Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)

Introduction

This line is closed. The line (actually a series of short connecting lines) was built by the Caledonian Railway who wished to improve their lines in the Larkhall and Lesmahagow area. The original lines in this area were built to carry coal and the passenger stations were inconveniently located, this new line connected together the most important towns and lines and provided an improved service to passengers.

The section of line between Merryton Junction and Larkhall Central has re-opened as the electrified Larkhall Branch.






Dates

  /  /1896Strathaven and Darvel Railway Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway) Mid Lanark, Spireslack and Muirkirk Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Lines authorised for the Caledonian Railway; Darvel to Strathaven Central, Spireslack Colliery No 1 Pit to Muirkirk (Auldhouseburn Junction), Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] and Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] to Lesmahagow [2nd] and Alton Heights Junction. The Glasgow and South Western Railway is granted running powers over these lines in exchange for the Caledonian Railway having running powers from Darvel to Troon and Kilmarnock to Ayr.
  /  /1896Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Construction of line from Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] (Lesmahagow Railway) to Blackwood [2nd] (Lesmahagow Railway) begins.
  /  /1896Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Construction of line from Alton Heights (Lesmahagow Railway) to Blackwood Junction (Lesmahagow Railway) begins.
  /  /1896Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Construction of line from Merryton Junction, (Lesmahagow Railway) to Larkhall Central and Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] (Lesmahagow Railway) begins.
  /  /1896Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Construction of line from Cot Castle Goods (Lesmahagow Railway) to Strathaven Central (Hamilton and Strathaven Railway) begins.
  /  /1896Hamilton and Strathaven Railway Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Whiteshawgate Junction to Strathaven Central construction begins.
01/10/1896Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Larkhall Loop, railway no 7, authorised.
  /  /1897Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] west to east authorised.
  /  /1897Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Avondale Quarry branch authorised.
  /  /1897Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Merryton Junction via Larkhall Central to Stonehouse East Junction authorised. Previously authorised Lanark Loop abandoned.
  /  /1897Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Plotcock Colliery Branch authorised. Largely built, but not opened (a colliery did not open here at this time).
  /  /1901Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Merryton Junction via Larkhall Central to Stonehouse East Junction, extension of time to complete.
  /  /1901Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Extension of time to complete lines granted.
  /  /1904Lesmahagow Railway
Stonehouse Junction [Lanarkshire] renamed Dalserf Junction in anticipation of the opening of the Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway).
01/07/1905Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Merryton Junction, (Lesmahagow Railway) to Larkhall Central and Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] (Lesmahagow Railway) opened. Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] (Lesmahagow Railway) to Blackwood Junction (Lesmahagow Railway) opened. Blackwood Junction (Lesmahagow Railway) to Alton Heights (Lesmahagow Railway) opened. Cot Castle Goods (Lesmahagow Railway) to Strathaven Central opened. Stations opened at Larkhall Central, Blackwood [2nd], Lesmahagow [2nd]. Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] rebuilt.
07/12/1964Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Strathaven Central to Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] (excluded) closed to freight.
04/10/1965Lesmahagow Railway Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Coalburn to Hamilton (Haughhead Junction) closed to passengers. Stations closed: Coalburn, Lesmahagow [2nd], Blackwood [2nd], Stonehouse [Lanarkshire], Larkhall Central. Additionally Strathaven Central to Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] closed to passengers.
16/09/1968Lesmahagow Railway Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Auchlochan Nos 9 and 10 Collieries to Larkhall Central (excluded) closed to freight.
04/11/1968Lesmahagow Railway Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Larkhall Central to Haughhead Junction (excluded) closed to freight.
04/07/2005Lesmahagow Railway Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Signalling switched on for the re-opening of the Hamilton (Haughhead Junction) - Larkhall branch. The contractor for the reinstatement of the line was Carillion.
17/07/2005Lesmahagow Railway Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Overhead Line Equipment (overhead wires) energised for the re-opening of the Hamilton (Haughhead Junction) - Larkhall line.
26/09/2005Lesmahagow Railway Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Driver training begins on the Larkhall line.
12/12/2005Lesmahagow Railway
Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Line opened from Haughhead Junction via Chatelherault and Merryton to terminate at Larkhall. Total cost was £35M.
  /03/2008Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Strathclyde Passenger Transport commissions a £50K examination of extension from Larkhall to Stonehouse [Lanarkshire].
14/11/2015Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Strathaven Central's goods shed burns to the ground.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Merryton to Stonehouse

Merryton Junction to Stonehouse East Junction.

