Swinehill Junction

Location type

Junction

Name and dates

Swinehill Junction (-1942)

Opened on the Lesmahagow Railway.

Description

This junction was for initially for Swinhill Colliery. The junction probably opened with the line. Both the spellings Swinehill and Swinhill were used. The signal box used the spelling Swinehill.

Swinehill was reached by the branch from Stonehouse Junction in 1862. The line was extended from Canderside to Stonehouse [Lanarkshire] in 1864.

The original signal box was replaced in 1891. There was a loop. The box was located on the north side of the junction.

In the 1897 OS map various mines and works are seen.

A mineral line ran east then south to Swinhill Colliery Pit No 3, Swinhill Colliery Pit No 2 and Swinhill Colliery Pit No 4. By its junction with the loop was Larkfield Brickworks.

A line ran north from the loop to Struther Colliery and Struther Colliery Pit No 5.

Further east, closer to Dalserf Junction, a mineral line ran north to Shawburn Colliery and Shawsrigg Fire Clay Works which was connected by tramway to Shawsrigg Fire clay Pit. Another siding served Birkrigg Colliery Pit No 2.

To the south of Swinehill box was the loading point for Avondale Colliery Pit No 2 which was by the Avon Water, connected to the loading point by incline.

By 1910:

The Larkfield Brickworks were replaced by the Caledonian Brick Works, a little closer to the loop. Avon Sanitary Engineering Works, served with a siding, had opened over the loop on its north side.

Swinhill Colliery Pit No 3 had closed and Swinhill Colliery Pit No 2 re-built.

Struther Colliery Pit No 5 had closed. Struther Colliery was named New Struther.

A yard had been laid out at Canderside, to reach Canderrigg Colliery Pits Nos 4 and 5. Further south on the Stonehouse branch was the siding for Canderrigg Colliery Pits Nos 2 and 3.

The line to Stonehouse East Junction closed in 1935.

By 1940 the Caledonian Brick Works had become the Birkenshaw Brick Works and the Avon Sanitary Engineering Works had been enlarged. Swinhill Colliery Pit No 2 and Canderrigg Colliery Pits Nos 4 and 5 remained open.

Swinehill box closed in 1942.

The branch remained open until 1964.

The junction site is now within an industrial estate.

Tags

Junction

Aliases

Swinehill Signal Box Swinhill Junction

External links

NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
03/03/2022