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| Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway
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The Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway Company was a railway in southern Scotland. It was later absorbed by the Caledonian Railway, and is now closed. It competed for a period with the North British Railway's "Peebles-shire Express".
The line left the Caledonian Railway Main Line (now the West Coast Main Line) at Symington, and passed through Biggar and Broughton; it was later extended to reach Peebles West. Intermediate stations were built at Stobo and Lyne.
There was an engine shed at Broughton, which was demolished when the line was extended to Peebles, and the Neidpath Viaduct built between Lyne and Peebles still stands and is used as a footbridge over the River Tweed. The nearby Neidpath Tunnel was used as a refuge during World War II.
[edit] History
Royal assent for the line was granted on 21 May 1858, and the railway was opened from Symington to Broughton on 5 November 1860.[1] A extension to Peebles was authorised on 3 July 1860.[1] In August 1861 the company was absorbed by the much larger Caledonian Railway.[1] The extended line was opened into the new station at Peebles on 1 February 1864;[1] necessitating the viaduct and tunnel at Neidpath.
The "Tinto Express" operated services on the line to Edinburgh in competition with the "Peebles-shire Express"; as the journey was longer, the service was sold with an emphasis on comfort rather than speed. Services to Glasgow were faster than those of their competitors.
The Talla Railway was a reservoir construction line which briefly operated from Rachan Junction (near Broughton). The line was doubled from Broughton to there in 1895 in connection with this.
The North British Railway built a line connecting the new station to their existing station in Peebles (formerly the Peebles Railway). This connecting line was called the "Caledonian Branch".
Along with the rest of the Caledonian network, it was absorbed into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway under Grouping in 1923, and then into British Rail in 1948.
The line from Peebles to Symington was closed to passengers on 6 June 1950, from Peebles West to Broughton closed on 7 June 1954, and the final closure (from Symington to Broughton) was on 4 April 1966. The section from Biggar to Broughton is now a public footpath.
[edit] Current operations
As of 2008, a feasibility study is to be undertaken to examine the possibility of reopening Symington station or building a new station in the vicinity, in order to provide the town of Biggar with a rapid public transport service to Glasgow. [2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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Historical Scottish railway companies: |
| Primary companies: |
Caledonian Railway • Glasgow and South Western Railway • Great North of Scotland Railway
Highland Railway • North British Railway
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| 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
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| 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 |
