St Vigeans Junction

Location type

Junction

Name and dates

St Vigeans Junction (1880-1955)

Opened on the North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway.
Opened on the Arbroath and Forfar Railway.

Description

This junction, north of Arbroath station, was where the North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway (later North British Railway) met the Arbroath and Forfar Railway (later Caledonian Railway).

The line between St Vigeans Junction and Arbroath Junction (just north of Arbroath station) became joint Caledonian Railway and North British Railway in 1880, just after the opening of the Tay Bridge [1st]. The route west to Camperdown Junction also became a joint line.

St Vigeans junction was a double track junction with a signal box, opened with the junction, to the north of the junction itself on the east side of the two main lines. There were further lines however.

It was a complicated junction with sidings due to the Dens Iron Works being on the east side of the junction. This works was reached from the north via a double headshunt on the east side of the junction which was approached from the south where it met the North British line just north of the main junction. There was a second connection from the iron works allowing access from the North British line to the north. As a result, the box was enclosed in lines - the Caledonian and North British lines to its west and the goods lines to its east.

In addition a line was laid from the headshunt south, on the east side of the railway, as far as the site of Arbroath Shed [1st].

The Forfar [2nd] route was severed in 1955. The signal box closed in 1960.

With the closure of the Forfar [2nd] route, there is no junction here today, it is just a location on the East Coast Main Line.

Local

St Vigeans Stones and Museum

Tags

Junction


Chronology Dates

  /  /1879Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Agreement that a short portion of the Arbroath and Forfar Railway between Arbroath Harbour Junction and St Vigeans Junction should become joint Caledonian Railway and North British Railway.
01/02/1880Dundee and Arbroath Joint Railway Caledonian Railway North British Railway
Dundee and Arbroath Joint Railway authorised (Caledonian Railway and North British Railway). This involved the bulk of the former Dundee and Arbroath Railway between Camperdown Junction and near Arbroath station and a short portion of the Arbroath and Forfar Railway as far as St Vigeans Junction. This followed the opening of the Tay Bridge [1st] in 1878 and the impending opening of the North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway of 1880.
05/12/1955Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Arbroath to Forfar [2nd] local passenger trains withdrawn. Colliston, Leysmill, Friockheim, Guthrie, Clocksbriggs stations closed. St Vigeans Junction to Guthrie Junction closed to passengers.
05/12/1955Arbroath and Forfar Railway
St Vigeans Junction (excluded) to Letham Mill Siding (excluded) closed to goods and completely.

Books


The Arbroath and Forfar Railway: The Dundee Direct Line and the Kirriemuir Branch (Oakwood Library of Railway History)

The Montrose & Bervie Railway: A Study of Transport in South-East Kincardineshire 1770-1966