Argyle Line
Encyclopedia
The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland
. It connects the Lanarkshire
towns of Lanark
, Larkhall
and Motherwell to West Dunbartonshire
via central Glasgow
using sub-surface running. It takes its name from Glasgow's Argyle Street, under which a significant section of the line runs via a cut-and-cover tunnel.
The term "Argyle Line" is loosely used in two contexts:
The train service extends considerably beyond the Argyle Line infrastructure, connecting the suburban areas of North Clydeside with Motherwell, Larkhall and Lanark.
Most services terminating at return in the 'opposite' direction. i.e. a train from continues via and vice-versa. There are also peak services to and . Also after 6pm the trains from / to via and start and terminate at .
There is no regular freight operation on the route.
On Sundays, the hourly service is:
The route serves the commercial and shopping districts of Glasgow's central area.
, on a two mile single track
branch from Lanark Junction. Trains from Lanark continue northbound on the West Coast Main Line as far as Law Junction, diverging northwards there on the Holytown route as far as Wishaw North Junction, where they diverge to rejoin the West Coast Main Line at Shieldmuir Junction.
Passing through Motherwell, the trains then leave the West Coast Main Line again to call at before rejoining the main line at . The Hamilton Circle line converges at Newton.
Trains approaching Motherwell from Holytown or Coatbridge Central, cross the WCML to travel onto the Hamilton Circle, before calling at . Between here and , a spur from joins. The line then passes through , and Newton
before rejoining the West Coast Main Line as far as Rutherglen.
At Dalmarnock Junction, trains diverge northwards to enter the infrastructure of the Argyle Line, diving underground after Dalmarnock station. West of Exhibition Centre Station, the line to Partick and Hyndland, diverges to form a burrowing junction
.
Westbound trains rise up a steep incline to join the North British Railway
line from Queen Street station
. This steep section originally gave access to the sidings at Queen's Dock from the Stobcross Railway
.
Eastbound trains enter what is now known as Kelvinhaugh Tunnel, immediately to the West of Sandyford Street. This tunnel joins the original Kelvinhaugh Tunnel on the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
from , just South of Kelvinhaugh Street; finally meeting the disused Stobcross Depot Tunnel on the Glasgow Central Railway
, just inside the common South East portal of these two tunnels. The mouth of the Stobcross Depot Tunnel can be seen from the Eastbound platform of Exhibition Centre Station.
Going North-westwards, is the fifth busiest in Scotland. Trains then either travel towards Dalmuir via Yoker, or go via Anniesland to Milngavie or Dalmuir and on Sundays, Balloch via Yoker.
For a few years from the re-opening, the northbound West Highland sleeping car train from London used the route on Saturdays only. It was detached from another portion at Mossend and diesel-hauled via the Rutherglen & Coatbridge line.
electric multiple units, which were then new. These were accompanied by a number of the older Class 303
"Blue Train" sets from the North Clyde route. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Class 311
trains also operated on this route. After the 303s were retired in 2002, the route was operated by a mixture of new Class 334
Alstom "Juniper" units, alongside a small number of 1980s vintage Class 318
trains cascaded from the Ayrshire
routes, with the original Class 314 sets transferred to the Cathcart Circle.
From March 2011 Class 320s
joined the Class 318 and Class 334 on the line.
under central Glasgow had been in 1886, connecting the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
at and Stobcross Railway
at to the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
near , Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway
at , Clydesdale Junction Railway
& Polloc and Govan Railway
at and Clydesdale Junction Railway at Newton
. The line closed in 1964.
In November 1979, the Argyle Line was created, as joint venture by British Rail
and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive
(SPTE), by reopening most of the former route. However, the former Caledonian Railway route from Whiteinch was not to be re-opened, and a new connection with the former North British Railway route via Hyndland was created, incorporating a grade-separated junction with the Queen Street Low Level route.