This junction was north of Merryton station, (a new station dating from 2005).
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See also
Lesmahagow Railway
Demolition of old girder bridge and decking at Merryton Junction before replacing with a new concrete structure in March 2005. This bridge carries the ...
Gordon Steel /03/2005
Demolition of old girder bridge and decking at Merryton Junction before replacing with a new concrete structure in March 2005. This bridge carries the ...
Gordon Steel /03/2005
Demolition of old girder bridge and decking at Merryton Junction before replacing with a new concrete structure in March 2005. This bridge carries the ...
Gordon Steel /03/2005
Demolition of old girder bridge and decking at Merryton Junction before replacing with a new concrete structure in March 2005. This bridge carries the ...
Gordon Steel /03/2005
4 of 13 images. more


This is a single platform station on a single track line. The platform is on the east side of the line.
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Bridge number 15 strengthening works ongoing at Merryton in 1996. Repairs to arches between girders with new sandstone and notice Blue brick between ...
Gordon Steel 15/01/1996
Completed service drawing after bridge strengthening work at Merryton carried out by South Lanarkshire Roads department prior to the line to Larkhall ...
Gordon Steel 14/08/1996
Looking north from Hamilton Road Larkhall, in 2005, with track laid and the overhead wiring about to be installed.
...
Bill Roberton //2005
Work continued day and night on the Larkhall re-opening. Merryton at night. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 23 images. more




This is a two platform terminus of the line from Hamilton (Haughhead Junction).
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An idle 2 x 3 car emu at Larkhall during one of the June Sunday strike days. Rear 3-car is 320312 and leading is 318262, which will form the first ...
Gordon Steel 27/06/2021
Larkhall's own Ghost train, 318262, stands idle due to Scotrail strike on 27th June 2021. It was being internally cleaned when the photograph was ...
Gordon Steel 27/06/2021
Train to Nowhere!!!! EMUs 318262 and 320312 stand idle at Larkhall's platform 2 on a Sunday Scotrail strike day, 27th June 2021. Photograph taken from ...
Gordon Steel 27/06/2021
One of the June 2021 Strike days in sunny Larkhall, with an EMU stabled until Monday morning. ...
Gordon Steel 27/06/2021
4 of 29 images. more


Also known as Larkhall Viaduct, Avon Viaduct, Millheugh, or Morgan Glen Viaduct. This disused viaduct is south of Larkhall station.
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Broomhill Viaduct, looking towards Larkhall in 1992. ...
Bill Roberton //1992
Broomhill Viaduct, looking along the deck towards Larkhall in 1992. ...
Bill Roberton //1992
The two bridges over the River Avon in Larkhall, Broomhill Viaduct was the highest in Scotland and the nearer road bridge had replaced an older stone ...
Gordon Steel 31/12/2008
Looking south and off the Broomhill Viaduct (often referred to as Larkhall Viaduct). This is Scotlands highest girder viaduct. Today it is a ...
Ewan Crawford 2/5/2004
4 of 8 images. more


This was a double track eight span girder viaduct crossing the River Avon. However, it only ever carried one track as the line was never doubled.
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Stonehouse Viaduct looking south showing the gentle curve of the line over the viaduct as the railway approached Stonehouse from Larkhall. The viaduct ...
Ewan Crawford 10/04/2005
The dismantled Stonehouse Viaduct, over the Avon Water, seen from Millheugh Road in 1986.
...
Bill Roberton //1986
Looking east at the dismantled Stonehouse Viaduct, once the longest viaduct in Scotland. The deck was removed in 1984. ...
Ewan Crawford //2004
Stonehouse Viaduct, looking towards the junction in autumn. The deck was removed in 1984. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 9 images. more


This junction was east of Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] station. The 1864 Stonehouse branch of the Lesmahagow Railway was met by the Merryton Junction to Stonehouse section of the 1905 Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway).
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See also
Lesmahagow Railway





Stonehouse to Strathaven

Stonehouse West Junction to Strathaven Central.

