Polloc and Govan Railway

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The Polloc and Govan Railway started off as a private railway owned and built by William Dixon, a Coal master; it ran along part of the route of his Govan tramway.[1] The Govan tramway dated back to 1811.[1][2]

Although the name of the surrounding area that gave its name to the railway company is called Pollok and close by is called Pollokshields, the Act of Parliament authorising the railway used the spelling Polloc.

The railway was bought by the Clydesdale Junction Railway on 18 August 1846 and became part of the Caledonian Railway.[1][3]

On 14 March 1867 an Act of Parliament was obtained to lift part of the line; from West Street to the River Clyde.[1][2]

Contents

[edit] Construction

The Polloc and Govan railway was authorised on 29 May 1830 and it linked Govan with the River Clyde, at Windmillcroft Quay at the Broomielaw, the Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal and Rutherglen.[1] It opened on 22 August 1840.[1]

The railway was intended to transport coal and ironstone and for part of its route it ran down a public road: West Street. Its engineers were Grainger and Miller from Edinburgh: (Thomas Grainger and John Miller).[4]


[edit] Attempted expansion of the line

Several attempts were made to extend the line; other railway promoters also attempted to link to it as it provided direct access to the River Clyde.[4]

[edit] Links to other lines

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Awdry, page 99
  2. ^ a b Thomas
  3. ^ MacIntosh, Jim (2006). Glasgow and the Caledonian Railway. Chapter 2 in: Cameron.
  4. ^ a b Robertson

[edit] Further reading

  • Cameron, Jim (Compiler) (2006). Glasgow Central: Central to Glasgow. Boat of Garten: Strathwood. ISBN 1-905276-05-2.
  • Robertson, C.J.A., (1983). The Origins of the Scottish Railway System: 1722 - 1844, Edinburgh: John Donald. ISBN 0-85976-088-X.
  • Thomas, John (1971). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain, Volume 6, Scotland: The Lowlands and the Borders. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5408-6.

[edit] See also