A key part of the re-opening was the implementation of an intensive electrically operated passenger train service between Dalmuir and Milngavie, and Motherwell and Lanark. The service west of Partick was to be integrated with the existing North Clyde services on the Queen Street Low Level line. Outside of Glasgow's central area, the train service used sections of the North Clyde
and West Coast Main Line
(WCML).
Two stations were constructed for the re-opening of the line;; this was entirely new, i.e. both the site and the construction. Due to its proximity to Glasgow Cross station, the latter was not re-opened.
On the central tunnel section, there are disused stations at and at (adjacent to the Tollbooth), both constructed by the Glasgow Central Railway
. The frontage of Glasgow Green station still exists, whilst the entrance to Glasgow Cross station has been turned into ventilation ducts, visible from the traffic island between Trongate
and London Road.
Jack McConnell
. The line was the reopening of the Coalburn Branch and Mid Lanark Lines of the Caledonian Railway
and it begins at Haughhead Junction, just east of . Stations are located at , Merryton
and , where services terminate. The branch is single line
throughout, with a crossing loop
at Allanton.
In 2006, Network Rail announced tentative proposals to electrify the Rutherglen - Whifflet section, as part of a £1.4bn upgrade to Scotland's railways. The main benefits of this scheme would appear to provide an enhanced frequency for the Whifflet-Central routes, and to provide an electric diversionary path for long distance WCML services. Electrifications also would mean the Whifflet Line being added to the Argyle Line system with services through Glasgow Central Low Level to the western suburbs.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It connects the Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
towns of Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
, Larkhall
Larkhall
Larkhall is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is around southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France.Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the East and the Avon Water to the West...
and Motherwell to West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. Bordering onto the west of the City of Glasgow, containing many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages as well as the city's suburbs, West Dunbartonshire also borders onto Argyll and Bute, Stirling, East...
via central Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
using sub-surface running. It takes its name from Glasgow's Argyle Street, under which a significant section of the line runs via a cut-and-cover tunnel.
The term "Argyle Line" is loosely used in two contexts:
- to describe an urban passenger train service; and
- to describe a length of railway infrastructure.
The train service extends considerably beyond the Argyle Line infrastructure, connecting the suburban areas of North Clydeside with Motherwell, Larkhall and Lanark.
Service pattern
On Mondays to Saturdays, the off peak service each hour is:- two limited stop trains between and via (not stopping at , , and );
- one train between and via ;
- one train between and via and ;
- one train between and via and ;
- one train between and via , and .
Most services terminating at return in the 'opposite' direction. i.e. a train from continues via and vice-versa. There are also peak services to and . Also after 6pm the trains from / to via and start and terminate at .
There is no regular freight operation on the route.
On Sundays, the hourly service is:
- two trains between and via and ;
- one train between and via and ;
- one train between and via ;
- one train between and .
At opening November 1979
- 1 tph Motherwell - Dumbarton Central via Bellshill
- 1 tph Motherwell - Dumbarton Central via Blantyre
- 2 tph Motherwell - Partick via Bellshill
- 2 tph Motherwell - Partick via Blantyre
- 1 tph Milngavie - Lanark (limited stop)
Monday - Saturday (2006/2007)
- 2 tph Larkhall - Dalmuir via Singer (Limited Stop)
- 1 tph Motherwell - Milngavie via Blantyre
- 1 tph Lanark - Milngavie via Holytown & Blantyre
- 1 tph Motherwell - Dalmuir via Bellshill & Yoker
- 1 tph Lanark - Dalmuir via Shieldmuir, Bellshill & Yoker
- Peak Services to Coatbridge Central & Carstairs
Sunday (2006/2007)
- 2 tph Motherwell - Balloch via Blantyre & Yoker
- 1 tph Lanark - Milngavie via Shieldmuir & Bellshill
- 1 tph Motherwell - Milngavie via Bellshill
Monday - Saturday (2007/2008)
- 2 tph Larkhall - Dalmuir via Singer (Limited Stop)
- 1 tph Motherwell - Milngavie via Blantyre
- 1 tph Lanark - Milngavie via Holytown & Blantyre
- 1 tph Motherwell - Dalmuir via Bellshill & Yoker
- 1 tph Lanark - Dalmuir via Shieldmuir, Bellshill & Yoker
- Peak Services to Coatbridge Central & Carstairs
Sunday (2007/2008)
- 2 tph Motherwell - Balloch via Blantyre and Yoker
- 1 tph Motherwell - Milngavie via Bellshill
- 1 tph Lanark - Milngavie via Shieldmuir and Bellshill
- 1 tph Larkhall - Partick (Limited Stop)
Infrastructure
The infrastructure of the Argyle Line consists of a route from Finnieston West Junction (Eastbound), Finnieston East Junction (Westbound) (both East of Partick Statiion, diverging from the Queen Street and Airdrie line) and Rutherglen Junction (joining the Caledonian main line towards Motherwell). It is double track throughout, with a grade-separated junction comprising the Finnieston East and West Junctions; eastwards from there the route dives underground and is sub-surface as far as Dalmarnock station. There is one intermediate siding at Exhibition Centre, used to for turning back westbound trains. The stations are of island or two-platform design.The route serves the commercial and shopping districts of Glasgow's central area.
Service routes
The south-eastern extremity of the train service is the two-platform station at LanarkLanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
, on a two mile single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
branch from Lanark Junction. Trains from Lanark continue northbound on the West Coast Main Line as far as Law Junction, diverging northwards there on the Holytown route as far as Wishaw North Junction, where they diverge to rejoin the West Coast Main Line at Shieldmuir Junction.
Passing through Motherwell, the trains then leave the West Coast Main Line again to call at before rejoining the main line at . The Hamilton Circle line converges at Newton.
Trains approaching Motherwell from Holytown or Coatbridge Central, cross the WCML to travel onto the Hamilton Circle, before calling at . Between here and , a spur from joins. The line then passes through , and Newton
Newton (South Lanarkshire) railway station
Newton railway station is a railway station located between the town of Cambuslang and the village of Newton in South Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail on the Argyle and Cathcart Circle Lines.-History:...
before rejoining the West Coast Main Line as far as Rutherglen.
At Dalmarnock Junction, trains diverge northwards to enter the infrastructure of the Argyle Line, diving underground after Dalmarnock station. West of Exhibition Centre Station, the line to Partick and Hyndland, diverges to form a burrowing junction
Flying junction
A flying junction or flyover is a railway junction at which one or more diverging or converging tracks in a multiple-track route cross other tracks on the route by bridge to avoid conflict with other train movements. A more technical term is "grade-separated junction"...
.
Westbound trains rise up a steep incline to join the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
line from Queen Street station
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
. This steep section originally gave access to the sidings at Queen's Dock from the Stobcross Railway
Stobcross Railway
Stobcross Railways is a rail line originally created to provide freight rail access to the new Queens Dock and the expanding west end of Glasgow. Upon creation of the Glasgow City and District Railway, Stobcross became a commuter line.-Sources:* ....
.
Eastbound trains enter what is now known as Kelvinhaugh Tunnel, immediately to the West of Sandyford Street. This tunnel joins the original Kelvinhaugh Tunnel on the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
- Early days :The Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was authorised in 1891, and opened in stages between 26 November 1894 and 1 October 1896.On 16 August 1909 the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was absorbed into the Caledonian Railway...
from , just South of Kelvinhaugh Street; finally meeting the disused Stobcross Depot Tunnel on the Glasgow Central Railway
Glasgow Central Railway
The Glasgow Central Railway was a railway that ran from Maryhill in the north west of Glasgow through the West End and City Centre to Rutherglen and Newton to the south east of the city.- Early days :...
, just inside the common South East portal of these two tunnels. The mouth of the Stobcross Depot Tunnel can be seen from the Eastbound platform of Exhibition Centre Station.
