City Union Line
Encyclopedia
The City of Glasgow Union Railway - City Union Line (also known as the Tron Line), is a railway line in Glasgow
, Scotland. The line is still open, with the section north of Bellgrove still open to passenger trains.
at Sighthill Junction (now 'Sighthill East Junction'), and its southern end is connected to the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
at Shields Junction
.
At Bellgrove
the line joins the Coatbridge Branch
of the North British Railway
, now part of the North Clyde
suburban route, from the north east. At High Street East Junction (now 'High Street Junction') the line heads off in a south westerly direction, through the Calton
district, and over the River Clyde
to the Gorbals
and Tradeston
, where it joins the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
at Shields Junction
.
and Dunlop Street on 12 December 1870, a section of line which included the first railway bridge built across the Clyde. By 1 June 1871 the line was extended to Bellgrove
. The line through to Sighthill Junction was opened to goods traffic on 18 August 1875, although it was not until 1 January 1881 that passenger services reached Alexandra Parade
; 1 October 1883 to Barnhill
; and 1 January 1887 to Springburn
, beyond Sighthill Junction.
By 1901 the section between Gorbals Junction and St Enoch railway station
was quadrupled, including the widening of the Clyde Bridge.
opened.
on 27 June 1966.
Following the closure of the St Enoch railway station
as part of the Beeching Axe
the line became redundant and was disused for passenger services. The line is still maintained as a route for freight trains, charter trains as well as departmental movements of diesel multiple unit
s to Corkerhill Depot in Glasgow's South Side for maintenance.
The Springburn
-Bellgrove
section is still in use, forming part of the North Clyde Line
.
low level.
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...
, Scotland. The line is still open, with the section north of Bellgrove still open to passenger trains.
Description of the route
This short route joins the two halves of inner Glasgow's railway system. At its northern end, it connects to the Edinburgh and Glasgow RailwayEdinburgh and Glasgow Railway
The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was a railway built to link Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Act of Parliament for building the railway received its Royal Assent in 1838 which was open on 28 July 1863. Services started between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket on 21 February 1842. The line was...
at Sighthill Junction (now 'Sighthill East Junction'), and its southern end is connected to the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
The Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway company was formed in 1837 to provide a railway link between Glasgow and Paisley, Scotland. It was promoted jointly by the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway and the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway....
at Shields Junction
Shields Junction
Shields Junction is the name given to the busy railway junction in the Shields Road area of Glasgow, Scotland.The junction is heavily used by both passenger and freight services running on three separate railway lines out of Glasgow Central station...
.
At Bellgrove
Bellgrove railway station
Bellgrove Railway Station is a railway station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is east of and is managed by First ScotRail....
the line joins the Coatbridge Branch
Coatbridge Branch (NBR)
The Coatbridge Branch was a railway that ran between Bellgrove in the east end of Glasgow and Coatbridge and built by the North British Railway, which in turn became part of the LNER on 1 January 1923.-History:...
of 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:...
, now part 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...
suburban route, from the north east. At High Street East Junction (now 'High Street Junction') the line heads off in a south westerly direction, through the Calton
Calton, Glasgow
Calton is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. The name Calton is derived from the Gaelic "coillduin", which means "wood on the hill". It is situated north of the River Clyde, and just to the east of the city centre...
district, and over the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
to the Gorbals
Gorbals
The Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the River Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. By the late 19th century, it had become over-populated and adversely affected by local industrialisation. Many people lived here because their jobs provided this home and they could not afford their own...
and Tradeston
Tradeston
Tradeston is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow adjacent to the city centre on the south bank of the River Clyde.-Geography:Tradeston is bounded by the River Clyde to the north, the Glasgow to Paisley railway line on the east and south and the Kingston Bridge and M8 motorway to the west...
, where it joins the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
The Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway company was formed in 1837 to provide a railway link between Glasgow and Paisley, Scotland. It was promoted jointly by the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway and the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway....
at Shields Junction
Shields Junction
Shields Junction is the name given to the busy railway junction in the Shields Road area of Glasgow, Scotland.The junction is heavily used by both passenger and freight services running on three separate railway lines out of Glasgow Central station...
.
Opening
The railway received Royal Assent in 1864, with the first section of line between Shields RoadShields Road railway station
Shields Road railway station was a railway station in Pollokshields, Glasgow, Scotland.-History:The station was built by the City of Glasgow Union Railway on the original 1840 line from Paisley to Glasgow...
and Dunlop Street on 12 December 1870, a section of line which included the first railway bridge built across the Clyde. By 1 June 1871 the line was extended to Bellgrove
Bellgrove railway station
Bellgrove Railway Station is a railway station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is east of and is managed by First ScotRail....
