 Many other lines were being promoted at that time of easy availability of capital, and the Caledonian quickly secured the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway and agreed leases of several other lines, mostly north of the central belt.There was much industry in the valley of the River Leven and at Dumbarton itself, and independent promoters put forward a line that would run from Glasgow to Dumbarton and Balloch.The connection in Glasgow was to be with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway (E&GR) near Cowlairs, broadly following the present-day Westerton route.