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This junction is the successor to the original junction between the main line of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the Kipps branch, and the line to Glasgow.

With the expansion of the Gartsherrie Iron Works the line north was realigned further east, the Hornock Deviation (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway), the two alignments existing together for some time. Gunnie Yard [1st] developed to the north, associated with the iron works.

With the opening of the route west to High Street in 1870, the Glasgow and Coatbridge Branch (North British Railway), there was further realignment and the present Sunnyside Junction took form.

The original signal box was on the north side of the line. The Hornock/High Street Junction was to the west and Kipps/Whifflet junction to the east. It was replaced in 1920 with a new box in the ^V^ of the west junction.

After 1960 the signal box took over Greenside Junction, further east, until the junction^s closure in 1972. Also in 1960 it took over Blairhill^s Blairhill and Gartsherrie box.

The box closed in 1991. In its latter days this box was painted yellow, presumably for ^Sunnyside^.

The former main line south is now single and the route north, latterly only serving Gunnie Yard [2nd] and the cement works, has closed.

To the south of the west to south curve was a yard, altered over the years as the layout of lines changed (initially one of its uses was the approach to the coal drops on Howes Basin). This bordered and served the Summerlee Iron Works, now the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life.

The line to the south was singled in 1973 with the strengthening of the bridge by Coatbridge Fountain, this to allow heavier trains to Gunnie Cement.

The line north of the junction to Gunnie Yard [2nd] is now out of use.

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