Solway Junction Railway

Introduction

This line is closed. The railway crossed the mile long Solway Viaduct which crossed the shifting sands of the Solway Firth. The railway was built in 1869 to carry haematite from Cumbria to the blast furnaces of Lanarkshire where local iron ore supplies were depleted. Closure as a through route was in 1921 due to the deteriorating viaduct.






Dates

  /  /1864Solway Junction Railway
Act receives Royal assent for a line consisting to two parts: Kirtlebridge (Caledonian Railway) to Kirkbride Junction (Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock) and Abbeyholme Junction (Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock) to Brayton (Maryport and Carlisle Railway). The first part will cross the considerable Solway Viaduct between Scotland an England. The Act included an Annan Waterfoot Branch and a Port Carlisle Branch both of which were not built.
  /  /1865Glasgow and South Western Railway Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway, who were to work the Solway Junction Railway, is authorised to access the Glasgow and South Western Railway's Annan station via Solway Junction.
  /  /1865Maryport and Carlisle Railway
Running powers for the Caledonian Railway, who would work the Solway Junction Railway, obtained for the Maryport and Carlisle Railway between Brayton Junction and Brayton.
  /  /1865Solway Junction Railway
Deviation authorised.
  /  /1867Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock
Running powers for the Caledonian Railway, who would work the Solway Junction Railway, obtained for the North British Railway owned line between Kirkbride Junction and Abbeyholme Junction.
  /  /1867Solway Junction Railway
Approval to not have an opening span of the Solway Viaduct.
  /  /1869Solway Junction Railway
Working agreement with Caledonian Railway.
13/09/1869Solway Junction Railway
Kirtlebridge to Annan (Shawhill) opened for goods.
13/09/1869Solway Junction Railway
Annan [Shawhill] to Brayton opened to minerals. Brayton Shed opened at Brayton with two roads, sidings and a turntable in the junction between the Solway Junction Railway and the Maryport and Carlisle Railway.
16/09/1869Solway Junction Railway
Abbey Junction [CR] (Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock) to Brayton opened for goods (Maryport and Carlisle Railway).
  /  /1870Solway Junction Railway
Abbeyholme Branch authorised.
08/03/1870Solway Junction Railway
Kirtlebridge to Annan (Shawhill) opened for passengers.
08/08/1870Solway Junction Railway
Solway Junction Railway open throughout. Annan (Shawhill) to Kirkbride Junction over the Solway Viaduct and Abbey Junction [CR] to Brayton opened to passengers.
31/08/1870Solway Junction Railway
Abbey Junction [CR] opened.
09/09/1873Solway Junction Railway
The portion of the line from Kirtlebridge to Annan Shawhill is transferred to the Caledonian Railway.
  /  /1877Solway Junction Railway Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock
Solway Junction Railway authorised to use Abbey to Kirkbride
  /01/1881Solway Junction Railway
Solway Viaduct partially destroyed by ice floes on the Solway.
  /  /1882Solway Junction Railway
North British Railway gains running powers over the Solway line from Abbeyholme Junction and Brayton Junction
  /  /1882Solway Junction Railway
Branch to the North British Railway's Port Carlisle line authorised.
  /  /1882Solway Junction Railway
The Solway Junction Railway gains running powers over the Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock from Kirkbride Junction to Drumburgh and over the Carlisle and Port Carlisle Railway and Dock from Drumburgh to Canal Junction [Carlisle] to meet the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway.
  /  /1882Solway Junction Railway
Caledonian Railway gains running powers (not just working) over the line.
01/05/1884Solway Junction Railway
Solway Viaduct repairs complete.
  /  /1889Solway Junction Railway
Proposed Port Carlisle branch abandoned.
  /  /1889Solway Junction Railway
Further working agreement with Caledonian Railway.
  /  /1895Solway Junction Railway
Brayton Shed closed, but used to stable engines at night.
01/07/1895Solway Junction Railway
Section from Abbey Junction [CR] to Brayton transferred to the Caledonian Railway.
06/07/1895Solway Junction Railway
Act passed to merge the remainder of the Solway Junction Railway into the Caledonian Railway. Confirmation of running powers over North British Railway's Silloth line.
  /  /1896Solway Junction RailwayCaledonian Railway
Solway Junction Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway.
  /  /1904Solway Junction Railway
Brayton Shed demolished, turntable retained until at least 1923.
01/01/1917Solway Junction Railway
Abbey Junction [CR] closed.
02/03/1919Solway Junction Railway
Abbey Junction [CR] re-opened.
  /  /1921Solway Junction Railway
Brayton Shed site probably ceases to be used overnight when the Solway Viaduct closes.
20/05/1921Solway Junction Railway
Abbey Junction [CR] closed.
27/04/1931Solway Junction Railway
Annan Shawhill to Kirtlebridge closed to goods.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Kirtlebridge to Kirkbride

This was a small two platform station until the opening of the Solway Junction Railway in 1869. Reconstruction created a junction station. The station closed in 1960.
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See also
Caledonian Railway
West Coast Railway 37516 heads north on the WCML at Kirtlebridge on 1 June 2014 over the emergency crossovers running light engine Carnforth to ...
John McIntyre 01/06/2014
Looking north over the site of Kirtlebridge station and junction (for Annan and the Solway Viaduct) in 2010. Both have been oblitered with the ...
Ewan Crawford 15/04/2010
2 of 2 images.


