Shields Junction
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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. Passenger services operated by SPT (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) run to Paisley Canal, Ayr, Largs, Ardrossan, Gourock and Wemyss Bay as well as the less frequent Stranraer service. Freight operations through the junction are usually from either Elderslie, Ayr Falkland Yard or Hunterston Terminal.
Shields Junction is situated beside Shields Depot, which along with Corkerhill Depot are the main railway depots used by SPT on the south-west side of Glasgow.
Under plans for the proposed Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL), the section of track between Shields Junction and Arkleston Junction on the Ayrshire & Inverclyde Lines will be upgraded to 3-track running along the five mile route to accommodate extra trains to Glasgow International Airport, Gourock and Ayr. As part of these works, Shields Junction was remodelled over the Christmas 2007 / New Year 2008 period, resulting in a total closure of the lines through the junction.
