Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway
Encyclopedia
The Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway was incorporated on 26 May 1826 and was ceremonially opened on 27 September 1831. It was built to the Scotch gauge
of . The engineers were Grainger and Miller from Edinburgh
(Thomas Grainger
and John Miller
).
It was extended to Coatbridge
in 1843; and in 1844 it became the Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway.
In 1844 it was bought by the Caledonian Railway
; and in the 1921 Railway Grouping it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
(LMS).
, to raise £28,497 (Pounds sterling) of joint stock capital
, a further two Acts were obtained:
Its main function was intended to be the transport of coal
to Glasgow
; however it also provided regular goods and passenger services, particularly after the opening of Buchanan Street railway station
in 1849.
It was linked to the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
, at Gartsherrie, near the Gargill Colliery. The chief sponsors include Charles Tennant & Co
, who had their St. Rollox chemical works at Townhead
, Glasgow, adjacent to the Monkland Canal
. They wished to use it to import coal
in competition against the Monkland Canal, which was unable to transport sufficient coal for their needs.
. Final amalgamation occurred on 29 June 1865.
On 3 August 1846 an Act of Parliament
was obtained for the Caledonian Railway
to buy it. The company was not, however dissolved until 2 August 1880.
Scotch gauge
Scotch gauge was the name given to a track gauge, that was adopted by early 19th century railways mainly in the Lanarkshire area of Scotland. It differed from the gauge of that was used on some early lines in England; and from the standard gauge of...
of . The engineers were Grainger and Miller 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...
(Thomas Grainger
Thomas Grainger
Thomas Grainger FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer and surveyor. He was born in Ratho, outside Edinburgh, to Hugh Grainger and Helen Marshall. Educated at Edinburgh University, at sixteen he got a job with John Leslie, a land surveyor.He started his own practice in 1816. In 1825 he formed a...
and John Miller
John Miller (engineer)
John Miller was a civil engineer of the 19th century. He was born in Ayr and died in Edinburgh. He went into partnership with Thomas Grainger in 1825. The partnership was responsible for many of Scotland's great railway projects. Miller took the lead role in surveying the Edinburgh and Glasgow...
).
It was extended to Coatbridge
Coatbridge
Coatbridge is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. The town, with neighbouring Airdrie, is part of the Greater Glasgow urban area. The first settlement of the area stretches back to the Stone Age era...
in 1843; and in 1844 it became the Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway.
In 1844 it was bought by 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 in the 1921 Railway Grouping it 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).
The Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway
In addition to the original 26 May 1826 Act of ParliamentAct of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
, to raise £28,497 (Pounds sterling) of joint stock capital
Joint stock company
A joint-stock company is a type of corporation or partnership involving two or more individuals that own shares of stock in the company...
, a further two Acts were obtained:
- 14 June 1827 to raise a further £9,350;
- 17 June 1830 to raise a further £21,150.
Its main function was intended to be the transport of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
to 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...
; however it also provided regular goods and passenger services, particularly after the opening of Buchanan Street railway station
Buchanan Street railway station
Buchanan Street Station was the least known of Glasgow's four main terminal railway stations, the other three being Central, Queen St and St Enoch...
in 1849.
It was linked to the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
The Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway was an early mineral railway running from a colliery at Monklands to the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirkintilloch, Scotland....
, at Gartsherrie, near the Gargill Colliery. The chief sponsors include Charles Tennant & Co
Charles Tennant
Charles Tennant was a Scottish chemist and industrialist. He discovered bleaching powder and founded an industrial dynasty.- Biography:...
, who had their St. Rollox chemical works at Townhead
Townhead
-Location:Townhead has no fixed boundaries. In ancient times it was the undeveloped area north of the cathedral and town. If we use this description then it is bordered to the west by the area of Cowcaddens, to the north by Sighthill and the east by Royston and south by Merchant City...
, Glasgow, adjacent to the Monkland Canal
Monkland Canal
The Monkland Canal was a 12.25-mile canal which connected the coal mining areas of Monklands to Glasgow in Scotland. It was opened in 1794, and included a steam-powered inclined plane at Blackhill. It was abandoned for navigation in 1942, but its culverted remains still supply water to the Forth...
. They wished to use it to import coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
in competition against the Monkland Canal, which was unable to transport sufficient coal for their needs.
The route
On 24 July 1854 parts of the line were vested with the Caledonian RailwayCaledonian 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...
. Final amalgamation occurred on 29 June 1865.
The Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway
The Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway was formed on 19 July 1844 when the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway obtained Parliamentary approval for its Coatbridge extension.On 3 August 1846 an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
was obtained for 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...
to buy it. The company was not, however dissolved until 2 August 1880.
Sources
- Cunnison, J. and Gilfillan, J.B.S., (1958). The Third Statistical Account of Scotland: Glasgow. Glasgow: William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.
- Little, M., (1979). Greater Glasgow's Railway Network. In: Scottish Transport, 33, Scottish Tramway Museum Society. ISSN 0048-9808.