - 1870 - Bellgrove to High Street Junction opened by City of Glasgow Union RailwayCity Union LineThe City of Glasgow Union Railway - City Union Line , is a railway line in Glasgow, Scotland. The line is still open, with the section north of Bellgrove still open to passenger trains.-Description of the route:...
; - 1871 - High Street Junction to College opened as the Coatbridge BranchCoatbridge Branch (NBR)The Coatbridge Branch was a railway that ran between Bellgrove in the east end of Glasgow and Coatbridge and built by the North British Railway, which in turn became part of the LNER on 1 January 1923.-History:...
of North British RailwayNorth British RailwayThe North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
; - 1874 - Stobcross to Maryhill opened by Stobcross RailwayStobcross RailwayStobcross Railways is a rail line originally created to provide freight rail access to the new Queens Dock and the expanding west end of Glasgow. Upon creation of the Glasgow City and District Railway, Stobcross became a commuter line.-Sources:* ....
; - 1874 - Anniesland to Whiteinch opened by Whiteinch RailwayWhiteinch RailwayWhiteinch Railway is a rail line located in Glasgow, Scotland. The railway opened in 1874 along with Stobcross Railway....
; - 1875 - Springburn to Bellgrove opened by City of Glasgow Union RailwayCity Union LineThe City of Glasgow Union Railway - City Union Line , is a railway line in Glasgow, Scotland. The line is still open, with the section north of Bellgrove still open to passenger trains.-Description of the route:...
; - 1882 - Jordanhill to Clydebank East opened by Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank RailwayGlasgow, Yoker and Clydebank RailwayThe Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank Railway is a Scottish railway, authorised in 1878, and absorbed into the North British Railway in 1897. It runs from Whiteinch to Clydebank.-Sources:*...
; - 1886 - High Street to Stobcross, Hyndland branch, Jordanhill cord and Anniesland to Westerton cord opened by Glasgow City and District RailwayGlasgow City and District RailwayThe Glasgow City and District Railway is a railway line in Glasgow, Scotland. With the exception of a short spur to Bridgeton Central, that closed in 1979 upon the opening of the Argyle Line, the line is still open to passenger trains....
; - 1891 - Bowling to Dumbarton Central opened by Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire RailwayLanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway- Early days :The Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was authorised in 1891, and opened in stages between 26 November 1894 and 1 October 1896.On 16 August 1909 the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was absorbed into the Caledonian Railway...
; - 1892 - Bridgeton Central to High Street opened by Glasgow City and District RailwayGlasgow City and District RailwayThe Glasgow City and District Railway is a railway line in Glasgow, Scotland. With the exception of a short spur to Bridgeton Central, that closed in 1979 upon the opening of the Argyle Line, the line is still open to passenger trains....
; - 1897 - Clydebank to Dalmuir opened by Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank RailwayGlasgow, Yoker and Clydebank RailwayThe Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank Railway is a Scottish railway, authorised in 1878, and absorbed into the North British Railway in 1897. It runs from Whiteinch to Clydebank.-Sources:*...
;
The majority of these lines were absorbed by (or were subsidiaries of) the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
; the exceptions being the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
- Early days :The Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was authorised in 1891, and opened in stages between 26 November 1894 and 1 October 1896.On 16 August 1909 the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was absorbed into the Caledonian Railway...
, which was part of the Caledonian Railway
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...
, and the western part of the Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway
Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway
The Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway, also known as Dumbarton & Balloch Joint Railway, was built to connect Balloch at the southern end of Loch Lomond down the course of the river Leven to Dumbarton, and east along the north bank of the River Clyde to Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, at...
(which was joint between the North British and the Caledonian). At the time of the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
in 1923, the North British Railway became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER), while the Caledonian Railway
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...
became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
(LMS).