This junction was west of Stonehouse [Lanarkshire]. It was created when the original Lesmahagow Railway branch to Stonehouse of 1864 was met with two sections of the 1905 Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway). The original route east to Dalserf and the route west through Stonehouse to Cot Castle Goods survived.
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See also
Lesmahagow Railway


This goods station was the terminus of a branch from Stonehouse Junction. It was to the east of the ruins of Cot Castle [Castle]. The station was simple, terminating in a pair of long sidings (probably a loop), with a short siding on the south side by the access road.
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See also
Lesmahagow Railway




This was a single track eight girder viaduct crossing the Powmillon Burn.
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This is where the two near parallel Powmillon Viaducts crossed the burn to enter Strathaven from the east. Strathaven Central was behind the camera. ...
Ewan Crawford 25/05/2005
View west from the trackbed looking towards Strathaven Central from the former approach from Stonehouse. On the hillside above the lineside ...
Ewan Crawford 25/05/2005
The two parallel viaducts at Strathaven, photographed in April 1969. ...
Colin Miller /04/1969
42164 crossing Strathaven Viaduct. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 07/07/1953
4 of 4 images.


This was a fine station. It was an island platform station. The station was to the south of Strathaven. The ticket and parcels office was on Station Road. It was similar to that at Larkhall Central and the remaining building at Hamilton Central. The station was below street level in a shallow cutting. Two bridges from the building crossed the eastbound line to reach the platform - one the ...

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See also
Darvel and Strathaven Railway
Looking east from Lesmahagow Road bridge at Strathaven towards the site of the junction for the High Blantyre and Larkhall lines, in 1986.
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Bill Roberton //1986
Looking west over the site of Strathaven Central station, with the goods shed on the right, in 1986. ...
Bill Roberton //1986
The former goods shed at Strathaven in 1996 [ref query 24722]. ...
Ewan Crawford //1996
Remains of the island platform at Strathaven. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 7 images. more





Strathaven link

This was a fine station. It was an island platform station. The station was to the south of Strathaven. The ticket and parcels office was on Station Road. It was similar to that at Larkhall Central and the remaining building at Hamilton Central. The station was below street level in a shallow cutting. Two bridges from the building crossed the eastbound line to reach the platform - one the ...

More details

See also
Darvel and Strathaven Railway
Looking east from Lesmahagow Road bridge at Strathaven towards the site of the junction for the High Blantyre and Larkhall lines, in 1986.
...
Bill Roberton //1986
Looking west over the site of Strathaven Central station, with the goods shed on the right, in 1986. ...
Bill Roberton //1986
The former goods shed at Strathaven in 1996 [ref query 24722]. ...
Ewan Crawford //1996
Remains of the island platform at Strathaven. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 7 images. more


This was a single track seven girder viaduct crossing the Powmillon Burn.
...

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This was a single track girder viaduct in the east of Strathaven. This viaduct was between Strathaven North (to the north) and Pomillion Viaduct [North]. It was located on the Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway) link between Whiteshawgate Junction (north of Strathaven) and Strathaven Central.
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This portion of a remaining pier of the viaduct between Strathaven North and Strathaven Central is octagonal in shape. It can be seen on the left when ...
Ewan Crawford 25/05/2005
Looking west towards Strathaven along the A71 in 1986. The embankments are remnants of the Strathaven (1st) to Strathaven Central line.
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Bill Roberton //1986
View of the deck of the viaduct immediately south of Strathaven North station. ...
John Robin /04/1963
3 of 3 images.


This was a single platform station. The platform was on the west side of a single track line. The station was to the east of Strathaven [Flemington] station which it replaced. The station was located in a cutting.
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This junction was north of Strathaven. It was formed between the 1863 Hamilton and Strathaven Railway and the 1904 Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway), a set of lines and connection made to link together the Caledonian Railway's lines in the area. Part of this was an extension west from Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] to Darvel. The line from Whiteshawgate would connect to this ...

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See also
Hamilton and Strathaven Railway
Looking south towards Strathaven at Whiteshawgate Junction in July 1953. To the left is the route for Strathaven Central and right for Strathaven ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 07/07/1953
1 of 1 images.





Stonehouse to Blackwood

This junction was west of Stonehouse [Lanarkshire]. It was created when the original Lesmahagow Railway branch to Stonehouse of 1864 was met with two sections of the 1905 Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway). The original route east to Dalserf and the route west through Stonehouse to Cot Castle Goods survived.
...

More details

See also
Lesmahagow Railway




This junction opened in 1905 when the 1864 Blackwood [1st] branch (passengers from 1866) of the Lesmahagow Railway was met by two sections of the new Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway).
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See also
Lesmahagow Railway
Blackwood Junction. [Railscot note: looking north.] ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 30/06/1953
Blackwood Junction. [Railscot note: looking south. Blemish on print.] ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 30/06/1953
Looking south from Blackwood signal box in May 1964, as 45029 with a pigeon special waits for a DMU from Coalburn to clear the section to Alton ...
John Robin 15/05/1964
3 of 3 images.





Blackwood to Auldton Heights

This junction opened in 1905 when the 1864 Blackwood [1st] branch (passengers from 1866) of the Lesmahagow Railway was met by two sections of the new Mid Lanark Lines (Caledonian Railway).
...

More details

See also
Lesmahagow Railway
Blackwood Junction. [Railscot note: looking north.] ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 30/06/1953
Blackwood Junction. [Railscot note: looking south. Blemish on print.] ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 30/06/1953
Looking south from Blackwood signal box in May 1964, as 45029 with a pigeon special waits for a DMU from Coalburn to clear the section to Alton ...
John Robin 15/05/1964
3 of 3 images.


This was a single platform station with the platform on the west (town) side of the line. It replaced the Blackwood [1st] terminus which became the goods yard.
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Blackwood (new). CR 0.4.4T 55182. June 1953. [Railscot note: Blemish on print.] ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 30/06/1953
1 of 1 images.




This was a single platform station with a large goods yard. There was land for a loop and second platform. Although a loop was laid (taken out later) the second platform was not built. The platform was on the west side of the line. There was a fine Caledonian style building. The signal box was towards the north end of the platform.
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The 'throat' of Lesmahagow station in 2000. The passenger station, a single platform, was on the line continuing south and curving off to the left to ...
Ewan Crawford //2000
Lesmahagow. 55182 and 80022 on Hamilton train. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 25/06/1953
Lesmahagow. CR 0.4.4T 55182 piloting standard 2.6.4T 80022 on Coalburn - Hamilton train. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 25/06/1953
Lesmahagow. CR 0.4.4T 55182 piloting standard 2.6.4T 80022 on Coalburn - Hamilton train. [Railscot note: Blemish on print.] ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 25/06/1953
4 of 7 images. more


This large masonry viaduct, which crossed a river, road and part of the town, has been demolished. It was an eight span single track viaduct. The parapets were brick and arches brick lined. The viaduct was just to the south of Lesmahagow [2nd] station.
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Lesmahagow Viaduct in either September or October 1980. It is mentioned in a couple of websites as being demolished circa 1980. ...
John Clark //1980
42055 crossing Lesmahagow Viaduct. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 25/07/1953
2 of 2 images.


This was a four way junction. The location was originally called Auldton Heights.
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See also
Lesmahagow Railway
Muirkirk and Lesmahagow Junction Railway
View south at Alton Heights Junction in 1996. To the right was the original line running to Coalburn, to the left the line to Poneil Junction. Alton ...
Ewan Crawford //1996
Alton Heights. 42128 on Coalburn train. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 25/07/1953
45029 takes water at Alton Heights on 15 May 1964 after arriving with a pigeon special see image 46637. This had once been a 4-way junction with ...
John Robin 15/05/1964
Alton Heights. Looking north. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 25/07/1953
4 of 4 images.





Stonehouse Curve

This goods station was the terminus of a branch from Stonehouse Junction. It was to the east of the ruins of Cot Castle [Castle]. The station was simple, terminating in a pair of long sidings (probably a loop), with a short siding on the south side by the access road.
...

More details

See also
Lesmahagow Railway