Trunk Lines 1840-1870

These were the "Railway Mania" years. By now it had been realised that railways could provide a convenient form of transport throughout Britain. Many lines were promoted to join the cities together. A number of other less worthy schemes were also promoted and many schemes were over-subscribed by investors. Following a stock-market crash fewer lines were promoted with the result that chiefly profitable main lines were built. Many of these lines are still open.

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1840, 14 July	Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway	Bridge Street Station, Glasgow, opened
1840, 21 July	Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway	Howwood to Paisley opened
1840, 20 August	Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway	Glasgow to Ardrossan trains connect with Liverpool steamers
1841	Birth of Edward VII
1841	Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1841	Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway	Cowlairs Works opens
1841, 31 March	Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway	Paisley to Greenock opened
1841, 6 April	Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway	New Bridge Street Station, Glasgow, opened
1842, 18 February	Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway	Queen Street Station, Glasgow, opened (originally called Dundas Street)
1842, 21 February	Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway	Service starts between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Haymarket
1842, March	Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway	Line extended to Coatbridge Central station. This line later extended through to Whifflet and used by the Wishaw and Coltness Railway and the Caledonian Railway to avoid the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway route through Coatbridge.
1842, 13 June	First use of a Royal Train	The British Monarchy - FAQ - What is the Royal train?
1843, 4 April	Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway	Kilmarnock line from Dalry opened
1843, 1 July	Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway	Moss Road station opened
1843, 6 November	Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway	Bellahouston station opened
1844, July	Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway	Renamed Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway
1844, 7 July	North British Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Irish Potato Famine
1845	Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway	Moss Road and Bellahouston stations closed
1845	Scottish Central Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Newtyle and Coupar Angus Railway  Scottish Midland Junction Railway	Newtyle and Coupar Angus Railway merged with Scottish Midland Junction Railway
1845	Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway  North British Railway	Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway merged with the North British Railway
1845	Newtyle, Eassie and Glamiss Railway  Scottish Midland Junction Railway	Newtyle, Eassie and Glamiss Railway absorbed by Scottish Midland Junction Railway
1845	Aberdeen Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Clydesdale Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Dundee & Perth Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Edinburgh and Hawick Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Edinburgh and Hawick Railway  North British Railway	Edinburgh and Hawick Railway absorbed by North British Railway
1845	Edinburgh and Northern Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Scottish Midland Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1845	Great North of Scotland Railway	Company formed
1845, 31 July	Caledonian Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1846	Monkland Canal  Forth and Clyde Canal	Monkland Canal taken over by the Forth and Clyde Canal
1846	Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway  Caledonian Railway	Glasgow, Garnkirk & Coatbridge Railway merged with the Caledonian Railway
1846	Polloc and Govan Railway  Caledonian Railway	Polloc and Govan Railway merged with Caledonian Railway
1846	Clydesdale Junction Railway  Caledonian Railway	Clydesdale Junction Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1846	Caledonian & Dunbartonshire Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1846	Deeside Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1846	Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1846	General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1846	Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1846	Glasgow Southern Terminal Railway	Line opened
1846	Morayshire Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1846	Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1846	Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway  Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway	Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway absorbed by Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway
1846, 26 June	Great North of Scotland Railway	Act receives Royal assent  (Aberdeen to Inverness with Grange to Banff and Portsoy, Orton to Garmouth, Alves to Burghhead branches)
1846, 16 July	Kilmarnock and Troon Railway	Line leased to the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway and re-gauged for locomotives
1847	Edinburgh, Leith and Granton Railway  Edinburgh and Northern Railway	Edinburgh, Leith and Granton Railway absorbed by Edinburgh and Northern Railway
1847	Glasgow, Paisley & Greenock Railway  Caledonian Railway	Glasgow, Paisley & Greenock Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1847	Glasgow Southern Terminal Railway  Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway	Glasgow Southern Terminal Railway absorbed by Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway
1847	Aberdeen Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Fusion Act made available to merge the Aberdeen Railway with the Great North of Scotland Railway (not used)
1847, 24 July	Paisley and Renfrew Railway  Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock & Ayr Railway	Paisley and Renfrew Railway absorbed by Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock & Ayr Railway
1847, 10 September	Caledonian Railway	Carlisle to Beatock opened
1848	Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway  Ballochney Railway  Slamannan Railway  Monkland Railways	Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway merges with Ballochney Railway and Slamannan Railway to become Monkland Railways
1848	Dundee & Perth Railway  Scottish Central Railway	Dundee & Perth Railway absorbed by Scottish Central Railway
1848, 15 February	Caledonian Railway	Beatock to Glasgow (Buchanan Street) and Edinburgh (Lothian Road? Action) opened
1848, 5 July	Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway	Campsie Branch opened
1848, 9 August	Darvel Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)	Kilmarnock to Galston opened
1848, 9 August	Muirkirk Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)	Auchinleck to Muirkirk opened
1848, 29 September	Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway	Line opened
1848, December	General Terminus & Glasgow Harbour Railway	General Terminus to West Street opened
1849	Wishaw and Coltness Railway  Caledonian Railway	Wishaw and Coltness Railway merged with Caledonian Railway
1849	Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway  Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway	Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway absorbed by Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway
1849	Edinburgh and Northern Railway  North British Railway	Edinburgh and Northern Railway absorbed by North British Railway
1849	Great North of Scotland Railway	Shortened route from Keith to Kittybrewster proposed
1849, 1 June	Clydesdale Junction Railway	Line opened, Caledonian Railway begins running trains to South Side station, Glasgow
1849, 1 November	Buchanan Street Station   Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway	Buchanan Street station opened
1849, 1 November	Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway	Townhead station closed to passengers
1850	Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway  Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway  Glasgow and South Western	Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway merged with Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway to become Glasgow and South Western
1850	Aberdeen Railway	Line reaches Ferryhill
1850	Great North of Scotland Railway	Authorisation to extend the line from Kittybrewster to Guild Street given
1850, 1 January	Buchanan Street Station   Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway	Buchanan Street Goods station opened
1850, 20 May	Darvel Branch (Glasgow and South Western Railway)	Galston to Newmilns opened
1851	Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway  Caledonian Railway	Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1851	St Andrews Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1852	Leven Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1852, 10 August	Morayshire Railway	Line opens from Elgin to Lossiemouth
1852, 25 November	Great North of Scotland Railway	First Sod cut at Westhall near Oyne
1853	Crieff Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1853	Forth and Clyde Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1853	Peebles Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1853, 4 August	Ayr and Dalmellington Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1853, 7 September	Deeside Railway	Line opens from Aberdeen to Banchory
1854	Start of Crimean War
1854	Ardrossan Railway  Glasgow and South Western Railway	Ardrossan Railway merged with the Glasgow and South Western Railway
1854	Ayr and Maybole Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1854	Border Counties Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1854	Inverness and Nairn Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1854	Perth and Dunkeld Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1854	Selkirk and Galashiels Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1854	Aberdeen Railway	Guild Street opened
1854	Great North of Scotland Railway	Authorisation to built from Kittybrewster to Aberdeen Waterloo given
1854, September	Great North of Scotland Railway	Huntly to Kittybrewster inspected
1854, 12 September	Great North of Scotland Railway	Huntly to Kittybrewster opened to freight. Passing places at Kittybrewster, Kintore, Inverurie, Insch and Huntly.
1854, 19 September	Great North of Scotland Railway	Huntly to Kittybrewster official opening
1854, 20 September	Great North of Scotland Railway	Huntly to Kittybrewster opened to passengers. Stations at Kittybrewster, Buxsburn, Dyce, Kintore, Inverurie, Pitcaple, Oyne, Insch, Kennethmont, Gartly, Huntly
1854, 1 December	Great North of Scotland Railway	Kinaldie, Buchanstone and Wardhouse opened
1855	Aberdeen and Turriff Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1855	Carlisle & Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company	Act receives Royal assent

 

1855	Carmyllie Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1855	East of Fife Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1855	Fife and Kinross Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1855	Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1855	Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1855	Jedburgh Railway
1855, 25 May	Great North of Scotland Railway	Keith to Huntly authorised
1855, 24 September	Great North of Scotland Railway	Kittybrewster to Aberdeen Waterloo opened to goods. Kittybrewster rebuilt on Waterloo line.