Closures
Following nationalisation in 1948, all of the lines came under the ownership of British RailBritish Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways. A number of former LNER branch lines which fed into the North Clyde system were closed during the 1950s because they duplicated former LMS lines. Other lines closed due to lack of traffic, or later because they were not selected for inclusion in the electrification project. Notable withdrawals of passenger service occurred on:
- 1 May 1930: Manuel and Bathgate to Coatbridge Central (via Blackstone);
- 2 April 1951: Whiteinch Victoria branch, also the Kelvin Valley Line (Maryhill to Kilsyth);
- 10 September 1951: Bothwell to Coatbridge Sunnyside;
- 15 September 1952: Hamilton to Bothwell;
- 4 July 1955: Bothwell to Shettleston;
- 9 January 1956: Ratho to Airdrie;
- 14 September 1959: Clydebank East terminus;
- 5 November 1960: Hyndland branch (replaced by new HyndlandHyndland railway stationHyndland railway station is a railway station in Hyndland in Glasgow, Scotland. The station is 5 km west of Glasgow Central and 4 km west of Glasgow Queen Street on the Argyle and North Clyde Lines...
station on main line) - 5 November 1979: branch (replaced by on the Argyle LineArgyle LineThe Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. It connects the Lanarkshire towns of Lanark, Larkhall and Motherwell to West Dunbartonshire via central Glasgow using sub-surface running...
) - 28 September 1986: Balloch Central to Balloch Pier
Re-openings
- 24 March 1986: Newbridge Junction to Bathgate
- May 1989: Airdrie to Drumgelloch
- 18 October 2010: Drumgelloch to Bathgate (line open for driver training and charter trains)
- 12 December 2010: Drumgelloch to Bathgate (passenger services)
Electrification
In 1960 the remainder of the North Clyde suburban system (Airdrie, Springburn and Bridgeton Central to Milngavie, Balloch Pier and Helensburgh Central, including both routes between Partick and Dalmuir) underwent electrificationRailway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
. A new junction between the former LNER and LMS lines was built at Dunglass, just west of Bowling, allowing North Clyde Line services to use the former LMS (Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire) line through , and the original LNER (Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction) line from Dunglass to Dumbarton Central was closed. The outer areas were electrified to the 25 kV AC 50 Hz standard, with the central area, the Springburn, Bridgeton and Milngavie branches and the Yoker line being at 6.25 kV AC due to restricted clearances in tunnels. As insulation technology improved these lines were eventually converted to 25 kV.
In October 2010, the line between Bathgate and Airdrie opened complete with electrification at 25 kV for crew training and charter trains. The section between Bathgate and Haymarket (including the section that is common with the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line is a mainline railway line linking Glasgow and Edinburgh via Falkirk in Scotland. It is the principal route out of the four rail links between Scotland's two biggest cities, hosting the flagship "Shuttle" service between and .- Places served :The route...
east of Newbridge Junction) was also electrified at 25 kV. This work was carried out as part of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a railway in central Scotland.Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive in 2003, the plan was to open up a fourth direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. The project was...
.
The Argyle line
The former Caledonian Railway lines in north-west Glasgow and Dunbartonshire (Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire RailwayLanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
- Early days :The Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was authorised in 1891, and opened in stages between 26 November 1894 and 1 October 1896.On 16 August 1909 the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was absorbed into the Caledonian Railway...
and Glasgow Central Railway
Glasgow Central Railway
The Glasgow Central Railway was a railway that ran from Maryhill in the north west of Glasgow through the West End and City Centre to Rutherglen and Newton to the south east of the city.- Early days :...
) closed to passengers and then freight. However, the section from through Glasgow Central (Low Level) was reopened as the Argyle Line in 1979. A new flying junction
Flying junction
A flying junction or flyover is a railway junction at which one or more diverging or converging tracks in a multiple-track route cross other tracks on the route by bridge to avoid conflict with other train movements. A more technical term is "grade-separated junction"...
was built east of Partick to connect the Argyle Line with the North Clyde Line. The Bridgeton Central branch closed to passengers on 5 November 1979, having been replaced by the re-opened Bridgeton Cross
Bridgeton railway station
Bridgeton railway station serves the Bridgeton district of Glasgow, Scotland and is a station on the Argyle Line, 3 km south east of . The station is operated by First ScotRail who also provide all train services.- History :...
station on the Argyle Line, though Bridgeton Central station was retained as a carriage cleaning facility. On 17 December 1979, Partickhill station was replaced by the new Partick (Interchange) slightly to the south, which provides a connection with the Subway.
Balloch Pier
Pleasure steamer operations on Loch LomondLoch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
ceased in the 1980s, leading to the closure of Balloch Pier terminus station on 28 September 1986. The Balloch line was further truncated in April 1988 when Balloch Central station was replaced by the new station on the opposite site of Balloch Road, which allowed the elimination of a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
. The catenary
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
from the closed section to Balloch Pier was then used to reopen the line east of Airdrie to a new terminus at Drumgelloch in May 1989.
Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
Passenger services from Edinburgh to Airdrie ceased in 1956, but the line between Edinburgh and Bathgate was reopened to passenger traffic on a trial basis in 1986 and proved an instant success. In 2005, the Scottish ExecutiveScottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
declared that in line with plans to upgrade the remaining section of the A8 road to motorway standard, public transport links between Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
must also be improved. Therefore, to create a fourth direct rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the closed section of the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway
Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway
The Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway, also known as the "New Monkland Line", was built by Monkland Railways. It opened on 28 July 1863. The line was absorbed into the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway on 31 July 1865...
between and the 1989 Drumgelloch station was re-opened, and the existing lines from Newbridge Junction to Bathgate and Drumgelloch to Airdrie were upgraded. The whole line is double track and electrified, with a maximum line speed of 80 mph. The existing 30 minute frequency Helensburgh-Drumgelloch and Milngavie-Airdrie services have been extended to providing an enhanced 15 minute frequency between Bathgate and Edinburgh.
The new link received the final approval of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
on 28 March 2007 and gained Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
on 9 May 2007. Work commenced with a sod cutting ceremony at in June 2007, with reinstatement of double track between Newbridge and Bathgate being the first stage, completed in October 2008. The line is operated by Class 334s
British Rail Class 334
The British Rail Class 334 is a suburban electric multiple unit built by Alstom in Birmingham. They are part of the Juniper family of trains along with Classes 458 and 460. They were built for SPT/ScotRail outer suburban services in Glasgow, UK. They later became part of First ScotRail/SPT fleet...
and peak Class 320s
British Rail Class 320
The British Rail Class 320 is an alternating current electric multiple unit train found on the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport rail network in Central Scotland, and is used exclusively on the North Clyde Line between Helensburgh and Airdrie, North Lanarkshire via Glasgow Queen Street...
.
The line opened for driver training and charter trains in October 2010, with the passenger service commencing on 12 December 2010.
Winter 2009/10
Off-peak Monday to Saturday- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Drumgelloch
- 2tph Balloch to Airdrie via Singer
- 2tph Dalmuir to Springburn via Yoker
- 2tph Milngavie to Bellgrove
There are also, peak hour limited stop morning commuter services from Balloch to Queen Street and Airdrie to Milngavie. Limited stop evening commuter services run from Queen Street to Balloch.
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Milngavie, Dalmuir (via Yoker) and Dalmuir (via Singer), on 30 minute frequencies.
The section through Patrick and Hyndland stations is one of the busiest in Scotland, with 28 trains per hour using the double track line.
Monday to Saturday after 6pm
- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Drumgelloch (all stations via Yoker)
- 2tph Balloch to Springburn (all stations via Singer)
Passengers wishing to travel to Milngavie after 7pm must change at Partick or Hyndland for an Argyle Line service.
Sunday
- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Drumgelloch (all stations via Singer)
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Balloch (via Yoker) and Milngavie on 30 minute frequencies.
Winter 2010/11 (Interim timetable from 12 December 2010)
As a result of delays with commissioning of the Class 380 trains, insufficient Class 334 trains for the full service have been available for introduction of intended timetable from 12 December 2010.Off-peak Monday to Friday
- 1tph Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley
- 1tph Helensburgh Central to Airdrie
- 2tph Balloch to Airdrie via Singer
- 2tph Dalmuir to Springburn via Yoker
- 2tph Milngavie to High Street
- 3tph Bathgate to Edinburgh Waverley
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Milngavie, Dalmuir (via Yoker) and Dalmuir (via Singer), on 30 minute frequencies.
Monday to Friday after 6pm
- 1tph Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley (all stations via Yoker)
- 1tph Helensburgh Central to Airdrie (all stations via Yoker)
- 1tph Bathgate to Edinburgh Waverley
- 2tph Balloch to Springburn (all stations via Singer)
Passengers wishing to travel to Milngavie after 7pm must change at Westerton for an Argyle Line service.
Saturday
- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley
- 2tph Balloch to Airdrie via Singer
- 2tph Dalmuir to Springburn via Yoker
- 2tph Milngavie to Airdrie
- 2tph Bathgate to Edinburgh Waverley
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Milngavie, Dalmuir (via Yoker) and Dalmuir (via Singer), on 30 minute frequencies.
