Wishaw and Coltness Railway
| Company type | Mineral railway company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | June 1, 1829 |
| Fate | Absorbed into Caledonian Railway (1849) |
| Headquarters | Scotland, United Kingdom |
Area served | North Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Products | Mineral transport (coal, iron ore) |
The Wishaw and Coltness Railway was among the pioneering Scottish mineral railways, extending roughly from Chapel Colliery in Newmains, North Lanarkshire, to a junction with the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway near Whifflet. Its primary function was to transport minerals from Newmains to markets in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Financial constraints caused delays in its construction; the railway opened incrementally beginning in 1833, reaching full completion on 9 March 1844.
Constructed using the track gauge typical of Scottish coal railways, the line incorporated several branches that served various pits and ironworks.
In 1849, it was absorbed into the Caledonian Railway, with portions of its original route now incorporated into the West Coast Main Line.
Formation of the railway
The surge of industrial activity in central Scotland during the early 1800s generated a significant need for efficient coal and iron ore transportation. Although canals offered some logistical solutions, railways provided superior connectivity. The Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, inaugurated in 1828, linked Monklands coal pits to Glasgow and Edinburgh through the Forth and Clyde Canal, reducing transportation costs. This inspired competing mining operations to seek their own rail links.
Initially proposed as the Garturk and Garion Railway in Parliament in 1829, the project was renamed Wishaw and Coltness Railway during legislative approval. It was formally established by the Wishaw and Coltness Railway Act 1829 (10 Geo. 4. c. cvii) on 1 June 1829. The act permitted construction of a railway from Chapel, located in Cambusnethan parish, passing through Coltness and Gariongill to connect with the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway at Old Monkland. The authorized share capital stood at £80,000 with borrowing authority of £20,000. The legislation set toll rates; passenger services were allowed at a fare of 4d per mile, and locomotives were permitted.
The company’s title reflected its mineral extraction origins at Coltness Colliery near Wishaw, even though these sites were geographically removed from current settlements. The northern junction at Whifflet linked to another railway line but was less prominent in naming conventions.
According to Priestley, the planned route traversed important industrial centres such as Chapel, Crawfoot, Hamilton, Bothwell, Coltness, Overtown, Motherwell, and Carnbroe, with proposed branches extending to Rosehall and several collieries; however, not all branches were independently constructed.
A parliamentary condition initially prohibited the use of locomotives due to objections from landowner Drysdale of Jerviston, who feared depreciation of his estate’s value. This restriction was eventually lifted after the company paid £1,000 equally divided among concerned parties.
Subsequent legislation—the Wishaw and Coltness Railway Act 1834 (4 & 5 Will. 4. c. xli), Wishaw and Coltness Railway Act 1837 (7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. c), and Wishaw and Coltness Railway Act 1841 (4 & 5 Vict. c. xi)—provided extensions for completion due to funding difficulties and authorized raising additional capital: £80,000 by 1840 followed by £160,000 thereafter.
Initial Segment to Chapelknowe
The company encountered financial obstacles that postponed the project's completion. The initial portion was inaugurated on 23 January 1834,Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
Subsequently, nine weeks later on 31 March 1834,[1] the track was extended to the pits at Chapelknowe, where it veered east. This location eventually became known as Mossend North Junction. A passenger station called Holytown was established there in 1844 and renamed Mossend in 1882.
From there, the railway proceeded southeast to east, passing Carfin station (which was renamed Holytown in 1882) and Newarthill station (renamed Carfin in 1928). This segment remains in use today as the route connecting Whifflet, Mossend North Junction, Holytown, and Carfin. Beyond this point, the original line turned southward to serve mines located within the Cleland estate at Chapelknowe.[2]
Coltness Estate
In 1836, Thomas Houldsworth, an entrepreneur from Manchester, acquired the Coltness Estate along with its extensive mineral rights. The railway company did not have sufficient capital to finish its line. Houldsworth agreed to underwrite interest on a £20,000 loan required for extending the railway to Coltness, contribute £300 towards securing the Wishaw and Coltness Railway Act of 1837, donate land at no cost except for tenant compensation, and commit to transporting all his products via the railway at standard rates. Additionally, he consented to share the expense of removing locomotive restrictions imposed by the Drysdale estate.[3]
Extension to Jerviston
With financing in place, the subsequent extension—intended as the main line—opened in 1838. It stretched approximately south from "Holytown" (later Mossend North Junction) to "Jerviston", serving various pits near what would become the Ravenscraig complex. This alignment lay east of today’s Mossend–Motherwell line opened in 1857.[2]
Advancing to "Coltness"
In 1841, the railway was extended from Jerviston to Overton (now known as Overtown). Continuing southward from Jerviston and crossing the Clyde River, it then turned southeast at Motherwell Junction near the current station location, following what is today part of the West Coast Main Line. This section served coal, ironstone, and clay mines before reaching Coltness Colliery situated between bridges at Pather and Overtown.
Final Stretch to Chapel
By 1842, the line had been further prolonged from Coltness Colliery to Chapel Colliery near Morningside, positioned east of Stirling Road (later designated as A73). Passenger stations were opened in 1845 at Overtown and "Carluke," with Carluke station located close to the former Law Hospital on Stirling Road.
