Wishaw and Coltness Railway

The Wishaw and Coltness Railway was an early Scottish railway. It ran for approximately 11 miles from Chapel Colliery, at Coltness, North Lanarkshire, to the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, near Gartsherrie. It was originally projected in 1828 as the Garion and Garnturk Railway.Robertson, "The Origins of the Scottish Railway System 1722-1844"] Awdry, Page 111] Popplewell refers to the original name as "'Garturk & Garion Railway]

The railway was Incorporated on 21 June 1829; and, due to lack of money, was partially opened in 1833, to Jerviston on 21 March 1834, to Cleland in 1841, opening fully on 9 March 1844.

It was initially built to the Scotch gauge of RailGauge|54 as a single track line; and the engineer was Thomas Grainger.Thomas, "A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain, Volume 6, Scotland: The Lowlands and the Borders"]

In 1849 it became part of the Caledonian Railway; and was to become part of its main line to Glasgow, now the West Coast Main Line.

Formation of the railway

The original 1829 Act of Parliament was to raise £80,000 (Pound sterling) of joint stock capital based on Grainger's estimate of £50,000 for construction costs.

Shortage of funds led to further Acts in 1834 and 1837 to obtain three-year extensions for completion of the railway; a further £80,000 of capital was raised by 1840 and this was followed by a further Act in 1841 to raise an addition £160,000 of capital.

The route

Take over and change of gauge

The Caledonian Railway took over the Wishaw and Coltness Railway and the Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway.

Connection to other lines

* Caledonian Railway Main Line at Garriongill Junction near Law Junction
* Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway at the Morningside stations
* Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
*

References

Further reading

*
*
* Robertson, C.J.A. (1983). "The Origins of the Scottish Railway System: 1722-1844". Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers. 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.
* Nock, O.S. (1963). "The Caledonian Railway". Newton Abbott: David & Charles.
* Popplewell, Lawrence (1989). "A Gazetteer of the Railway Contractors and Engineers of Scotland 1831 - 1870. (Vol. 1: 1831 - 1870 and Vol. 2: 1871 - 1914)". Bournmouth: Melledgen Press. ISBN 0-906637-14-7.

ee also

* [http://www.railscot.co.uk/Wishaw_and_Coltness_Railway/frame.htm RAILSCOT on Wishaw and Coltness Railway]