Slamannan Railway
Encyclopedia
The Slamannan Railway was an early mineral railway built near Slamannan
, Falkirk
, Scotland
, where it had coal
and iron ore.
The railway was Incorporated on 3 July 1835 and was opened on 31 August 1840. Its main function was intended to be the transportation of coal
and passengers, but iron ore was also carried. It was built to the Scotch gauge
of .
The line included Inclined planes.
In 1848, it merged with other railway lines to become the Monkland Railways; which in turn was absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
.
was to raise £86,000 (Pound sterling
) of joint stock capital
and a loan of £20,000. A further Act was obtained on 3 July 1837 to raise an additional £29,000 by shares. Half the capital was provided by the Ballochney Railway
.
to the Union Canal
at Causeway End, a distance of 12.5 miles (20 km).
In 1844 a one mile extension at Causeway End, to link it to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
was authorised.
, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
, the Ballochney Railway
and the Slamannan Railway to Causeyway End on the Union Canal
. Two through passenger trains per day ran in both directions; they linked with boats on the Union Canal, and reduced the journey time between the two cities
to four hours.
started negotiations in 1844 to take over the various Monkland Railways; and at the same time the railway companies applied for permission to change to Standard gauge
. In May 1846, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was refused permission to amalgamate and it decide to withdraw on 31 December 1846. The Caledonian Railway
by that time had taken over the Wishaw and Coltness Railway
and the Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway
.
The Ballochney Railway, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the Slamannan Railway all obtained aurthorisation to change to Standard gauge
between 1845 and 1846. The three railways changed their gauge on 26 July and 27 July 1847.
and the Ballochney Railway
to become the Monkland Railways
.
A 4.5 mile (7 km) extension - Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway
- was built to Bo'ness
, which opened on 17 March 1851. The 26 June 1846 Act of Parliament authorising this extension, also allowed the railway to lease the harbour at Bo'ness but this lease was not followed through.
The Monkland Railways were absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
by an Act of Parliament, dated 5 July 1865, effective from 31 July 1865. A day later (on 1 August 1865) the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was absorbed into the North British Railway
.
Slamannan
Slamannan is a village in the south of the Falkirk council area in Central Scotland. It is south-west of Falkirk, east of Cumbernauld and north-east of Airdrie....
, Falkirk
Falkirk (council area)
Falkirk is one of the 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland. It borders onto North Lanarkshire to the south west, Stirling to the north west, West Lothian to the south east and, across the Firth of Forth to the north east, Fife and Clackmannanshire...
, 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...
, where it had 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...
and iron ore.
The railway was Incorporated on 3 July 1835 and was opened on 31 August 1840. Its main function was intended to be the transportation of 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...
and passengers, but iron ore was also carried. It was built to the Scotch gauge
Scotch gauge
Scotch gauge was the name given to a track gauge, that was adopted by early 19th century railways mainly in the Lanarkshire area of Scotland. It differed from the gauge of that was used on some early lines in England; and from the standard gauge of...
of .
The line included Inclined planes.
In 1848, it merged with other railway lines to become the Monkland Railways; which in turn was absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Edinburgh 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...
.
Formation of the railway
The original 1835 Act of ParliamentAct of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
was to raise £86,000 (Pound sterling
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
) of joint stock capital
Joint stock company
A joint-stock company is a type of corporation or partnership involving two or more individuals that own shares of stock in the company...
and a loan of £20,000. A further Act was obtained on 3 July 1837 to raise an additional £29,000 by shares. Half the capital was provided by the Ballochney Railway
Ballochney Railway
The Ballochney Railway was an early mineral railway built near Airdrie, in the Monklands District of Scotland.The railway was Incorporated on 19 May 1826 and was opened on 8 May 1828. Its main function was intended to be the transportation of coal, but iron ore and passengers were also carried. It...
.
The route
It ran from the northern branch of the Ballochney RailwayBallochney Railway
The Ballochney Railway was an early mineral railway built near Airdrie, in the Monklands District of Scotland.The railway was Incorporated on 19 May 1826 and was opened on 8 May 1828. Its main function was intended to be the transportation of coal, but iron ore and passengers were also carried. It...
to the Union Canal
Union Canal (Scotland)
The Union Canal is a 31.5-mile canal in Scotland, from Lochrin Basin, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh to Falkirk, where it meets the Forth and Clyde Canal.-Location and features:...
at Causeway End, a distance of 12.5 miles (20 km).
In 1844 a one mile extension at Causeway End, to link it to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Edinburgh 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...
was authorised.
