Carstairs South Junction

Location type

Junction

Names and dates

Strawfrank Junction (1872-1972)
Carstairs South Junction (1972-)

Station code: CAJ National Rail
Opened on the Caledonian Railway.

Description

This junction is where the West Coast Main Line from the south divides, the western line running to Glasgow Central (and the north) and eastern to Edinburgh Waverley. Carstairs station is just to the north on the Glasgow fork.

This location was known as Strawfrank Junction. It is the southern end of the 1872 curve from [[Dolphinton Junction]. A signal box opened with the junction, a tall box on the west side of the line just north of a road bridge. The box was built 3 storeys high to see over the bridge. This was a double track junction.

South of the bridge was a permanent way depot on the west side of the line (approached from the junction).

The box lasted until preparations for electrification of the West coast Main Line. It was replaced by a temporary panel box at Carstairs station.

The junction name was changed to Carstairs South Junction. The Edinburgh line's connection was turned into a single lead junction, the line doubling to the immediate north of the junction.

A loading bank remains from the long closed permanent way depot.

Tags

Junction




Chronology Dates

  /  /1863Caledonian Railway
Approval for the Strawfrank Junction to Dolphinton Junction curve. The curve is required as the Dolphinton Branch (Caledonian Railway) will sever the Lampits Junction to Float Junction curve allowing direct running to Edinburgh Princes Street from the south, rather than reversal at Carstairs.
10/10/1872Caledonian Railway
Strawfrank Junction to Dolphinton Junction curve opened.

News items

28/10/2022Carstairs junction upgrade is key to modernising network [Network Rail]
30/11/2021Carstairs remodelling: all services will benefit from the project [RailFreight.com]
29/11/2021Scotland's Railway to deliver £17m upgrade this Christmas [Network Rail]
05/11/2021Carstairs Junction signalling contract awarded [Rail Business UK]

Books


An Illustrated History of Carlisle's Railways

Bradshaw's Guides Scotlands Railways West Coast - Carlisle to Inverness: 5

Caledonian Dunalastairs and Associated Classes (Locomotive Monograph)

Caledonian in LMS Days (Railways in Retrospect)

Caledonian Railway

Caledonian Railway Carriages

Caledonian Railway Livery: The True Line Elegance and Style

Caledonian Railway Wagons & Non-Passenger Coaching Stock

Caledonian Routes 3: Stirling to Crianlarich - DVD - Oakwood Press

Caley to the Coast: Rothesay by Wemyss Bay (Oakwood Library of Railway History)

Callander & Oban Railway Through Time

Callander and Oban Railway (Library of Railway History)

Carlisle To Beattock: including the Dumfries Branch (Scottish Main Lines)

Carlisle to Hawick: The Waverley Route (Scml)

Signalling the Caledonian Railway

The Caledonian Railway 'jumbos' the 18in. X 26in. 0-6-0s

The Caledonian, Scotland's Imperial Railway: A History

The Vanished Railways of Old Western Dunbartonshire (Britains Railways/Old Photos)

Through Scotland with the Caledonian Railway

Vanished Railways of West Lothian