Saturday after 6pm
- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley (all stations via Yoker)
- 2tph Balloch to Springburn (all stations via Singer)
Sunday
- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley (all stations via Singer)
- 2tph Dalmuir to Airdrie (all stations via Yoker) - 12 & 19 December 2010 only
- 2tph Dalmuir to Springburn (all station via Singer) - 12 & 19 December 2010 only
Winter 2010/11 (Full service from 12 December 2010)
Following the opening of the line between Airdrie and Bathgate, the service is combined with Edinburgh to Bathgate service, the complete service when sufficient rolling stock is available is:Off-peak Monday to Saturday
- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley
- 2tph Balloch to Airdrie via Singer
- 2tph Dalmuir to Springburn via Yoker
- 2tph Milngavie to Edinburgh Waverley
There are also, peak hour limited stop morning commuter services from Balloch to Queen Street and Airdrie to Milngavie. Limited stop evening commuter services run from Queen Street to Balloch. Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Milngavie, Dalmuir (via Yoker) and Dalmuir (via Singer), on 30 minute frequencies.
The section through Patrick and Hyndland stations is one of the busiest in Scotland, with 28 trains per hour using the double track line.
Monday to Saturday after 6pm
- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley (all stations via Yoker)
- 2tph Balloch to Springburn (all stations via Singer)
Passengers wishing to travel to Milngavie after 7pm must change at Westerton for an Argyle Line service.
Sunday
- 2tph Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley (all stations via Singer)
- 2tph Dalmuir to Airdrie (all stations via Yoker) - 12 & 19 December 2010 only
- 2tph Dalmuir to Springburn (all station via Singer) - 12 & 19 December 2010 only
Argyle Line services provide services from Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Balloch (via Yoker) and Milngavie on 30 minute frequencies.
Rolling stock
Prior to electrification passenger services were operated primarily by tank engines, notably Class N2 0-6-2TGNR Class N2
The Great Northern Railway Class N2 is an 0-6-2T side tank steam locomotive designed by Nigel Gresley and introduced in 1920. Further batches were built by the London and North Eastern Railway from 1925...
and Class V1/V3 2-6-2T
LNER Class V1/V3
The London and North Eastern Railway Class V1 and Class V3 were two classes of related 2-6-2T steam locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley....
, which were allocated to depots at Parkhead and Kipps (Coatbridge).
Electrification brought the introduction of the legendary and locally-built Class 303
British Rail Class 303
The British Rail Class 303 electric multiple units, also known as "Blue Train" units, were introduced in 1960 for the electrification of the North Clyde and the Cathcart Circle lines in Strathclyde...
EMUs
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
, operated from a new depot at the former Hyndland terminus station. From 1967 they were joined by the similar Class 311
British Rail Class 311
The British Rail Class 311 alternating current electric multiple units were built by Cravens at Sheffield in 1967. They were intended for use on the line from to and , which was electrified in 1967.-Appearance:...
EMUs, which were built for the Inverclyde Line
Inverclyde Line
The Inverclyde Line is a railway line running from Glasgow Central station through Paisley and a series of stations to the south of the River Clyde and the Firth of Clyde, terminating at Gourock and Wemyss Bay, where it connects to Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services...
electrification but which were initially allocated to Hyndland for maintenance and were occasionally used on the North Clyde Line. The Class 303 and 311 trains were nicknamed the "Blue Trains" because of the bright Caledonian Blue colour scheme they carried in the 1960s, at a time when most British Railways passenger stock was painted either green or maroon. In the late 1960s they began to be repainted in the new standard Rail Blue
British Rail corporate liveries
The history of British Rail's corporate liveries is quite complex. Although from the mid 1960s to the 1980s the company was associated with "Rail Blue", a number of other schemes were also used, especially when the company was sectorised in the 1980s....
, and from the late 1970s they received coaching stock blue/grey livery. This was followed by the distinctive Strathclyde PTE orange-and-black scheme in the 1980s. A few of the last surviving Class 303s eventually received the new SPT carmine/cream livery in the late 1990s. In September 2008 Transport Scotland
Transport Scotland
Transport Scotland was created on 1 January 2006 as the national transport agency of Scotland. It is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department and accountable to Scottish Ministers...
announced that the SPT carmine and cream livery would be discontinued; trains will start to be repainted in a new, blue livery with white Saltire
Saltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
motifs at the ends of each carriage.
In the 1970s, a new electric locomotive/EMU depot was built at Shields Road
Glasgow Shields Road TMD
Glasgow Shields Road ETD is a railway Electric Traction Depot in Glasgow, Scotland. The depot is located on the south side of the Glasgow Central to Paisley lines, adjacent to Shields Junction, close to the site of the former station...
south of the Clyde, and this took over maintenance of the EMUs used on the Cathcart Circle
Cathcart Circle Lines
The Cathcart Circle Lines form a suburban railway route linking Glasgow to Cathcart via a circular line, with branches to Newton and Neilston. All of the routes serve Glasgow's southern suburbs, i.e. on the south bank of the River Clyde...
and Inverclyde Lines, including all of the Class 311s. However, reopening of the Argyle Line in 1979 resulted in the introduction of Class 314
British Rail Class 314
British Rail Class 314 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979. They were the third variety of British Rail's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, which eventually encompassed 755 vehicles and five classes...
EMUs, which were allocated to Hyndland but used almost exclusively on the Argyle Line but it was still used on the North Clyde line. In 1987, Hyndland depot closed and was replaced by new carriage sidings at Yoker, with maintenance transferred to Shields Road. Thereafter, Class 311s began to appear more frequently on some North Clyde services. However, it was not until 1990 that a start was made on replacing the Class 303s, which still operated the great majority of services on the North Clyde Line.
Class 320
British Rail Class 320
The British Rail Class 320 is an alternating current electric multiple unit train found on the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport rail network in Central Scotland, and is used exclusively on the North Clyde Line between Helensburgh and Airdrie, North Lanarkshire via Glasgow Queen Street...
EMUs were introduced in 1990 and took over most North Clyde services, enabled the withdrawal of many Class 303s and all of the 311s. A few Class 303 units continued to operate on the North Clyde Line until December 2002, when they were finally withdrawn. They were replaced by the Class 334
British Rail Class 334
The British Rail Class 334 is a suburban electric multiple unit built by Alstom in Birmingham. They are part of the Juniper family of trains along with Classes 458 and 460. They were built for SPT/ScotRail outer suburban services in Glasgow, UK. They later became part of First ScotRail/SPT fleet...
Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
"Juniper"
British Rail brand names
British Rail was the brand image of the nationalised railway owner and operator in Great Britain, the British Railways Board, used from 1965 until its breakup and sell-off from 1993 onwards....
EMUs, together with Class 318
British Rail Class 318
The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit train, which operates exclusively in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network in West Central Scotland. The units were introduced fully on 29 September 1986 as part of the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line between and...
units which had been cascaded from the Ayrshire Coast Line
Ayrshire Coast Line
The Ayrshire Coast Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. It has 26 stations and connects the Ayrshire coast to Glasgow...
s. The Class 318s and 334s also replaced the Class 314 units on the Argyle Line, and these were in turn been displaced to the Cathcart Circle and Inverclyde Lines (to replace the last 303s).
From May 2011 Class 334 and Class 320 operate all North Clyde line services. Class 318 are also seen on tracks shared with Argyle Line services.
Crossrail Glasgow
With many passengers travelling north-south through the city centre having to walk or use a shuttle bus between Central and Queen Street stations, SPT has long proposed a direct rail link between the North Clyde system and the lines radiating from Glasgow Central (High Level). This would allow direct service from Renfrewshire and Ayrshire stations to Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level), and would also allow new cross-city services such as Airdrie to Paisley. The plan would involve re-opening to passenger traffic the freight-only City Union LineCity Union Line
The City of Glasgow Union Railway - City Union Line , is a railway line in Glasgow, Scotland. The line is still open, with the section north of Bellgrove still open to passenger trains.-Description of the route:...
between Shields Junction
Shields Junction
Shields Junction is the name given to the busy railway junction in the Shields Road area of Glasgow, Scotland.The junction is heavily used by both passenger and freight services running on three separate railway lines out of Glasgow Central station...
and Bellgrove, and building a new curve between Gallowgate and High Street. Reopening of the closed line from Strathbungo to Gorbals would allow trains from Barrhead and East Kilbride to use Crossrail. Funding for the scheme has yet to be sought, and the project remains a long term aspiration only.
Accidents and incidents
- On 11 September 1986 two railwaymen were killed in a collision between two trains at Bridgeton Central carriage sidings;
- On 6 March 1989 two people were killed when two trains collided head-on at BellgroveGlasgow Bellgrove rail crashOn 6 March 1989 two Class 303 commuter trains crashed on the Springburn branch of the North Clyde Line, just east of Bellgrove station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland...
.