City of Glasgow Union Railway
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.
This short route joins the two halves of inner Glasgow's railway system. At its northern end, it connects to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway at Sighthill 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 (North British Railway) now part of the North Clyde suburban route, from the north east. At High Street East 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.
The railway received Royal Assent in 1864; contractor was Messrs Brassey and Co; the first section of line between Shields Road and Dunlop Street opening 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.
1876 On 1 May, the City of Glasgow Union Railway opened their new Glasgow terminus at St Enoch railway station, with a new crossing over the Clyde. Their left the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway near Shields Junction and continued through the Gorbals and crossed the Clyde at Hutchesontown to St Enoch station; construction of the line having taken 11 years.
By 1901 the section between Gorbals Junction and St Enoch railway station was quadrupled included the widening of the Clyde Bridge.
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 Enoch opened.
The southern section of the line was closed to passengers with the closure of St Enoch railway station 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, as well as departmental movements of diesel multiple units 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.
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Wikipedia