Going North-westwards, is the fifth busiest in Scotland. Trains then either travel towards Dalmuir via Yoker, or go via Anniesland to Milngavie or Dalmuir and on Sundays, Balloch via Yoker.
Initial service pattern
From the opening in November 1979, the basic weekday service was one train per hour from Dumbarton to the Hamilton Circle (anticlockwise), and one train from Dumbarton to Hamilton Circle (clockwise, including Newton), two trains per hour from Dalmuir to Hamilton Circle (anticlockwise) and two trains per hour to Hamilton Circle (clockwise, including Newton), and one train per hour between Milngavie and Lanark (non-stop from Argyle Street to Motherwell).For a few years from the re-opening, the northbound West Highland sleeping car train from London used the route on Saturdays only. It was detached from another portion at Mossend and diesel-hauled via the Rutherglen & Coatbridge line.
Rolling stock
At its opening, the rolling stock on the Argyle Line was Class 314British Rail Class 314
British Rail Class 314 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979. They were the third variety of British Rail's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, which eventually encompassed 755 vehicles and five classes...
electric multiple units, which were then new. These were accompanied by a number of the older Class 303
British Rail Class 303
The British Rail Class 303 electric multiple units, also known as "Blue Train" units, were introduced in 1960 for the electrification of the North Clyde and the Cathcart Circle lines in Strathclyde...
"Blue Train" sets from the North Clyde route. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Class 311
British Rail Class 311
The British Rail Class 311 alternating current electric multiple units were built by Cravens at Sheffield in 1967. They were intended for use on the line from to and , which was electrified in 1967.-Appearance:...
trains also operated on this route. After the 303s were retired in 2002, the route was operated by a mixture of new Class 334
British Rail Class 334
The British Rail Class 334 is a suburban electric multiple unit built by Alstom in Birmingham. They are part of the Juniper family of trains along with Classes 458 and 460. They were built for SPT/ScotRail outer suburban services in Glasgow, UK. They later became part of First ScotRail/SPT fleet...
Alstom "Juniper" units, alongside a small number of 1980s vintage Class 318
British Rail Class 318
The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit train, which operates exclusively in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network in West Central Scotland. The units were introduced fully on 29 September 1986 as part of the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line between and...
trains cascaded from the Ayrshire
Ayrshire Coast Line
The Ayrshire Coast Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. It has 26 stations and connects the Ayrshire coast to Glasgow...
routes, with the original Class 314 sets transferred to the Cathcart Circle.
From March 2011 Class 320s
British Rail Class 320
The British Rail Class 320 is an alternating current electric multiple unit train found on the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport rail network in Central Scotland, and is used exclusively on the North Clyde Line between Helensburgh and Airdrie, North Lanarkshire via Glasgow Queen Street...
joined the Class 318 and Class 334 on the line.
History
The Glasgow Central RailwayGlasgow Central Railway
The Glasgow Central Railway was a railway that ran from Maryhill in the north west of Glasgow through the West End and City Centre to Rutherglen and Newton to the south east of the city.- Early days :...
under central Glasgow had been in 1886, connecting the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway
- Early days :The Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was authorised in 1891, and opened in stages between 26 November 1894 and 1 October 1896.On 16 August 1909 the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was absorbed into the Caledonian Railway...
at and Stobcross Railway
Stobcross Railway
Stobcross Railways is a rail line originally created to provide freight rail access to the new Queens Dock and the expanding west end of Glasgow. Upon creation of the Glasgow City and District Railway, Stobcross became a commuter line.-Sources:* ....
at to the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway
The Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway was a railway company in Scotland built in the late 19th century that provided services between Ardrossan and Glasgow, with branches to Irvine and Kilbirnie. The line was operated by the Caledonian Railway with an aim to compete with the Glasgow and South...
near , Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway
Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway
The Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway was a railway that ran between Airdrie and Rutherglen and built by the Caledonian Railway, which in turn became part of the LMS on 1 July 1923.-Openings:*20 September 1865 - Rutherglen East to Calder for freight traffic...
at , Clydesdale Junction Railway
Clydesdale Junction Railway
The Clydesdale Junction Railway was a railway company in Scotland that was formed to run trains between Rutherglen and Motherwell, North Lanarkshire.- History :It received its Royal Assent on 31 July 1845....