1856	End of Crimean War	Act receives Royal assent
1856	Aberdeen Railway  Scottish Midland Junction Railway  Scottish North Eastern Railway	Aberdeen Railway merged with Scottish Midland Junction Railway to become Scottish North Eastern Railway
1856	Alford Valley Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1856	Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1856	Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1856	Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1856	Maybole and Girvan Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1856	Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1856, 1 April	Great North of Scotland Railway	Kittybrewster to Waterloo opened completely (with horse tramway to Guild street)
1856, 7 April	Perth and Dunkeld Railway	Perth and Dunkeld Railway opened
1856, 15 May	Ayr and Dalmellington Railway	Opened for Goods
1856, 26 June	Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway	Line opened
1856, 7 August	Ayr and Dalmellington Railway	Opened for Passengers also. Station at Ayr Townhead opened (temporary first version), Glasgow trains continue to use the old station.
1856, 10 October	Great North of Scotland Railway	Huntly to Keith opened. Stations at : Huntly, Rothiemay, Grange and Keith
1857	Great North of Scotland Railway	Inveramsay opened
1857	Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent

 

1857	Banffshire Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1857	Deeside Extension Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1857	Hamilton and Strathaven Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1857	Keith and Dufftown Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1857	Kinross-shire Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1857	Leslie Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1857	Portpatrick Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1857, 1 July	Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway  Ayr and Dalmellington Railway	Ayr (Townhead) becomes the main station in Ayr, Ayr (Old) is closed except for goods traffic.
1857, 5 September	Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway	Line opened from Inveramsay to Turriff
1858	Great North of Scotland Railway	Woodside opened
1858	Alyth Railway	Act receives Royal ascent
1858	Devon Valley Railway	Act receives Royal ascent
1858	Formartine and Buchan Railway	Act receives Royal ascent
1858	Symmington, Biggar and Broughton Railway	Act receives Royal ascent
1858, 1 April	Denny Branch (Caledonian Railway)	Line opened
1858, 1 August	Ayr and Dalmellington Railway  Glasgow and South Western Railway	Ayr and Dalmellington Railway absorbed by Glasgow and South Western Railway
1858, 18 August	Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway	Opens from Elgin to Keith
1858, 23 August	Morayshire Railway	Orton (on the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway) to Rothes opened
1858, 23 December	Morayshire Railway	Rothes to Craigellachie opened
1859	Alford Valley Railway	Line opened
1859	Selkirk and Galashiels Railway  North British Railway	Selkirk and Galashiels Railway absorbed by North British Railway
1859	Charleston Railway	Act receives Royal ascent
1859	Findhorn Railway	Act receives Royal ascent
1859	Wansbeck Railway	Act receives Royal ascent
1859, 30 July	Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Railway	Opened from Grange to Banff and Portsoy
1859, 2 December	Deeside Extension Railway	Opened from Banchory to Aboyne
1860	Border Counties Railway  North British Railway	Border Counties Railway absorbed by North British Railway
1860	Great North of Scotland Railway  Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway	Great North of Scotland Railway sells its Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway shares
1860	Great North of Scotland Railway	Kittybrewster to Dyce doubled (but not used)
1860	Jedburgh Railway  North British Railway	Jedburgh Railway absorbed by North British Railway
1860	Dumfries, Lochmaben & Lockerbie Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1860	Inverness and Ross-shire Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1860	Montrose and Bervie Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1860	Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company)	Line opened to goods
1860, 5 November	Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway	Symington to Broughton opened
1861	Leven Railway  East of Fife Railway  Leven and East Fife Railway	Leven Railway and East for Fife Railway merge to form the Leven and East Fife Railway
1861	Inverness and Nairn Railway  Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway	Inverness and Nairn Railway absorbed by Inverness and Aberdeen Railway
1861	Kinross-shire Railway  Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway	Kinross-shire Railway absorbed by Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway
1861	Symmington, Biggar and Broughton Railway  Caledonian Railway	Symmington, Biggar and Broughton Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1861	Charleston Railway  West of Fife mineral Railway (Action)	Charleston Railway absorbed by West of Fife mineral Railway
1861	Alva Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1861	Blane Valley Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1861	Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1861	Kirkcudbright Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1861	Strathspey Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1861	Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company)	Line opened to passengers
1861, 18 July	Formartine and Buchan Railway	Opened from Dyce (Great North of Scotland Railway) to Mintlaw
1861, 18 July	Great North of Scotland Railway	Double track from Kittybrewster to Dyce brought into use
1861, 22 July	Inverness and Perth Junction Railway  Aberfeldy Branch (Highland Railway)	Act obtained for a line between Dunkeld and Forres, and Ballinluig to Aberfeldy. Engineer : Joseph Mitchell.
1861, 17 October	Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	First sod cut
1862	Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway  Caledonian Railway	Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1862	Fife and Kinross Railway  Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway	Fife and Kinross Railway absorbed by Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway
1862	Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway  Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway	Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway absorbed by Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
1862	Findhorn Railway  Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway	Findhorn Railway absorbed by Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway
1862	Inverness and Ross-shire Railway   Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway	Inverness and Ross-shire Railway absorbed by Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway
1862	Berwickshire Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1862	Bridge of Weir Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1862	Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1862	Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1862, 11 June	Inverness and Ross-shire Railway	Inverness to Dingwall opened.
1862, 21 February	Keith and Dufftown Railway	Line opened
1862, 3 July	Formartine and Buchan Railway	Mintlaw to Peterhead opened
1863	Bayer founded	Home page
1863	Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Railway	Line re-named Banffshire Railway
1863	Dundee and Arbroath Railway  Scottish North Eastern Railway	Dundee and Arbroath Railway absorbed by Scottish North Eastern Railway
1863	Perth and Dunkeld Railway  Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Perth and Dunkeld Railway absorbed by Inverness and Perth Junction Railway (Also given as 1864, 28 February).
1863	Wansbeck Railway  North British Railway	Wansbeck Railway absorbed by North British Railway
1863	Busby Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1863	Esk Valley Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1863	Northumberland Central Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1863, 1 June	Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Dunkeld to Pitlochry opened
1863, 1 July	Morayshire Extension Railway	Line opened from Craigellachie to Speyside Junction
1863, 1 July	Strathspey Railway	Line opened from Dufftown to Abernethy via Speyside Junction
1863, 1 July	Montrose and Bervie Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway  Aberdeen Junction Railway	"Circumbendibus project" proposed between the Great North of Scotland Railway and the Montrose and Bervie Railway to provide a new route to the south. This receives Royal assent and would have been called the "Aberdeen Junction Railway".
1863, 1 July	Montrose and Bervie Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway  Aberdeen Junction Railway	"Aberdeen Junction Railway" project abandoned. Montrose and Bervie Railway shares sold by the Great North of Scotland Railway.
1863, 28 July	Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway	Line opened
1863, 3 August	Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Forres to Aviemore opened
1863, 1 September	Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway	Dumfries to Lockerbie opened
1863, 9 September	Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Line opened from Pitlochry to Aviemore, thus throughout from Inverness to Perth.
1864	Crieff Junction Railway  Scottish Central Railway	Crieff Junction Railway absorbed by Scottish Central Railway
1864	Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Railway  Scottish North Eastern Railway	Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Railway absorbed by Scottish North Eastern Railway
1864	Hamilton and Strathaven Railway  Caledonian Railway	Hamilton and Strathaven Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1864	Alva Railway  Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway	Alva Railway absorbed by Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
1864	City of Glasgow Union Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1864	Crieff and Methven Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1864	Solway Junction Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1864	Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Dava station opened
1864	Perth and Dunkeld Railway	Rohallion closed
1864, 1 February	Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway	Broughton to Peebles opened
1864, 28 February	Perth and Dunkeld Railway  Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Perth and Dunkeld Railway absorbed by Inverness and Perth Junction Railway (Also given as 1863).
1864, 23 June	Denburn Valley line  Great North of Scotland Railway  Scottish North Eastern Railway	Denburn Valley line to Connect the Great North of Scotland Railway and the Scottish North Eastern Railway authorised.
1865	Birth of George V
1865	Scottish Central Railway   Caledonian Railway	Scottish Central Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1865	Kilmarnock and Troon Railway  Glasgow and South Western Railway	Kilmarnock and Troon Railway merged with Glasgow and South Western Railway
1865	Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway  North British Railway	Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway absorbed by North British Railway
1865	General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway  Caledonian Railway	General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1865	Monkland Railways  Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway	Monkland Railways absorbed by Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
1865	Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway  Glasgow and South Western Railway	Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway absorbed by Glasgow and South Western Railway
1865	Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway  Scottish Central Railway	Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway absorbed by Scottish Central Railway

 

1865	Great North of Scotland Railway	Financial difficulties arise - no share dividends paid until 1874
1865	Maybole and Girvan Railway  Glasgow and South Western Railway	Maybole and Girvan Railway absorbed by Glasgow and South Western Railway
1865	Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway  Caledonian Railway	Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1865	Kirkcudbright Railway  Glasgow and South Western Railway	Kirkcudbright Railway absorbed by Glasgow and South Western Railway
1865	Bridge of Weir Railway  Glasgow and South Western Railway	Bridge of Weir Railway absorbed by Glasgow and South Western Railway
1865	Aboyne and Braemar Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1865	Callander and Oban Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1865	Sutherland Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1865	Greenock and Ayrshire Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1865	Girvan and Portpatrick Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1865	Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Killiecrankie opened
1865	Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Dalnaspidal opened
1865	Perth and Dunkeld Railway	Rafford closed
1865, 1 February	Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway  Inverness and Perth Junction Railway	Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway and Inverness and Perth Junction Railway merge (name of new company not decided yet).
1865, 24 April	Formartine and Buchan Railway	Maud to Fraserburgh opened
1865, 29 June	Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway  Inverness and Perth Junction Railway  Highland Railway	Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway and Inverness and Perth Junction Railway merger : company named the Highland Railway.
1865, 3 July	Aberfeldy Branch (Highland Railway)	Ballinluig to Aberfeldy opened
1865, 5 July	Dingwall and Skye Railway	Dingwall and Skye Railway authorised Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh
1865, 20 September	Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway (Caledonian Railway)	Rutherglen to Coatbridge opened to goods
1866	Aberdeen and Turriff Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Aberdeen and Turriff Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway
1866	Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway
1866	Alford Valley Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Alford Valley Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway
1866	Great North of Scotland Railway	Buchanstone closed
1866	Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton Railway  North British Railway	Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton Railway absorbed by North British Railway
1866	Newport Railway	Act receives Royal assent
1866	Scottish North Eastern Railway  Caledonian Railway	Scottish North Eastern Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1866, 30 July	Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway
1866, 30 July	Keith and Dufftown Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Keith and Dufftown Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway
1866, 30 July	Formartine and Buchan Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Formartine and Buchan Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway
1866, 30 July	Strathspey Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Strathspey Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway
1866, 30 July	Deeside Railway  Deeside Extension Railway  Aboyne and Braemar Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Deeside lines leased for 999 years
1866, 1 August	Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway (Caledonian Railway)	Rutherglen to Coatbridge opened to passengers
1866, 1 August	Strathspey Railway	Nethybridge to Boat of Garten opened
1866, 17 October	Aboyne and Braemar Railway	Opened from Aboyne to Ballater
1867	Forth and Clyde Canal  Caledonian Railway	Forth and Clyde Canal bought by Caledonian Railway
1867	Banffshire Railway  Great North of Scotland Railway	Banffshire Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway
1867	Broxburn Railway	Act receives Royal ascent
1867, 1 March	Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway)	Carstairs to Dolphinton opened
1867, 4 November	Denburn Valley Line	Kittybrewster to Aberdeen Joint opened. Kittybrewster (New) on Denburn line opened
1868, 2 May	Dingwall and Skye Railway	Deviation authorised; Kyle of Lochalsh to Attadale not to be built.    Engineer; Joseph Mitchell & Company. Contractors; J & A Granger (Dingwall to Achanalt), A & K Macdonald (Achanalt to Attadale) and Donald McGregor & Company (Attadale Pier).
1869ish	Dingwall and Skye Railway	Terminus plans altered from Attadale to Strome Ferry
1869	Glasgow and Kilmarnock Joint Railway  Glasgow and South Western Railway  Caledonian Railway	Glasgow and Kilmarnock Joint Railway authorised (Glasgow and South Western Railway & Caledonian Railway)
1869	Crieff and Methven Junction Railway  Caledonian Railway	Crieff and Methven Junction Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway
1869, 9 July	Cleland and Midcalder Line (Caledonian Railway)	Line opened
1869, 13 September	Solway Junction Railway	Kirtlebridge to Annan opened for Goods