Glasgow - Edinburgh passenger services
On 31 August 1840, the Slamannan Railway arranged passenger services between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Passengers travelled from Glasgow, via the Glasgow and Garnkirk RailwayGlasgow and Garnkirk Railway
The 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...
, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
The Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway was an early mineral railway running from a colliery at Monklands to the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirkintilloch, Scotland....
, the Ballochney Railway
Ballochney Railway
The Ballochney Railway was an early mineral railway built near Airdrie, in the Monklands District of Scotland.The railway was Incorporated on 19 May 1826 and was opened on 8 May 1828. Its main function was intended to be the transportation of coal, but iron ore and passengers were also carried. It...
and the Slamannan Railway to Causeyway End on the Union Canal
Union Canal (Scotland)
The Union Canal is a 31.5-mile canal in Scotland, from Lochrin Basin, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh to Falkirk, where it meets the Forth and Clyde Canal.-Location and features:...
. Two through passenger trains per day ran in both directions; they linked with boats on the Union Canal, and reduced the journey time between the two cities
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
to four hours.
Attempted take over and change of gauge
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...
started negotiations in 1844 to take over the various Monkland Railways; and at the same time the railway companies applied for permission to change to Standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. In May 1846, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was refused permission to amalgamate and it decide to withdraw on 31 December 1846. 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...
by that time had taken over the Wishaw and Coltness Railway
Wishaw and Coltness Railway
The Wishaw and Coltness Railway was an early Scottish railway. It ran for approximately 11 miles from Chapel Colliery, at Coltness, North Lanarkshire, to the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, near Gartsherrie...
and the Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway
Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway
The 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...
.
The Ballochney Railway, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the Slamannan Railway all obtained aurthorisation to change to Standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
between 1845 and 1846. The three railways changed their gauge on 26 July and 27 July 1847.
Amalgamation to form the Monkland Railways
On 14 August 1848 the Slamannan Railway merged with the Monkland and Kirkintilloch RailwayMonkland and Kirkintilloch Railway
The Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway was an early mineral railway running from a colliery at Monklands to the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirkintilloch, Scotland....
and the Ballochney Railway
Ballochney Railway
The Ballochney Railway was an early mineral railway built near Airdrie, in the Monklands District of Scotland.The railway was Incorporated on 19 May 1826 and was opened on 8 May 1828. Its main function was intended to be the transportation of coal, but iron ore and passengers were also carried. It...
to become the Monkland Railways
Monkland Railways
The Monkland Railways was formed on 14 August 1848 by the merger of the Ballochney Railway, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and the Slamannan Railway.A 4.5 mile extension was built to Bo'ness, which opened on 17 March 1851...
.
A 4.5 mile (7 km) extension - Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway
Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway
The Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway is an historic railway in Scotland.-History:It was a 4.5 mile extension to the Slamannan Railway built to Bo'ness, opened on 17 March 1851...
- was built to Bo'ness
Bo'ness
Bo'ness, properly Borrowstounness, is a coastal town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on a hillside on the south bank of the Firth of Forth within the Falkirk council area, north-west of Edinburgh and east of Falkirk. At the 2001 census, Bo'ness had a resident population of 13,961...
, which opened on 17 March 1851. The 26 June 1846 Act of Parliament authorising this extension, also allowed the railway to lease the harbour at Bo'ness but this lease was not followed through.
The Monkland Railways were absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Edinburgh 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...
by an Act of Parliament, dated 5 July 1865, effective from 31 July 1865. A day later (on 1 August 1865) the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was absorbed into 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:...
.
Links to other lines and modes of transportation
The following connections existed on the line between Dykehead and Causewayend.| Location | Distance from Dykehead | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dykehead Jn | 0m 1c | Dykehead Branch |
| Limerigg Jn | 4m 9c | Limerigg Branch |
| North Monkland Jn | 5m 8c | North Monklands line |
| Strathavon Jn | 7m 19c | Short branch 63 chains in length to Strathavon. Later extended to various mines. |
| Blackston Jn | 10m 26c | Branch to Bathgate (Whiteside) via Westfield |
| Bowhouse Jn | 13m 18c | Mineral branches |
| Causeweyend incline top | 15m 42c | Extension and original northern terminus of the Slamannan Railway |
| Causewayend incline bottom | 15m 77c | |
| Causewayend station | 16m 8c | A connection to the Union Canal Union Canal Union Canal is a placename:* Union Canal , a canal in Scotland between Edinburgh and Falkirk* Union Canal , a nineteenth century canal in Pennsylvania, United States, closed in 1880... existed in the very early days of the line. A basin serving the Linlithgow foundry can still be seen today. |
- At Raywards (Airdrie) the Slamannan line joined the network in that area.