Shotts Line
Encyclopedia
The Shotts Line is a suburban railway line linking Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley
via Shotts
in Scotland
. The route from Glasgow to Shotts is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
network. Between Glasgow Central and Uddingston, the line is shared with the West Coast Main Line
(WCML), before branching off towards Bellshill, rejoining the Edinburgh branch of the WCML at Midcalder Junction.
via Falkirk
.
metals, with the North British Railway
at the Edinburgh end.
scheme, since it would not depend on the heavily used North Clyde Line
, and would also provide a more direct electric link between Edinburgh and Glasgow without using the longer route via the WCML through Carstairs Junction.
using the 25kV overhead system. These are:-
The line follows the electrified West Coast Main Line
as far as Uddingston Junction where it branches off to the east. Until Holytown Junction the line is electrified and also used by Argyle Line
services. From Holytown the un-electrified line continues through open countryside past Shotts and joins the electrified Edinburgh Branch of the Caledonian Railway (part of the WCML) at Kirknewton. The central section between Holytown and Midcalder Junction is not electrified.
On Sundays only, a two hourly service was provided between Edinburgh and West Calder. There were no services between Addiewell and Bellshill on a Sunday.
The new train calls at Glasgow Central, Bellshill, Shotts, West Calder, Livingston South, Haymarket and Edinburgh Waverley only. It will see an end-to-end reduction in journey time of 33 minutes.
As of December 2009, the Shotts Line no longer serves Cambuslang
, except during peak times.
's. The services via Carstairs
are provided by First Scotrail Class 380
's.
Freight services along the line are generally hauled using Class 66
traction, though on occasion other types may be used.
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
via Shotts
Shotts railway station
Shotts railway station is a railway station serving Shotts in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line, 33 km east of towards .Shotts station is the last stop before the SPT area boundary on the Shotts Line.-Services:...
in Scotland
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...
. The route from Glasgow to Shotts is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
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...
network. Between Glasgow Central and Uddingston, the line is shared with the 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), before branching off towards Bellshill, rejoining the Edinburgh branch of the WCML at Midcalder Junction.
Glasgow to Edinburgh services
Although the line links the two cities by the shortest route, it is not the major service between the cities with the journey taking around twice as long as the frequent main Glasgow Queen Street-Edinburgh serviceGlasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line is a mainline railway line linking Glasgow and Edinburgh via Falkirk in Scotland. It is the principal route out of the four rail links between Scotland's two biggest cities, hosting the flagship "Shuttle" service between and .- Places served :The route...
via Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
.
History of route
The majority of the route follows ex-Caledonian RailwayCaledonian 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...
metals, with 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:...
at the Edinburgh end.
- Glasgow Central Lines (CRCaledonian RailwayThe 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...
) - Polloc and Govan RailwayPolloc and Govan RailwayThe 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...
between Eglinton Street Tunnels and RutherglenRutherglen railway stationRutherglen is a railway station in the town centre of Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, and lying on the Argyle railway line. The station is served by a single island platform, connected to the street by a footbridge...
(CR) - Clydesdale Junction RailwayClydesdale Junction RailwayThe 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....
between RutherglenRutherglen railway stationRutherglen is a railway station in the town centre of Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, and lying on the Argyle railway line. The station is served by a single island platform, connected to the street by a footbridge...
and UddingstonUddingston railway stationUddingston railway station serves the town of Uddingston, South Lanarkshire. The station is located on the Argyle Line and Shotts Line. Passenger services are provided by ScotRail.- History :...
(CR) - Cleland and Midcalder LineCleland and Midcalder LineCleland and Midcalder Line is an historic railway in Scotland.-Current operations:This line is open formed the centre section of the Shotts Line.-References:...
between UddingstonUddingston railway stationUddingston railway station serves the town of Uddingston, South Lanarkshire. The station is located on the Argyle Line and Shotts Line. Passenger services are provided by ScotRail.- History :...
and KirknewtonKirknewton railway stationKirknewton railway station is a railway station serving Kirknewton in West Lothian, Scotland, Opened as Kirknewton in February 1848, the station was renamed Midcalder and Kirknewton after two months, before becoming Midcalder in 1855. The full circle was finally completed 127 years later in May...
(CR) - Caledonian Railway Main Line between KirknewtonKirknewton railway stationKirknewton railway station is a railway station serving Kirknewton in West Lothian, Scotland, Opened as Kirknewton in February 1848, the station was renamed Midcalder and Kirknewton after two months, before becoming Midcalder in 1855. The full circle was finally completed 127 years later in May...
and HaymarketHaymarket railway stationFor the Tyne and Wear Metro see Haymarket Metro station.Haymarket railway station is in Haymarket, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is Edinburgh's second largest station after Waverley, a major commuter and long-distance destination, located quite centrally near the West End... - 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...
between HaymarketHaymarket railway stationFor the Tyne and Wear Metro see Haymarket Metro station.Haymarket railway station is in Haymarket, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is Edinburgh's second largest station after Waverley, a major commuter and long-distance destination, located quite centrally near the West End...
and Edinburgh WaverleyEdinburgh Waverley railway stationEdinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
(NBRNorth 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:...
