Polloc and Govan Railway

Introduction

This once coal carrying line is partly open and now forms a section of the West Coast Main Line.

Why built

This railway line replaced the 1811 earlier alignment which had extended Dixon's private railway (from the Govan Colliery through the Govan Iron Works) on to Port Elginton Basin (Glasgow, Paisley and Ardrossan Canal) and the West Street Coal Yard (by Windmillcroft Quay on the River Clyde).

The new line was a public railway and, although it bypassed the iron works to which it was connected, it directly linked the colliery to the canal and river.






Dates

  /  /1830Polloc and Govan Railway
Act receives Royal assent for a line from near Rutherglen to the River Clyde with a branch to the Port Eglinton Basin.
  /  /1831Polloc and Govan Railway
Authorisation to extend east to Rutherglen.
  /  /1837Polloc and Govan Railway
Extension of time granted for line construction.
20/08/1840Govan Waggonway Polloc and Govan Railway
Course of the Govan Waggonway partly incorporated into the under construction Polloc and Govan Railway.
  /  /1842Polloc and Govan Railway
Rutherglen to Windmillcroft Quay opened to goods. (Opened to passengers at unknown date.)
  /  /1842Polloc and Govan Railway
Around 1842 branch opened to Port Eglinton Basin to goods.
  /  /1845Clydesdale Junction Railway
Act receives Royal assent. The line was authorised from Glasgow, using the Polloc and Govan Railway to reach Hamilton with a branch to Motherwell [1st], the forks dividing at the later Newton station. The line would bring coal from pits in the Hamilton area, owned by the Dixons amongst others, to the Govan Iron Works. The Motherwell branch was authorised to not to be opened until the Caledonian Railway reached the Wishaw and Coltness Railway.
  /  /1846Polloc and Govan Railway Caledonian Railway
Polloc and Govan Railway merged with Caledonian Railway.
  /  /1846Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway
Approval for link between Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway and the Polloc and Govan Railway near Gushetfaulds - the curve is the Victoria Junction to Cathcart Road Junction (the former was later called Langside Junction and the latter is now Larkfield Junction).
  /  /1846Polloc and Govan Railway
Clyde Terrace (south bank of River Clyde) branch approved. Not built. (General Terminus opened instead.)
  /  /1846Polloc and Govan Railway Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
Branch from the Polloc and Govan Railway to the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway authorised (superseded by the General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway).
  /  /1848Polloc and Govan Railway
Locomotive shed opened at South Side.
01/06/1849Clydesdale Junction Railway
Line opened between Rutherglen [1st] and Motherwell [1st]. The Caledonian Railway begins running trains from the Glasgow terminus South Side [CR] station. Station opened to goods, passengers and minerals. This station opened on a short branch from the former Polloc and Govan Railway at Gushetfaulds. The terminus was immediately alongside the Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway terminus. Stations opened at South Side [CR], Rutherglen [1st], Cambuslang, Uddingston [1st].
01/06/1849Polloc and Govan Railway
Gushetfaulds Junction to West Street Junction upgraded for goods in addition to minerals.
  /  /1857Polloc and Govan Railway
New locomotive shed opened in Govan Colliery. Called South Side.
14/03/1867Polloc and Govan Railway
Line along West Street to Windmillcroft Quay lifted for a length of 35 chains. Stub of line is left at southern end from West Street Junction serving the Tradeston Destructor
  /  /1872William Smith Dixon Polloc and Govan Railway
William Smith Dixon gives the railway permission to build a new locomotive shed (Polmadie Shed), so long as it did not disturb Dixons own railway (Govan Iron Works Railway) which ran through an old quarry and was used for dumping slag and a level crossing over Polmadie Road to part of the Govan Colliery.
  /  /1872Govan Iron Works Railway
Dixon's Private Railway or Govan Iron Works Railway authorised to pass underneath the Polloc and Govan Railway on a new alignment (replacing an older alignment) west of Polmadie Shed, running from Govan Iron Works (north) to the colliery (south).
25/09/1873Polloc and Govan Railway
Decide to build the new Polmadie Shed discussed with William Dixon Ltd.
30/12/1873Polloc and Govan Railway
Railway buys land for a new Polmadie Shed, Rutherglen, from William Dixon Ltd for £12,750.
29/12/1874Polloc and Govan Railway
Signal box at the new Rutherglen shed under construction called Polmadie Shed.
  /07/1875Polloc and Govan Railway
Rutherglen shed, built in timber, renamed Polmadie Shed, partly brought into use.
16/09/1875Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed fully open.
  /  /1910Polloc and Govan Railway
Authorisation to lengthen Polmadie Road Bridge near Polmadie Bridge Signal Box to accommodate line widening.
  /  /1910Polloc and Govan Railway Clydesdale Junction Railway
Opening out of Rutherglen Tunnel - Glasgow Road Bridge lengthening and stopping up and diversion of New Street authorised.
  /  /1923Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed starts to be re-built in brick.
  /  /1924Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed re-building in brick complete.
  /  /1934Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed turntable replaced with 70ft.
  /  /1935Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed coded 27A.
  /  /1940Polloc and Govan Railway
Second 70ft turntable installed at Polmadie Shed.
  /  /1940Polloc and Govan Railway
Northern part of the Polmadie Mineral Sidings (Shawfield Yard) traffic sidings incorporated into Polmadie Shed during re-construction of the shed. A new coaling plant was erected.
  /  /1949Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed coded 66A.
13/06/1960Polloc and Govan Railway General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway
Line closed to passengers between Gushetfaulds Junction and Shields Junction No 1.
15/11/1965Polloc and Govan Railway
Gushetfaulds Freightliner Terminal opened. First train leaves London Maiden Lane to Gushetfaulds at 2005, followed by a southbound equivalent leaving at 2017.
28/05/1967Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed closed to steam.
  /04/1970Caledonian Railway
Wishaw and Coltness Railway
Clydesdale Junction Railway
Polloc and Govan Railway
Glasgow Central Station (Caledonian Railway)
West Coast Main Line electrification authorised.
  /  /1974Polloc and Govan Railway
Polmadie Shed closed when West Coast Main Line electrification reaches Glasgow. The site was re-developed as a carriage depot.
06/05/1974Caledonian Railway Wishaw and Coltness Railway Clydesdale Junction Railway Polloc and Govan Railway Glasgow Central Station (Caledonian Railway)
Glasgow Central to Carlisle electrification complete.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

This quayside depot was on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow at Windmillcroft Quay.
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The basin was the eastern extreme of the Glasgow, Paisley and Ardrossan Canal. It opened in 1811. The Glasgow and South Western Railway owned the canal from 1869.
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This junction was between the Polloc and Govan Railway's Windmillcroft Quay line (1840) and the General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway (1849). The facilities at General Terminus were superior to those at Windmillcroft Quay, which it replaced entirely in 1867.
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See also
General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway


This double track tunnel runs east from the site of West Street Junction [CR] to near Larkfield Junction. Above it are (from west to east)
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156430 and 156508 have just passed Larkfield Junction with an East Kilbride - Corkerhill (via reversal at Clydesdale Loop) empty stock working, now ...
Bill Roberton 20/07/2021
1 of 1 images.


This junction opened in 1877. It is a double track junction, the eastern end of a chord opened between Langside Junction on the Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway of 1848 and the Polloc and Govan Railway of 1840. The curve is marked on OS maps as the 'Polloc, Govan and Kilmarnock Joint Line Connecting Branch'.
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GBRf 66742 nears Larkfield Junction with a Christmas Day Carlisle New Yard - Newton West Junction (via Dumfries and Troon) engineers' train.
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Bill Roberton 25/12/2021
Looking over the Larkfield Curve and the WCML. The buses are stabled on the site of Larkfield Carriage Sidings. 25 December. ...
Bill Roberton 25/12/2021
156430 and 156508 approach Larkfield Junction, on the non-passenger link line from Muirhouse South Junction, with an East Kilbride - Corkerhill (via ...
Bill Roberton 20/07/2021
Jubilee 4-6-0 45588 'Kashmir' moves off from a signal check at Larkfield junction, as it nears the end of its journey with a stopping service from ...
Robin McGregor 18/07/1964
4 of 25 images. more


This junction was formed in 1849 when a short detached portion of the Clydesdale Junction Railway was opened from the former Polloc and Govan Railway (which the Clydesdale had purchased and upgraded) to a new terminus at South Side [CR]. This was an important new terminus in the south side of Glasgow, from 1849 the terminus for trains from England via the Caledonian Railway. ...

