glasgow glasgow railway scotland provided train services glasgow opened line glasgow section glasgow jointly glasgow later built line linking glasgow forming route companies merged form glasgow south western railway original main line glasgow line use today intermediate stations branch lines closed history earliest lines coal minerals extracted west scotland medieval times getting heavy product market challenge encouraged development tracked systems earliest vicinity date latest opened horse operated constructed carry coal area harbour onward coastal shipping railway scotland act parliament late 1820s mineral railways constructed west scotland opened proved remarkable success carrying coal near quickly followed railway coal railways horse traction short cast iron rails stone block key technical advance edge rails guidance provided wheels wagons lines showed way forward railway opened horse operated line stone block passenger operation major objective conceived means developing sea port glasgow promoters unable raise sufficient money build line recent improvements enabled sea going ships reach city accordingly line truncated reached terminal east town nonetheless considerable commercial success carrying passengers enabling coal particularly pits belonging earl exported emphasised viability railways liverpool opened previous year proved remarkable success traffic parallel canal indicated longer distances merely harbour dealt business people considering railway built authorised possible consider railways day link central scotland south england glasgow idea building railway glasgow gained sufficient support survey commissioned partner firm miller heavily involved earlier railways west scotland miller proposed route glasgow south end glasgow bridge branch cost return expected notwithstanding south westerly course line step linking railways england interests dismayed branch line commissioned scott stephen gale engineering partnership mark railway engineering plan direct route plotting direct route easy severe earthworks formidable intermediate business gale rival canal company engineer hardly necessary bring settle matter gave report supporting miller choice route raising capital proved straightforward possible present bill line session parliament opposition river canal interests overcome time glasgow promoting line similar route obvious parliament hostile formation adjacent lines determined build line jointly far received royal july glasgow authorised share capital loans line constructed simultaneously end prevent experience railway failed build eastern end authorised line gauge new line determined estimates prepared basis exceed feet miller lines gauge railway authorised connections local railways considered important determining gauge engineer urged gauge english railways important end adopted standard gauge construction starts construction line supervised proved challenging large scale contracting industry place scotland large scale financing end miller instructed build branch earlier thoughts taking converting horse operated having dropped railway engaged converting gauge standard connect following year changed railway opening stages directors special run north river newton july line opened public points august enormous success limited section line surplus remainder year section opened march july joint line temporary terminus glasgow bridge street ready demonstration run opening fully public following day remainder main line opened stages dates line glasgow bridge street temporary station joint line july temporary station july august station closed july march newton july permanent bridge street station opened april moved head offices bridge street gordon street march construction main line stated overrun estimated costs considerably shareholders meeting february stated result branch started authority additional capital obtained course money actually raised content coach connection line opened april rail sea london opening line conversion railway run connection enabled fast service hours glasgow london instituted fast steamer alternate days liverpool english terminal transferred following opening dock company service lasted days commercial success sold vessel continued service soon withdrew transferring boat route ireland railway route england time authorised controversy route railway england plain reached south direct route glasgow route known line involve severe pass territory locomotives available time thought capable climbing steep rope forward solution contrast route line easier pass considerable population centres bringing additional traffic route cheaper build government intervened appointed determine way forward time railway route scotland england consensus expert witnesses commissioners reported route prevail promoters prove intention complete english portion line preference given east_coast route edinburgh newcastle stalled process single group promoters route fact lancaster authorised report commissioners binding rivalry supporters routes intensified independent glasgow railway proposed build meet proposed branches tactical reasons weaken exclude dominant supporter route extension south mining town authorised act july case strengthened intended branch edinburgh locomotive designs improved capacity haul trains steep route diminishing importance parliamentary hearings passed despite fighting lords authorised preference route july glasgow felt setback railway refused build mood collapse able positive future line declared august shareholders approved lease horse operated need converted upgraded cost process access improved access harbour area addition mineral line built extension long suffered disadvantage poor transport links market addition new accessed line session parliament experienced bills new railways threatened area influence abstract business schemes promoted allies self defence promoted numerous schemes fact branches bill nominally works head session railway got august july build near southern limit reaching line act stipulated actual completion construction merge form new company glasgow south western railway huge volume intended activity financial speculation railway appeared fortunes shares new lines small deposit construction got way optimism led stark inability pay calls cash shares came suddenly money impossible come speculative schemes collapsed regaining momentum difficulties cash started construction end eventually resolved fresh act merger passed july heavily amended useless companies march line reopened standard gauge locomotive operated railway closed work provided proper link coast opened short connecting spur line day branch opened copper july company acquired control railway improvement act purchase earlier agreed proposed supported horse operated track gauge line loss making practical value tactical securing territory competing companies failed session parliament presented share capital proposed risen lords hearings plain running powers likely granted railway face value shares proposed line sole intention excluding railway area petitioned bill unsuccessful received running powers clause august having majority able stall plans proceed construction line october special reviewed financial commitments board days support numerous new lines committed meeting left directors doubt disapproval line opened miles north west