. The line through to Sighthill Junction was opened to goods traffic on 18 August 1875, although it was not until 1 January 1881 that passenger services reached Alexandra Parade
Alexandra Parade railway station
Alexandra Parade Railway Station is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland. The station is 3 km east of on the North Clyde Line...
; 1 October 1883 to Barnhill
Barnhill railway station
Barnhill Railway Station is in Glasgow, Scotland north of Glasgow Queen Street railway station on the Springburn branch of the North Clyde Line...
; and 1 January 1887 to Springburn
Springburn railway station
Springburn Railway Station serves the Springburn district of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is 2 km north of Glasgow Queen Street station on the Cumbernauld Line and is a terminus of the Springburn branch, a spur from Bellgrove Station, on the North Clyde Line.Cumbernauld Line trains, running...
, beyond Sighthill Junction.
By 1901 the section between Gorbals Junction and St Enoch railway station
St Enoch railway station
-External links:* *...
was quadrupled, including the widening of the Clyde Bridge.
St Enoch
The original four platform terminus at Dunlop Street was opened in December 1870. Located on a short spur to the east of the line just north of the Clyde. This station remained in use until 17 October 1876, when it was closed and St EnochSt Enoch railway station
-External links:* *...
opened.
Withdrawal of passenger services
The southern section of the line was closed to passengers with the closure of St Enoch railway stationSt Enoch railway station
-External links:* *...
on 27 June 1966.
Following the closure of the St Enoch railway station
St Enoch railway station
-External links:* *...
as part of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
the line became redundant and was disused for passenger services. The line is still maintained as a route for freight trains, charter trains as well as departmental movements of diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s to Corkerhill Depot in Glasgow's South Side for maintenance.
The Springburn
Springburn railway station
Springburn Railway Station serves the Springburn district of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is 2 km north of Glasgow Queen Street station on the Cumbernauld Line and is a terminus of the Springburn branch, a spur from Bellgrove Station, on the North Clyde Line.Cumbernauld Line trains, running...
-Bellgrove
Bellgrove railway station
Bellgrove Railway Station is a railway station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is east of and is managed by First ScotRail....
section is still in use, forming part of the North Clyde Line
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...
.
Future uses
It is possible that the line may be utilised for passenger services once more, as it forms the cornerstone of the proposed Crossrail Glasgow development which aims to link Glasgow Central High Level services to Queen StreetGlasgow 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...
low level.
Connections to other lines
- Edinburgh and Glasgow RailwayEdinburgh and Glasgow RailwayThe Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was a railway built to link Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Act of Parliament for building the railway received its Royal Assent in 1838 which was open on 28 July 1863. Services started between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket on 21 February 1842. The line was...
at Sighthill Junction - Glasgow and Garnkirk RailwayGlasgow and Garnkirk RailwayThe Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway was incorporated on 26 May 1826 and was ceremonially opened on 27 September 1831. It was built to the Scotch gauge of...
at Sighthill Junction - Coatbridge BranchCoatbridge Branch (NBR)The Coatbridge Branch was a railway that ran between Bellgrove in the east end of Glasgow and Coatbridge and built by the North British Railway, which in turn became part of the LNER on 1 January 1923.-History:...
of the North British RailwayNorth British RailwayThe North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
at Haghill Junction and BellgroveBellgrove railway stationBellgrove Railway Station is a railway station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is east of and is managed by First ScotRail.... - Glasgow City and District RailwayGlasgow City and District RailwayThe Glasgow City and District Railway is a railway line in Glasgow, Scotland. With the exception of a short spur to Bridgeton Central, that closed in 1979 upon the opening of the Argyle Line, the line is still open to passenger trains....
at High Street West Junction - Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway at Gorbals Junction
- Paisley Canal LinePaisley Canal LineThe Paisley Canal Railway line was originally a Glasgow and South Western Railway branch line running from Glasgow, Scotland, through three stations in Paisley, to North Johnstone...
, General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour RailwayGeneral Terminus and Glasgow Harbour RailwayThe General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway was authorised on 3 July 1846 and it opened, in part, in December 1848.Its main function was intended to be the transportation of coal from collieries and Lanarkshire and Ayrshire, over other railways, to a coal depot on the south bank of the River...
and Glasgow and Paisley Joint RailwayGlasgow and Paisley Joint RailwayThe Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway company was formed in 1837 to provide a railway link between Glasgow and Paisley, Scotland. It was promoted jointly by the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway and the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway....
at Shields JunctionShields JunctionShields Junction is the name given to the busy railway junction in the Shields Road area of Glasgow, Scotland.The junction is heavily used by both passenger and freight services running on three separate railway lines out of Glasgow Central station...