Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway

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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.

The railway was Authorised on 17 May 1824 and it opened on 1 October 1826.[1] Its main function was intended to be the transportation of coal, but iron ore and passengers were also carried. It was built to the Scotch gauge of 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm).[1][2]

In 1848 it merged with two adjoining railway lines to become the Monkland Railways; which in turn were absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway.[1]

Contents

[edit] Formation of the railway

The Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway was set up by the owners of local canals, coal mines (coalmasters), iron works and iron mines (ironmasters). The railway was intended to work as a feeder, in conjunction with the canals, particularly the Monkland Canal, the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal, and the River Clyde, to transport these products to both Glasgow and Edinburgh.[3]

The engineer was Thomas Grainger.[3]

[edit] The route

The railway initially ran from the Palacecraig coal pit, near Airdrie, past Coatbridge and Gartsherrie, to a canal basin on the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirkintilloch.[3] From here the goods could go by canal to either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Particularly for goods which had previously been transported from Monklands, via the Monkland Canal, the River Clyde and the Forth and Clyde Canal, to Edinburgh it shortened the journey time by one week. In 1833 the railway operated a wagon ferry on the Forth and Clyde Canal.[4]

The opening of the Slamannan Railway in 1840 reduced the distance to Edinburgh by another 24 miles.[5]

[edit] Attempted take over and change of gauge

The opening of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in 1841 provided a competitive route for the transportation of coal and iron ore.

The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway started negotiations in 1844 to take over the various Monkland Railways; and at the same time the railway companies applied for permission to change to Standard gauge.[3] In May 1846, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was refused permission to amalgamate and it decide to withdraw on 31 December 1846. The Caledonian Railway by that time had taken over the Wishaw and Coltness Railway and the Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway.[3]

The Ballochney Railway, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the Slamannan Railway all obtained aurthorisation to change to Standard gauge between 1845 and 1846.[3] The three railways changed their gauge on 26 July and 27 July 1847.[3]

[edit] Amalgamation to form the Monkland Railways

On 14 August 1848 the Slamannan Railway merged with the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the Ballochney Railway to become the Monkland Railways.[1]

The Monkland Railways were absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway by an Act of Parliament, dated 5 July 1865, effective from 31 July 1865.[1] A day later (on 1 August 1865) the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was absorbed into the North British Railway.

[edit] Links to other lines and modes of transportation

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Awdry, Page 149
  2. ^ Robertson
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Thomas
  4. ^ Marshall (1989)
  5. ^ Wishaw

[edit] Sources

  • Marshall, John (1989). The Guinness Railway Book. Enfield: Guinness. ISBN 0-8511-2359-7. 
  • Popplewell, Lawrence [1989]. A Gazetteer of the Railway Contractors and Engineers of Scotland 1831 - 1914. (Vol. 1: 1831 - 1870 and Vol. 2: 1871 - 1914).. Bournmouth: Melledgen Press. ISBN 0-9066-3714-7. OCLC 19888025. 
  • Robertson, C.J.A. (1983). The Origins of the Scottish Railway System: 1722-1844, 1st, Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-8597-6088-X. 
  • Whishaw, Francis [1840] (Reprinted and republished 1969). The Railways of Great Britain and Ireland practically described and illustrated, 3rd, Newton Abbott: David & Charles (1842 edition - London: John Weale). ISBN 0-7153-4786-1. 



v • d • e
Constituent companies of Monkland Railways:
Successor Company: Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Constituent Companies: Ballochney Railway • Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway • Slamannan Railway



v • d • e
Historical Scottish railway companies:
Primary companies: Caledonian Railway • Glasgow and South Western Railway • Great North of Scotland Railway

Highland Railway • North British Railway
Caledonian lines: Aberdeen Railway • Alloa Railway • Alyth • Arbroath and Forfar • Busby Railway • Callander and Oban • Cathcart District • Cleland and Midcalder • Clydesdale Junction • CR Main Line • CR Douglas Branch • CR Hamilton Branch • CR Hamiltonhill Branch • Crieff Junction • Crieff and Comrie • Crieff and Methven Junction • Dunblane, Doune & Callander • Dundee and Perth • Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen • Forfar and Brechin • General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour • Glasgow and Garnkirk • Glasgow Central Railway • Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock • Greenock and Wemyss Bay • Hamilton and Strathaven • Killin Railway • Lanarkshire and Ayrshire • Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire • Leadhills and Wanlockhead • Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie • Paisley and Barrhead District • Perth, Almond Valley and Methven • Polloc and Govan • Rutherglen and Coatbridge • Scottish Central • Scottish Midland Junction • Scottish North Eastern • Solway Junction • Symington, Biggar and Broughton • Talla Railway • Wishaw and Coltness
Glasgow and South Western lines: Ardrossan Railway • Ardrossan and Johnstone • Ayr and Dalmellington • Ayr and Maybole Junction • Ayr to Mauchline • Ayrshire and Wigtownshire • Barrhead Branch • Bridge of Weir Railway • Cairn Valley • Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction • Castle Douglas and Dumfries • Dalry and North Johnstone • Darvel Branch • Girvan and Portpatrick Junction • Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle • Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr • Greenock and Ayrshire • Kilmarnock and Troon • Largs Branch • Maidens and Dunure • Maybole and Girvan • Paisley and Renfrew • Paisley Canal Line
Great North of Scotland lines: Aberdeen and Turriff • Aboyne and Braemar • Alford Valley • Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction • Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla • Boddam Branch • Deeside Railway • Denburn Valley • Formartine and Buchan • Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction • Keith and Dufftown • Moray Coast • Morayshire Railway • St Combs Light Railway • Strathspey Railway
Highland lines: Buckie and Portessie Branch • Dingwall and Skye • Duke of Sutherland • Findhorn Railway • Fortrose Branch • Inverness and Aberdeen Junction • Inverness and Aviemore Direct • Inverness and Nairn • Inverness and Perth Junction • Inverness and Ross-shire • Kyle of Lochalsh Extension • Perth and Dunkeld • Sutherland and Caithness • Sutherland Railway

Independent lines worked by the Highland Railway
Dornoch Light Railway • Wick and Lybster Light Railway
North British lines: Ballochney • Bathgate and Coatbridge • Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company • Coatbridge Branch • Edinburgh and Bathgate • Edinburgh and Dalkeith • Edinburgh and Glasgow • Edinburgh and Hawick • Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction • Forth and Clyde Junction • Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh • Glasgow and Milngavie Junction • Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank • Kincardine Line • Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton • Monkland and Kirkintilloch • Monkland Railways • Mallaig Extension • North British, Arbroath and Montrose • Stirling and Dunfermline • Strathendrick and Aberfoyle • Slamannan • Slamannan and Borrowstounness • West Highland Railway • Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness
Joint lines: Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction • City Union • Dundee and Arbroath • Glasgow and Paisley Joint • Glasgow and Renfrew District • Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint • Kilsyth and Bonnybridge • Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint
Other lines: Brechin and Edzell District • Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway • Denburn Valley Line • Dundee and Arbroath • Glasgow City and District • Invergarry and Fort Augustus • Lochaber Narrow Gauge • Perth, Almond Valley & Methven • Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway