Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)

Introduction

This line is closed. It extended the Lanark branch south west to serve several coal mines and the town of Douglas (from which it was somewhat distant).






Dates

  /  /1860Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Line authorised: Smyllum Junction (Lanark) to Douglas. Smyllum Curve (Douglas Junction East to Douglas Junction South) and Silvermuir Curve (Silvermuir Junction to Silvermuir South Junction) also authorised.
01/04/1864Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Lanark (Smyllum Junction) to Douglas opened. In Lanark a triangular junction is created by opening Douglas Junction South to Douglas Junction East.
01/04/1864Lanark Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Line doubled on opening of Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway). At Silvermuir a triangular junction is formed by opening Smyllum South Junction to Smyllum Junction.
  /  /1865Muirkirk Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Line authorised, extending the Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway) west. A Bill for a branch to Glespin is abandoned. Caledonian Railway given running powers from Muirkirk [1st] to Ayr and Troon, in return the Glasgow and South Western Railway is given running powers to Edinburgh, Leith and Granton.
  /09/1887Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Sandilands closed to minerals.
09/08/1910Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Lanark Racecourse opened. Some doubling of the Douglas Branch to Lanark Racecourse took place in preparation for the Lanark Aviation meeting and the huge number of expected visitors. Lanark Racecourse station was by the meeting site.
05/10/1964Muirkirk Branch (Caledonian Railway) Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Muirkirk [2nd] to Ponfeigh (excluded) closed to all traffic. Douglas Colliery branch remains open.
05/10/1964Muirkirk Branch (Caledonian Railway)Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Muirkirk [2nd] to Lanark (Smyllum West Junction) closed to passengers.
18/10/1965Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Lanark Racecourse to Smyllum West Junction closed to freight but is retained for turning engines.
19/12/1965Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Lanark Racecourse to Smyllum West Junction ceases to be used for engine turning.
15/01/1968Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Douglas Colliery to Ponfeigh, Lanark Racecourse and Smyllum East Junction (excluded) closed to freight.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Lanark to Happendon

This was the western apex of a triangle of junctions. It was formed in 1864 between the 1854 Lanark Branch (Caledonian Railway) and the Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway). The curve south to Douglas Junction South allowed passenger trains starting from Lanark to run to Douglas and, later, Muirkirk [2nd].
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Lanark Branch (Caledonian Railway)


This was the southern apex of a triangle of junctions between the 1854 Lanark Branch (Caledonian Railway) and the 1864 Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway). This was the junction between the west (for Lanark) and east forks which opened in 1864.
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The racecourse at Lanark, to the east of the town, opened in 1908. This station was built to serve the racecourse.
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Caledonian 0-6-0 57581 at Lanark Racecourse with the SLPF 'Covenanter' special on 20th October 1962. ...
Brian Haslehust 20/10/1962
McIntosh 0-6-0 57581 pauses at Lanark Racecourse with the SLPF 'Covenanter' railtour of 20th October 1962. ...
Brian Haslehust 20/10/1962
Caledonian 0-6-0 57581 pauses at Lanark Racecourse with the SLPF 'Covenanter' special on 20th October 1962. ...
Brian Haslehust 20/10/1962
The overgrown platform at Lanark Racecourse looking west. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 9 images. more


This was a single track viaduct over the River Clyde between Sandilands [Lanarkshire] and Lanark stations.
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When photographed in 1970 or so, demolition was well underway at Sandilands Viaduct, which was sited a few miles out of Lanark on the line to ...
John Clark //1970
Tha mammoth southern end of the former Sandilands viaduct. ...
Ewan Crawford //
A postcard view of Sandilands Viaduct. ...
H Miller //
Sandilands Viaduct formerly crossed the River Clyde near Lanark. The massive stone abutments of this bridge still stand. This 2005 view looks south ...
Ewan Crawford 30/01/2005
4 of 4 images.


This was a single platform station with the platform on the east side of a single track line. The platform was on a raised embankment.
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Looking east at the former Sandlilands station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Sandilands looking to Lanark. ...
Ewan Crawford //
2 of 2 images.


This was a single platform station with a passing loop. The platform was on the west side of the line with a small timber building in Caledonian style. Also known as Ponfeigh for Douglas Water.
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The initially isolated Ponfeigh station seems to have engendered the village of Douglas Water (a more euphonious, if tautologous name - Douglas means ...
David Panton 12/09/1960
The Branch Line Society railtour of 16th October 1965 included a visit to Ponfeigh, where GNSR 4-4-0 49 'Gordon Highlander' is seen on the headshunt ...
Robin McGregor 16/10/1965
GNSR no. 49 'Gordon Highlander' runs round its train at Ponfeigh, in the course of a Branch Line Society railtour on 16th October 1965. During the run ...
Robin McGregor 16/10/1965
Looking west from Ponfeigh in 1986. Douglas Colliery, closed in 1967, is in the background. The washery can be seen. The colliery was served by a ...
Bill Roberton //1986
4 of 9 images. more




This was the terminus of the Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway) from Lanark. It remained a terminus until 1873 when the line extended to Muirkirk [2nd].
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Muirkirk Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Passing through Happendon, South Lanarkshire, in 1964, the year the station closed. ...
Colin Miller //1964
Looking towards Lanark. ...
John Robin 23/05/1963
2 of 2 images.





Smyllum Curve

This was the eastern apex of a triangle of junctions which gave access from the 1854 Lanark Branch (Caledonian Railway) to the 1864 Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway). The junction allowed a train from the north to join the new Douglas branch.
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Lanark Branch (Caledonian Railway)


This was the southern apex of a triangle of junctions between the 1854 Lanark Branch (Caledonian Railway) and the 1864 Douglas Branch (Caledonian Railway). This was the junction between the west (for Lanark) and east forks which opened in 1864.
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Douglas Colliery Branch

This ran from just north of Ponfeigh station, which was to the north east of the colliery.

This was a single platform station with a passing loop. The platform was on the west side of the line with a small timber building in Caledonian style. Also known as Ponfeigh for Douglas Water.
...

More details
The initially isolated Ponfeigh station seems to have engendered the village of Douglas Water (a more euphonious, if tautologous name - Douglas means ...
David Panton 12/09/1960
The Branch Line Society railtour of 16th October 1965 included a visit to Ponfeigh, where GNSR 4-4-0 49 'Gordon Highlander' is seen on the headshunt ...
Robin McGregor 16/10/1965
GNSR no. 49 'Gordon Highlander' runs round its train at Ponfeigh, in the course of a Branch Line Society railtour on 16th October 1965. During the run ...
Robin McGregor 16/10/1965
Looking west from Ponfeigh in 1986. Douglas Colliery, closed in 1967, is in the background. The washery can be seen. The colliery was served by a ...
Bill Roberton //1986
4 of 9 images. more


Opened for coking coal by the Coltness Iron Company and 238m deep. This colliery replaced an older set of mines in the area.
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