)
Transport studies
In 2002, the Scottish Association Public Transport (SAPT) published a report suggesting that electrification of the Shotts Line would open up the Glasgow suburban electric network to Edinburgh and beyond, principally linking the capital to the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (now cancelled). This has been proposed as an alternative to the Glasgow CrossrailGlasgow Crossrail
Crossrail Glasgow is a proposed railway development in Central Scotland.Since the 1970s, it has been widely recognised that one of the main weaknesses of the railway network in Greater Glasgow is that rail services from the South cannot bypass Glasgow city centre and join the northern...
scheme, since it would not depend on the heavily used 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...
, and would also provide a more direct electric link between Edinburgh and Glasgow without using the longer route via the WCML through Carstairs Junction.
Stations
The Shotts line serves the following stations:- Glasgow Central
- connections for south-west Scotland, including AyrAyr railway stationAyr railway station serves the town of Ayr in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is situated in Smith Street, off Burns Statue Square. The station, which is managed by First ScotRail, is on the Ayrshire Coast Line, south-west of Glasgow Central railway station....
, GreenockGreenock Central railway stationGreenock Central station is one of eight railway stations serving the town of Greenock in western Scotland, and is the nearest to the town centre. This station, which is staffed, is on the Inverclyde Line west of Glasgow Central towards Gourock. It has three platforms, two of which are in use,...
and DumfriesDumfries railway stationDumfries railway station serves the town of Dumfries in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is located on the Glasgow South Western Line and is managed by First ScotRail who provide all passenger train services...
as well as West Coast Main LineWest Coast Main LineThe 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...
services
- connections for south-west Scotland, including Ayr
- CambuslangCambuslang railway stationCambuslang railway station is a railway station which serves the town of Cambuslang, Scotland. The station is five miles south east of Glasgow Central, and is regularly served by trains on the Argyle line to and from Glasgow Central low level...
- only at peak times
- UddingstonUddingston railway stationUddingston railway station serves the town of Uddingston, South Lanarkshire. The station is located on the Argyle Line and Shotts Line. Passenger services are provided by ScotRail.- History :...
- BellshillBellshill railway stationBellshill railway station is a railway station in the town of Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and served by Argyle Line and Shotts Line services. The station is adjacent to Bellshill Main Street, on Hamilton Road, and was opened by the Caledonian...
- connections to MotherwellMotherwell railway stationMotherwell railway station serves Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on the West Coast Main Line, and is served also by Argyle Line trains of the Glasgow suburban railway network. It is the penultimate stop on the northbound WCML before Glasgow. There are four platforms of various...
and Lanark railway stationLanark railway stationLanark railway station is in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is managed by First ScotRail and is the southern terminus of the Argyle Line.The station is located on Bannatyne Street, Lanark...
.
- connections to Motherwell
- HolytownHolytown railway stationHolytown railway station is a railway station serving both Holytown and New Stevenston in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line, south east of towards and is also on the Argyle Line....
- CarfinCarfin railway stationCarfin railway station is a railway station serving both Carfin and Newarthill in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is southeast of Glasgow Central railway station on the Shotts Line between Glasgow and Edinburgh....
- ClelandCleland railway stationCleland railway station is a railway station serving the village of Cleland, near Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Built on the Cleland and Midcalder Line it was originally named Omoa, after the nearby ironworks, until on the Wishaw and Coltness Railway closed in 1930.It is located on...
- HartwoodHartwood railway stationHartwood railway station is a railway station serving Hartwood in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the Shotts Line, east of towards . The station has two platforms, connected by a stairway footbridge...
- ShottsShotts railway stationShotts railway station is a railway station serving Shotts in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line, 33 km east of towards .Shotts station is the last stop before the SPT area boundary on the Shotts Line.-Services:...
- FauldhouseFauldhouse railway stationFauldhouse railway station is a railway station serving Fauldhouse in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line, 37 km west of towards .The station is almost at the halfway point of the Shotts Line between Glasgow and Edinburgh...
- BreichBreich railway stationBreich railway station is a remote railway station serving the village of Breich in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line west of Edinburgh Waverley towards Glasgow Central.- History :...
- AddiewellAddiewell railway stationAddiewell railway station is a railway station serving Addiewell in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts.-History:...
- West CalderWest Calder railway stationWest Calder railway station is a railway station serving West Calder in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line, west of on the way to . The station has two platforms, connected by a stairway footbridge, and CCTV...
- Livingston SouthLivingston South railway stationLivingston South railway station is one of two railway stations serving Livingston in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line west of Edinburgh Waverley on the way to Glasgow Central...
- KirknewtonKirknewton railway stationKirknewton railway station is a railway station serving Kirknewton in West Lothian, Scotland, Opened as Kirknewton in February 1848, the station was renamed Midcalder and Kirknewton after two months, before becoming Midcalder in 1855. The full circle was finally completed 127 years later in May...