short branch opened day line far branch point opened august included located near built central span feet feet high largest masonry arch span world time completion highest railway bridge britain august branch opened branch short northward spur line opened june july branch line railway opened actually built railway february branch opened completing line glasgow railway proceeding construction fast funds allow august opened line passengers change trains station temporary structure south road provided rolling stock junior partner owing needing complete line facts emerged session shareholders criticised futile parliamentary expenses incurred directors companies fact considerable overlap boards march negative feelings led chairman removed directors took chairman period remaining directors earlier years formed group motivation personal taken behalf company wish personal loss eventually resolved issues august held shareholders meetings company separately announced old directors resigned new board shortly formed identical composition companies engineer resigned time interest economy remaining construction contracts let proceeding companies operate single unit rolling stock line opened completing southward extension including northern line october final section main line completed trains began run evidently difficulty southwards resolved glasgow south western railway formed authorised acts stage fact absorbed changed act provided date opening company dissolved date amalgamation company called glasgow south western railway october glasgow south western railway started existence train services services line travelled average miles hour averaging min station meaning trip entire mile line point taken minutes maximum fare passengers time second class respectively passengers travelled line year services conjunction railway alternate days fast service ran liverpool vice versa connected london birmingham railway expresses london service transferred liverpool new port lancashire march passenger train service consisted trains southbound northbound line called stations served southbound northbound trains journey time half hours service glasgow trains way went trip connecting trains journey time glasgow hours line trains combined trains glasgow trains travelled addition glasgow direct train advertised running connection liverpool leaving glasgow departure time ordinary parliamentary train appear separate boat train rolling stock original locomotives line similar london birmingham railway having inch cylinders inch stroke wheels designed bury locomotives cost engine given names mercury design obtained named stuart original locomotives withdrawn locomotives designed company engineer built given names phoenix prince albert bruce hauled special train glasgow august early passenger carriages similar design railways england time holding eighteen passengers class carriages thirty second class class carriages originally seats april board decision declared future class carriages seats existing class carriages seats removed later board decision july ordered class carriages situated closest engine followed second class class rear development glasgow south western railway taking networks glasgow south western railway main line glasgow glasgow branches served areas rich minerals especially coal useful access west coast ports main limitations line compared competing route served edinburgh route depended running needed accommodation station prove formidable competitor anglo scottish traffic passenger goods energy money expended securing exclusive territory keeping second issue glasgow stations awkward glasgow station bridge street south clyde carried toll time station north passenger access town location prevented southward railway extension means adopted overcome challenges described fully glasgow south western railway articles overview company encouraged local promoters build railways extended fed substantial financial support company number branches constructed directly especially case serve districts mining dominant later years number agreements finalised railway territory limitation formation routes railway encouraged built line southwards immediately north station new line passed round east new station provided initial reluctance main passenger station sponsored opened line crossing clyde glasgow making south north link line scheme new passenger terminal opened important central goods terminal college land vacated river crossing temporary central station use station opened short time bridge street station vacated glasgow jointly forming direct route glasgow shortening route glasgow opened line reduced importance express passenger trains continued important link west_coast ports mineral goods traffic twentieth century half twentieth century industries west scotland underwent small pits worked merged similar process took place iron steel production industries medium scale iron works locations closed railway branch lines heavily dependent business mineral industries sustained gone continued passenger lines served sizable communities heavy process british railways 1960s referred axe resulted assessment lines time efficient bus services passengers train services effect process original network summarised glasgow operating electrified january diversion serve replaced short section original main line closed local passenger trains april night sleeper train continued running line giving direct london service closed completely october operating route closed local passenger traffic april closed completely october branch closed branch closed operating section closed passenger traffic july line route closed passenger trains october services reinstated weeks accommodate diverted trains entire line closed regular passenger traffic october line topography note station route details confined opened subsequent history stations routes details stations opened route later routes opened later found glasgow south western railway article locations passenger stations entries bold passenger stations open present bridge trains glasgow joint line far joint glasgow line 1880s reduced double track mid 1960s track added early bridge street moss road opened closed station opened site renamed renamed opened renamed closed new opened short distance nearer opened closed opened closed reopened october opened renamed junction mineral line branch opened cut closed 1950s opened closed junction line junction railway junction line line junction line junction line harbour station probably platforms line lifetime section line junction closed closed new station loop line opened closed closed passenger services transferred station renamed closed transferred station glasgow nearer town line planned opened closed closed closed closed opened renamed closed end junction glasgow station siding facilities line closed opened closed junction branch open harbour harbour closed closed junction goods station branch cut works closed closed present current operations resulted ownership passenger services glasgow operate title incorporates branch passenger train services line called local services run behalf connections lines railway junction railway junction associated lines near newton station railway north east branch south east railway railway canal line shields junction
Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway