Everything about The Glasgow South Western Line totally explained
The
Glasgow South Western Line is a mainline railway in
Scotland that runs from
Glasgow to
Kilmarnock, and then either
Carlisle via
Dumfries, or
Stranraer via
Ayr, with a branch to
East Kilbride
History
The line south of Kilmarnock was built by the
Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway and the
Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway which amalgamated to form the
Glasgow and South Western Railway in 1850. The line between Kilmarnock and Glasgow was previously known as the
Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway and was co-owned by the Glasgow and South Western Railway and
Caledonian Railway. Until 1923 the line via Dumfries was in competition with the
North British Railway and Caledonian Railway as one of the mainlines into
Scotland. With the passing of the
Railways Act 1921 (
Grouping Act) the line became part of the
London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS).
In 1948, with
nationalisation the line became part of the
Scottish Region of British Railways. During the
Beeching Axe in the 1960s many of the railway's branch lines were closed, including the direct route between Dumfries and Stranraer, via
Galloway on the
Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway, leaving the present 'Y' shaped railway.
During the electrification of the
WCML in the early
1970s, the line was used as a major diversionary route whilst the Caledonian Railway's Annandale/Clydesdale route was closed, particularly during the weekends. Following completion of this project, the sections of line between Barrhead and Kilmarnock (with a
crossing loop at Lugton) and Annan and Gretna (controlled from Carlisle) were singled.
In the latter years of
British Railways, operations were sectorised. All Scottish operations (excluding the WCML and ECML services), including this line, became part of the Regional Railways operation - being branded as
ScotRail.
Following
privatisation, passenger services upon the line were taken over by
ScotRail, (part of
National Express), and are now operated by
First ScotRail with the track and signalling being operated (nationally) by Network Rail. The Dumfries route remains one of only three railway lines between the Scottish border and lowland areas alongside the
East Coast Main Line and
West Coast Main Line. Along with the
Settle-Carlisle Railway, the line is much used as both a diversionary route, especially during the recent West Coast Main Line modernisation, and for freight,notably coal from the several open cast coalmines of the
Ayrshire Coalfield that adjoin the line.
Between
Glasgow Central and
New Cumnock &
Girvan the line is operated by Scottish Train Operating Company (TOC) - currently First ScotRail - on behalf of the
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. Electric train services are also provided between Glasgow and
Troon &
Ayr via the
Ayrshire Coast Line. Some services continue on from Carlisle to
Newcastle, with a daily direct service between Newcastle and Stranraer via Kilmarnock.
The line is
not electrified, with the exception of parts of the line around the approaches to
Glasgow Central and the section of the line shared with the
Ayrshire Coast Line (
Troon to
Ayr).
There are currently plans to re-double the line between Lugton and Stewarton and work is already underway on the Annan to Gretna stretch and is due for completion in July 2008.
Another platform is being built at
Gretna Green.
There have been several studies recently as to the possibility of reopening
Thornhill station, roughly halfway between
Dumfries and
Sanquhar.
Route
The line serves the following places.
Trivia
The train chase sequence in the 1996 movie was filmed on the Glasgow South Western line, with the image of a French
TGV laid over the top of the footage of a standard British train using
CGI.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Glasgow South Western Line'.
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