Motherwell New Lines (Caledonian Railway)

Introduction

These lines received their Act in 1890. The Act was for several line portions to connect existing lines and produce new through routes. The principal route was a double track goods only line south from Jerviston Junction to Shields Colliery Junction serving the area east of Motherwell where the Dalzell Iron and Steel Works and Glasgow Rolling Stock and Plant Works were expanding and the Lanarkshire Steel Works was planned. This core line provided a goods only route connecting the main line to the south with the expanding marshalling yard at Mossend Yard. A connection was made to the Wishaw Estate Railway which served various collieries near Wishaw and east of Motherwell.




Dates

  /  /1890Motherwell New Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Motherwell New Lines authorised: - Railway No 3 to run from Windmillhill (Colville's Sidings Signal Box) to the Wishaw Estate Railway - Wishaw Estate Railway part doubling - Wishaw Estate Railway to Coursington (to Jerviston) - Railway No 6 to run from Shields Colliery to Jerviston
  /  /1893Motherwell New Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Extension of time to acquire land granted.
  /  /1894Motherwell New Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Further extension of time.
  /  /1900Motherwell New Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Authorisation to expand the goods and minerals bridge at Flemington near Shields Colliery Junction.
10/01/1901Motherwell New Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Motherwell New Lines Dalzell Railway No 5 opened. Motherwell New Lines Dalzell Railway No 6 opened.
  /  /1905Motherwell New Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Extension of time to authorisation to expand the goods and minerals bridge at Flemington near Shields Colliery Junction.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Jerviston Junction to Shields Colliery Junction

The first portion of this route used the northern part of the original alignment of the Wishaw and Coltness Railway to Motherwell Junction. From near the Jerviston Viaduct, which was not reused, it ran south east and then south to Coursington Road and the Lanarkshire Steel Works before continuing to Shields Colliery. The latter portion (Shields Colliery to Lanarkshire Steel Works) was the first part built.

This junction was south of Milnwood Junction. Most recently (1993) it provided access to the line to Ravenscraig No 3 Yard used for trips from Mossend Marshalling Yard to deliver limestone to the works and take strip coil away. It had also served the sizeable Clydesdale Steel Works yard, which closed slightly earlier.
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See also
Motherwell Deviation Line (Caledonian Railway)
Clydesdale Steel Works Railways
Ravenscraig Steelworks (David Colville and Sons)


This junction was north of Jerviston Viaduct. It was the junction between the Wishaw and Coltness Railway and a colliery branch to a coal pit at Cleekhimin.
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Wishaw and Coltness Railway
A view taken from the bing a short distance down the out of use branch from Jerviston Junction (New) to the former BSC Ravenscraig Number 3 Sidings. ...
Ewan Crawford 10/05/2008
1 of 1 images.


This double track girder bridge crossed Merry Street north of the Ravenscraig Steelworks (David Colville and Sons). The bridge has been removed and relocated to replace the River Dulnain Viaduct on the Strathspey Railway [Preserved].
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Standing on the bridge over Merry Street looking towards the former BSC Ravenscraig site in October 2008. The line carried strip coil trains, ...
Mick Golightly //
The bridge that carried the line from Jerviston Junction (Mossend) into BSC Ravenscraig, seen spanning Merry Street, Motherwell in October 2008. The ...
Mick Golightly 27/10/2008
A class 08 working on the Mossend - Ravenscraig no 3 line crossing the bridge over Merry Street, Motherwell, in the 1980s. This bridge was removed in ...
Johnny Trippick //
3 of 3 images.




This was a double track junction controlled by a signal box on the east side of the junction, just south of the Coursington Road over bridge. Trains approaching from the north could go south west to the Dalzell Steel Works or south east to Lanarkshire Steel Works and on to Shields Colliery Junction. Immediately to the north of the road bridge were sidings for a pumping station (west) ...

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This signal box was built on the Motherwell New Lines (Caledonian Railway) on the first portion of this line, authorised in 1890 and running from Shields Colliery Junction to north of Lanarkshire Steel Works. This was originally a reversing spur for the works until the line was extended on to Cousington Road Junction Signal Box in 1900 and the Lanarkshire Steel Works box opened.
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This was a large junction and west end of a yard which commenced at Shieldmuir Junction to the east.
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See also
Wishaw and Coltness Railway
Ravenscraig Steelworks (David Colville and Sons)
The sign read 'Exit from Ravenscraig by this route is strictly forbidden', although judging by the footpath this wasn't much of a deterrent. ...
Ewan Crawford //1988
With the WCML out of sight off to the left and BSC Dalzell in the distance on the right this view looks west at the former six tracks wide bridge over ...
Ewan Crawford //1988
2 of 2 images.