- limited connections to CarstairsCarstairs railway stationCarstairs railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line , situated close to the point at which the lines from London Euston to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh diverge...
- limited connections to Carstairs
- CurriehillCurriehill railway stationCurriehill railway station is located in Currie, a southwestern suburb of the city of Edinburgh, not far from the main campus of Heriot-Watt University. It lies on the Shotts Line, which runs from to by way of Shotts....
- Wester HailesWester Hailes railway stationWester Hailes railway station is a railway station serving Wester Hailes in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is located on the Edinburgh branch of the West Coast Main Line, but is not served by inter-city services - these are provided via the Shotts Line of the SPT network. The...
- KingsknoweKingsknowe railway stationKingsknowe railway station is a railway station serving Kingsknowe in the Scottish city of Edinburgh. It is located on the Shotts Line from to via Shotts. The station has two platforms, connected by a level crossing, and CCTV. It is managed by First ScotRail....
- SlatefordSlateford railway stationSlateford railway station is a railway station serving Slateford in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts. The station has two platforms, connected by a stairway footbridge, and CCTV...
- HaymarketHaymarket railway stationFor the Tyne and Wear Metro see Haymarket Metro station.Haymarket railway station is in Haymarket, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is Edinburgh's second largest station after Waverley, a major commuter and long-distance destination, located quite centrally near the West End...
- Edinburgh WaverleyEdinburgh Waverley railway stationEdinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
- connections to north-eastern and central Scotland, including DundeeDundee railway stationDundee railway station serves the city of Dundee on the east coast of Scotland. The station has two through platforms and two terminal platforms...
, StirlingStirling railway stationStirling railway station can mean:* Stirling railway station in Stirling, Scotland* Stirling railway station in Perth, Western Australia...
and InvernessInverness railway stationInverness railway station is the railway station serving the Scottish city of Inverness.- History :Opened on 5 November 1855 as the western terminus of the Inverness and Nairn Railway, it is now the terminus of the Highland Main Line, the Aberdeen-Inverness Line , the Kyle of Lochalsh Line and the...
as well as East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
services
- connections to north-eastern and central Scotland, including Dundee
Electrification
Parts of the route are electrifiedRailway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
using the 25kV overhead system. These are:-
- Glasgow Central to HolytownHolytown railway stationHolytown railway station is a railway station serving both Holytown and New Stevenston in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line, south east of towards and is also on the Argyle Line....
- KirknewtonKirknewton railway stationKirknewton railway station is a railway station serving Kirknewton in West Lothian, Scotland, Opened as Kirknewton in February 1848, the station was renamed Midcalder and Kirknewton after two months, before becoming Midcalder in 1855. The full circle was finally completed 127 years later in May...
to Edinburgh WaverleyEdinburgh Waverley railway stationEdinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
The line follows the electrified 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...
as far as Uddingston Junction where it branches off to the east. Until Holytown Junction the line is electrified and also used by Argyle Line
Argyle Line
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...
services. From Holytown the un-electrified line continues through open countryside past Shotts and joins the electrified Edinburgh Branch of the Caledonian Railway (part of the WCML) at Kirknewton. The central section between Holytown and Midcalder Junction is not electrified.
Prior to December 2009
A Monday to Saturday hourly service was operated on the line, calling at all stops between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley. The exceptions to this rule were: Briech which was a request stop at peak hours only, the two trains a day in either direction that travelled via Carstairs and the single afternoon service from Edinburgh via Shotts that terminated at Motherwell.On Sundays only, a two hourly service was provided between Edinburgh and West Calder. There were no services between Addiewell and Bellshill on a Sunday.
December 2009 onwards
While the original timetabled services on the route continue, albeit slightly altered, they have been supplemented by a new limited stop express passenger service. This new service operates in the gaps in the original timetable, making the route frequency now twice hourly.The new train calls at Glasgow Central, Bellshill, Shotts, West Calder, Livingston South, Haymarket and Edinburgh Waverley only. It will see an end-to-end reduction in journey time of 33 minutes.
As of December 2009, the Shotts Line no longer serves Cambuslang
Cambuslang railway station
Cambuslang railway station is a railway station which serves the town of Cambuslang, Scotland. The station is five miles south east of Glasgow Central, and is regularly served by trains on the Argyle line to and from Glasgow Central low level...
, except during peak times.
Traction
Passenger services on the line are provided by First ScotRail Class 156British Rail Class 156
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
's. The services via Carstairs
Carstairs railway station
Carstairs railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line , situated close to the point at which the lines from London Euston to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh diverge...
are provided by First Scotrail Class 380
British Rail Class 380
Class 380 is the designation given to a class of electric multiple unit trains which operate on the national railway network in Scotland.- Description :...
's.
Freight services along the line are generally hauled using Class 66
British Rail Class 66
The Class 66 is a six axle diesel electric freight locomotive developed in part from the British Rail Class 59, for use on the railways of the UK. Since its introduction the class has been successful and has been sold to British and other European railway companies...
traction, though on occasion other types may be used.