& Polloc and Govan Railway
Polloc and Govan Railway
The Polloc and Govan Railway started off as a private railway owned and built by William Dixon, a Coal master; it ran along part of the route of his Govan tramway...
at and Clydesdale Junction Railway at Newton
Newton (South Lanarkshire) railway station
Newton railway station is a railway station located between the town of Cambuslang and the village of Newton in South Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail on the Argyle and Cathcart Circle Lines.-History:...
. The line closed in 1964.
In November 1979, the Argyle Line was created, as joint venture by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
(SPTE), by reopening most of the former route. However, the former Caledonian Railway route from Whiteinch was not to be re-opened, and a new connection with the former North British Railway route via Hyndland was created, incorporating a grade-separated junction with the Queen Street Low Level route.
A key part of the re-opening was the implementation of an intensive electrically operated passenger train service between Dalmuir and Milngavie, and Motherwell and Lanark. The service west of Partick was to be integrated with the existing North Clyde services on the Queen Street Low Level line. Outside of Glasgow's central area, the train service used sections of the North Clyde
North Clyde Line
The North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by First ScotRail, on behalf of Transport Scotland...
and West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
(WCML).
Two stations were constructed for the re-opening of the line;; this was entirely new, i.e. both the site and the construction. Due to its proximity to Glasgow Cross station, the latter was not re-opened.
- Exhibition Centre stationExhibition Centre railway stationExhibition Centre station - previously called Finnieston [1979-1986] and earlier Stobcross [1894-1959] - is in Glasgow on the Argyle Line. It serves the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, which is accessible by adjoining footbridge from an island platform...
(called Finnieston until 1986); whilst this station was located only slightly to the west of the original Stobcross station on the Glasgow Central Railway, the only commonality between the two is the location of much of the eastbound platform (which was originally the westbound one).
On the central tunnel section, there are disused stations at and at (adjacent to the Tollbooth), both constructed by the Glasgow Central Railway
Glasgow Central Railway
The Glasgow Central Railway was a railway that ran from Maryhill in the north west of Glasgow through the West End and City Centre to Rutherglen and Newton to the south east of the city.- Early days :...
. The frontage of Glasgow Green station still exists, whilst the entrance to Glasgow Cross station has been turned into ventilation ducts, visible from the traffic island between Trongate
Trongate
Trongate is one of the oldest streets in the city of Glasgow, Scotland.Located in the area of the Merchant City commonly known as "Old Glasgow", it is the main route into the central area from the East End...
and London Road.
Extensions
The Larkhall Line was opened as an extension to Argyle Line services in December 2005 by First MinisterFirst Minister
A First Minister is the leader of a government cabinet.-Canada:In Canada, "First Ministers" is a collective term that refers to all Canadian first ministers of the Crown, otherwise known as heads of government, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial and territorial premiers...
Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
. The line was the reopening of the Coalburn Branch and Mid Lanark Lines of the Caledonian Railway
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
and it begins at Haughhead Junction, just east of . Stations are located at , Merryton
Merryton railway station
Merryton railway station is a railway station in Larkhall, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and lies on the Argyle Line.The station was officially opened on 9 December 2005, as part of the Larkhall branch re-opened at the same time....
and , where services terminate. The branch is single line
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
throughout, with a crossing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
at Allanton.
In 2006, Network Rail announced tentative proposals to electrify the Rutherglen - Whifflet section, as part of a £1.4bn upgrade to Scotland's railways. The main benefits of this scheme would appear to provide an enhanced frequency for the Whifflet-Central routes, and to provide an electric diversionary path for long distance WCML services. Electrifications also would mean the Whifflet Line being added to the Argyle Line system with services through Glasgow Central Low Level to the western suburbs.