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See also
Clydesdale Junction Railway
44318 at Gushetfaulds Junction in June 1962 ...
Ken Browne /06/1962
EE Type 4 no D269 of Crewe shed with the 1005 Glasgow Central - Birmingham New Street passes Black 5 no 45136 on ECS at Gushetfaulds Junction on 9 ...
Ken Browne 09/06/1962
4.6.2 46209 'Princess Beatrice' on up 'Midday Scot' near Gushetfaulds. 27/07/1955
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G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 27/07/1955
3 of 3 images.


This locomotive works was located on the south side of the Caledonian Railway main line into Glasgow, this portion being the former Polloc and Govan Railway. It was the Glasgow Locomotive Works owned by Dübs & Co which became part of the North British Locomotive Company with the combination of several companies in 1903. Following this the location was officially the Queens Park ...

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See also
North British Locomotive Company


This signal box controlled a complex of lines where Polmadie Road crossed over the railway. (See Polmadie Shed for images to the east of the bridge, where the box was located.)
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Britannia 4-6-2 70041 'Sir John Moore' takes the summer Saturday 2.00pm Glasgow to Liverpool past Polmadie on 2nd July 1966. ...
Robin McGregor 02/07/1966
Black 5 45135 moves off Polmadie shed on to the main line in February 1967. ...
Robin McGregor 08/02/1967
A down express from Liverpool passing Queens Park Locomotive Works on 8 August 1964. The locomotive is Stanier Pacific no 46244 King George ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 08/08/1964
70035 passing Polmadie on the 13.27 Liverpool - Glasgow. 16/7/66 ...
Robin McGregor 16/07/1966
4 of 8 images. more


This was the works of Alley and MacLellan. It was located on the east side of Polmadie Bridge, south of the West Coast Main Line (former Polloc and Govan Railway) opposite the Polmadie Depot.
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At the north west corner of Polmadie Depot it can be seen that part of the steam shed still survives, topped with a sizeable water tank. The ...
Ewan Crawford //2000
37 040 at Polmadie. Access by kind permission of British Rail. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
37 178 at Polmadie. Access by kind permission of British Rail. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
37 080 at Polmadie. Access by kind permission of British Rail. ...
Ewan Crawford //1987
4 of 25 images. more


This was an important single ended shed with 16 roads, approached from the east. It was located north of the former Polloc and Govan Railway. It was an important shed around two miles south east of Glasgow Central, ideally located where many lines met.
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A contrast in colours at Polmadie Shed on 22 January 1967, with Peak class No. D83 sporting the original (but dirty) green, Brush Type 4 No. D1956 the ...
Colin Kirkwood 22/01/1967
17 May 1964 witnesses plenty of steam at Polmadie shed. Centre stage is maroon Duchess No 46240 'City of Coventry', with Newton Heath's unlined Black ...
Colin Kirkwood 17/05/1964
Fairburn 2-6-4T 42274 at Polmadie on Friday 28th April 1967. Later that day, the locomotive would take the 5.03pm from Gourock to Glasgow Central, the ...
Robin McGregor 28/04/1967
Two Standard 4MT 2-6-0’s, 76070 and 76104, are ready at Polmadie for their next turns of duty on 2nd July 1966. ...
Robin McGregor 02/07/1966
4 of 130 images. more




This location is to the east of Polmadie Depot and Polmadie Down Sidings, it is west of Rutherglen West Junction.
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See also
Clydesdale Junction Railway
The A4 Locomotive Society acquired A4 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' in 1966 and had it turned out in LNER Garter blue livery after overhaul. Having made a ...
Robin McGregor 20/05/1967
Looking west to Shawfield Junction in 2000. This junction is at the east end of Polmadie Depot and is where the Shawfield Chemical Works branch led ...
Ewan Crawford //2000
Only a couple of miles from their destination at Glasgow Central, Class 50s Nos. 404+405 are still travelling fast enough to beat the camera as they ...
Bill Jamieson 19/05/1970
3 of 3 images.