Glasgow and Renfrew District Railway
Encyclopedia
The Glasgow and Renfrew District Railway was nominally owned by the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
. It was incorporated on 6 August 1897 and opened on 1 June 1903.
In the 1921 Railway Grouping it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
(LMS).
at Cardonald
and travelled in a north-westerly direction towards the River Clyde
. The first passenger station on the line being at Deanside; however this station closed on 2 January 1905. The next station was King's Inch.
The line then followed the direction of the River Clyde where it crossed over the top of the Paisley and Renfrew Railway
before turning south west, and running parallel with the Paisley and Renfrew Railway.
Its terminal station Renfrew Porterfield was located close to the Paisley and Renfrew Railway's Renfrew South.
The Caledonian Railway
and the Glasgow and South Western Railway
were each solely responsible for running passenger services to Renfrew Porterfield for six-month blocks, after which the other company took over for six months. This arrangement ran from 1903 to 1907; after that passenger services were provided solely by the Glasgow and South Western Railway.
. In addition, the Deanside and Braehead Transit Depots opened in World War II
to handle increased traffic through the docks. This led to a build up in freight traffic on the line.
The building of a coal
-fired power station
at Braehead
after World War II also lead to considerable freight traffic on the King's Inch branch. The power station was later converted to oil firing.
Braehead power station was closed and demolished in the early 1990s; it is being redeveloped as the Braehead
regeneration project.
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....
. It was incorporated on 6 August 1897 and opened on 1 June 1903.
In the 1921 Railway Grouping it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
(LMS).
Passenger and freight services
The line left the main Glasgow and Paisley Joint RailwayGlasgow 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 Cardonald
Cardonald railway station
Cardonald railway station is located in the Cardonald district of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Inverclyde Line.- History :...
and travelled in a north-westerly direction towards 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....
. The first passenger station on the line being at Deanside; however this station closed on 2 January 1905. The next station was King's Inch.
The line then followed the direction of the River Clyde where it crossed over the top of the Paisley and Renfrew Railway
Paisley and Renfrew Railway
The Paisley and Renfrew railway was a railway line from the town of Paisley to its neighbouring town Renfrew; and to the River Clyde at Renfrew wharf. The railway was built to the Scotch gauge of...
before turning south west, and running parallel with the Paisley and Renfrew Railway.
Its terminal station Renfrew Porterfield was located close to the Paisley and Renfrew Railway's Renfrew South.
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 the Glasgow and South Western Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway
The Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...
were each solely responsible for running passenger services to Renfrew Porterfield for six-month blocks, after which the other company took over for six months. This arrangement ran from 1903 to 1907; after that passenger services were provided solely by the Glasgow and South Western Railway.
Freight branches
Freight branches were also built to service traffic on the River Clyde at:- King's Inch.
- Shieldhall.
20th Century expansion
This was due in part to the building of the King George V Dock at Shieldhall: the south side opened in 1931; and the west side in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In addition, the Deanside and Braehead Transit Depots opened in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to handle increased traffic through the docks. This led to a build up in freight traffic on the line.
The building of a coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
-fired power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
at Braehead
Braehead
Braehead is a commercial development located at the former site of Braehead Power Station in Renfrew on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrewshire. It is particularly notable for its large shopping centre, arena and leisure facilities....
after World War II also lead to considerable freight traffic on the King's Inch branch. The power station was later converted to oil firing.
Closure
Deanside was the first station to close; it closed on 2 January 1905. Renfrew Porterfield and stations closed on 19 July 1926. However, the line to Renfrew Porterfield continued to be used for freight, as did the freight-only branches.Braehead power station was closed and demolished in the early 1990s; it is being redeveloped as the Braehead
Braehead
Braehead is a commercial development located at the former site of Braehead Power Station in Renfrew on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrewshire. It is particularly notable for its large shopping centre, arena and leisure facilities....
regeneration project.
See also
- RAILSCOT on Glasgow and Renfrew District Railway
- Paisley and Renfrew RailwayPaisley and Renfrew RailwayThe Paisley and Renfrew railway was a railway line from the town of Paisley to its neighbouring town Renfrew; and to the River Clyde at Renfrew wharf. The railway was built to the Scotch gauge of...
- 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....