While Annan station is south of the town, Annan Shawhill was to its east.
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The road approach to Annan Shawhill station in 1998 with the scrapyard that grew up around the old station (closed in 1931) dominating the scene. Atop ...
Ewan Crawford //1998
Looking south from the B721 road over the former station at Annan Shawhill on 12 October 2006 along the route that ran to the Solway Viaduct. The ...
John Furnevel 12/10/2006
2 of 2 images.


This junction was south of Annan Shawhill station on the Solway Junction Railway. A curve ran from the south to the west to meet the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway a little east of Annan station to allow interchange between the two lines. The Solway Viaduct was 3/4 of a mile to the south. The Solway Junction Railway was a single track line, although land was taken ...

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After crossing north over the Solway Viaduct the Solway Junction Railway headed for Annan Shawhill station. On its way the line crossed this more ...
John Furnevel 21/05/2008
1 of 1 images.


This was a mile long (1950 yd although sources vary) single bridge crossing the Solway Firth between Annan, in Scotland on the north bank, and Bowness, in England on the south bank. As John Thomas described it this was 'the most exciting rail link between Scotland and England'.
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Pipeline Junction. View north from the Solway coast on the outskirts of Annan in May 2008 along the trackbed of the Solway Junction Railway, with the ...
John Furnevel 21/05/2008
A view from the remains of the Solway Viaduct looking towards Annan on 17/08/2016. I believe the viaduct was finally dismantled in 1935. ...
Brian Smith 18/08/2016
View of both Solway Viaduct embankments, as seen from the area known as Back of the Hill in Annan on 31st January 2016 ...
Mark Bartlett 31/01/2016
Last remnants of the Solway Viaduct at the south end in 1997. ...
Ewan Crawford //1997
4 of 17 images. more


This station was just to the south of the Solway Viaduct. The line was single track and the station had a loop and two platforms. The main building was on the southbound platform.
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View north at Bowness along the causeway towards the former Solway Viaduct in 2002. ...
Mike Shannon /03/2002
Bowness station, now a house, viewed from the road. The viaduct was behind and to the right. ...
Mike Shannon /03/2002
View south over the site of Bowness station in 2002.
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Mike Shannon /03/2002
View north at Bowness along the causeway towards the former Solway Viaduct in 2002. ...
Mike Shannon /03/2002
4 of 6 images. more


Whitrigg looking west in 2002. The line ran left-right on the far side of the house seen here.
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Mike Shannon /03/2002
1 of 1 images.




At this junction the 1869 Solway Junction Railway met the existing 1856 Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock. To the north was the route to the Solway Viaduct and to the east that to Carlisle. The route south west was to Silloth and, via Brayton, to the West Cumberland iron and steel works and iron ore mines.
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See also
Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock





Annan Curve

This junction was south of Annan Shawhill station on the Solway Junction Railway. A curve ran from the south to the west to meet the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway a little east of Annan station to allow interchange between the two lines. The Solway Viaduct was 3/4 of a mile to the south. The Solway Junction Railway was a single track line, although land was taken ...

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After crossing north over the Solway Viaduct the Solway Junction Railway headed for Annan Shawhill station. On its way the line crossed this more ...
John Furnevel 21/05/2008
1 of 1 images.


This was a double track junction east of Annan station. It was formed in 1869 between the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway (the Glasgow and South Western Railway's main line) and a curve to the new Solway Junction Railway (owned by the Caledonian Railway).
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See also
Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway
Looking west towards Annan from Watchall Road bridge on 30 May 2007. Work is underway in connection with the redoubling of the G&SW route to ...
John Furnevel 30/05/2007
The 1548 Glasgow Central - Newcastle Central eastbound shortly after restarting from Annan on 21 May 2008. The train is on the single line section to ...
John Furnevel 21/05/2008
Seafield Road, Annan, looking north west back towards the town in May 2008. The bridge, which once carried the line to the Solway Viaduct, had been ...
John Furnevel 21/05/2008
Just east of Annan station 156435 takes to the single track as it heads for Carlisle. By modern (slightly peculiar) naming standards the train would ...
Ewan Crawford //1998
4 of 12 images. more





Abbey Junction to Brayton



This was a single platform, part of an exchange station. It was built on the Solway Junction Railway (opened to goods and minerals in 1869) alongside Abbey Junction [NBR], just to its east (and a little to the south) such that the single platform was conjoined with the Silloth bound platform of the Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock of 1856. The junction itself, ...

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This was a single platform station, about half a mile south west of Bromfield itself, a small village. It was also south of Bromfield Hall.
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Nearly ninety years after the last train passed beneath this stone bridge still carries access traffic over the Solway Junction line trackbed at ...
Mark Bartlett 02/12/2021
Bromfield today is still a tiny Cumbrian hamlet. Its station, on the Solway Junction line, closed in 1917, reopened briefly in 1920 but closed ...
Mark Bartlett 02/12/2021
2 of 2 images.




This junction was east of Brayton station. The southern end of the Solway Junction Railway, controlled by the Caledonian Railway, joined the Maryport and Carlisle Railway at a junction which allowed access to the Solway line from the south. This line is the railway which crossed the Solway Firth on the mile long Solway Viaduct.
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More details

See also
Maryport and Carlisle Railway
Just beyond Brayton Junction the route of the old Solway Junction Railway is clearly visible nearly ninety years after the last train passed through. ...
Mark Bartlett 02/12/2021
The last freight train to use the old Solway Junction line from Abbeytown to Brayton, near Aspatria, ran in 1933 (the last passengers had been carried ...
Mark Bartlett 02/12/2021
2 of 2 images.