Completion at Morningside
The last extension was finalized on 9 March 1844, extending from Chapel Colliery to serve pits and a brick and tile manufacturing site near Morningside. This phase involved constructing a bridge across Auchter Water.
Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway
The Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway (WM&CR) commenced operations on 2 June 1845, with the objective of linking eastern coal pits to transport routes heading toward Monklands and the Clyde. Relying heavily on the Wishaw and Coltness Railway (W&CR), the WM&CR faced financial difficulties and ultimately failed to extend its line to the crucial Wilsontown iron works, terminating approximately one mile short of Whitburn village.
The WM&CR established a terminus facing east in Morningside at the intersection of Mill Road and the northeast corner of Morningside Road. A brief connecting track linked this terminus to the W&CR west of Morningside Road. In response, the W&CR constructed its own nearby Morningside station, situated only about two chains away.
Operation
At first, operations resembled those of a canal system—routes were provided while independent carriers supplied wagons and horses—under which the Wishaw and Coltness Railway levied tolls for usage. The 1829 Act authorized landowners to build wharfs, warehouses, and cranes along the railway or to have these facilities constructed by the company for a fee.
By 1838, locomotives were in use on both the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway (G&GR) and the W&CR. The following year, W&CR opted to implement locomotive traction and reduce reliance on independent horse hauliers to minimize frequent accidents.
In 1842, to curb independent operators and address concerns about locomotives damaging wagons, W&CR acquired 323 wagons from hauliers. These early wagons were basic and lacked suspension; later, during Caledonian Railway's negotiations to purchase W&CR, it was highlighted that newer wagons equipped with springs and updated locomotives had been introduced.
Between 1843 and 1845, over one million tons were transported by W&CR—with company-owned wagons handling 61.2% of this volume and independent hauliers managing the remainder. Operational expenses were substantial: from an average yearly revenue of £11,125 (1839–1843), 36.9% was allocated to running costs.
Locomotives
The Wishaw and Coltness company procured three locomotives designed by Robert Dodds and manufactured by James M Rowan in Glasgow: Wishaw, Coltness, and Cleland. These engines entered service at the end of 1840, replacing horse-drawn haulage and significantly boosting both revenue and operational efficiency.
Passengers
Passenger services to Coatbridge began on 8 May 1845, departing from Morningside at 7:07 a.m., with intermediate stops at Stirling Road, Overtown Road, Wishaw, Motherwell, Holytown, and Carnbroe Iron Works before arriving at Coatbridge at 8:50 a.m. A through coach connected with the Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway (GG&CR) for travel onward to its Townhead terminus in Glasgow. This arrangement supported morning outbound services as well as late afternoon returns. The GG&CR actively promoted tourism along this route, emphasizing attractions such as the Falls of Clyde near Lanark.
Early passenger stations—many bearing names different from current usage—included:
Cleland line:
- Carnbroe (Carnbroe Iron Works), opened in 1843; closed around 1846
- Holytown (later known as Mossend North Junction), opened in 1844; renamed Mossend in 1882; closed in 1962
- Carfin, opened circa 1834; renamed Holytown in 1882; remains operational
- Newarthill (now Carfin station), opened in 1834; closed in 1880
Coltness line:
- Motherwell (located south of today's station), opened in 1845; closed in 1885 when a new station opened
- Flemington, opened in 1891; closed in 1965
- Shieldmuir, opened in 1990
- Wishaw, opened in 1845; renamed Wishaw South in 1880; closed in 1958
- Overtown, opened in 1845; closed in 1881
- Carluke (situated far from present-day Carluke station), opened in 1845; renamed Stirling Road, Morningside in 1848; closed in 1853
- Morningside, opened in 1845; closed in 1930
After acquisition by Caledonian Railway, the Morningside line was relegated to a minor branch off the West Coast Main Line with passenger services likely ceasing by 1853. Subsequent Caledonian routes included a Holytown-to-Morningside service featuring five daily trains each way during both 1895 and 1922. The Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway operated an independent eastbound service from its own nearby Morningside station; however, coordination between these two services was minimal and no passenger trains utilized the short connecting track between their stations.
Expanded Reach
Initially constructed as a coal transport line serving central Scotland's mineral markets, the railway swiftly evolved to meet the increasing industrial requirements of the region. As the Coltness Iron Works and associated industries grew, it became necessary to obtain raw materials from more distant locations and to distribute finished goods over a broader area.
One significant challenge was the original track gauge of 4 ft 6 in, which necessitated transferring cargo at junctions with standard gauge railways. To enhance compatibility, the railway underwent a gauge conversion in 1847, adopting the standard 4 ft 8½ in track width.
At the same time, the Caledonian Railway was established to create a mainline connection between Central Scotland and Carlisle, integrating with the English rail system. To gain entry into Glasgow, Caledonian negotiated running rights over both the Wishaw and Coltness Railway (W&CR) and the Glasgow Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway (GG&CR). Beginning on 1 January 1847, Caledonian leased the W&CR, securing a 10.5% return on its £240,000 capital investment, having previously arranged an 8% lease on the GG&CR in the preceding year. Subsequently, Caledonian acquired ownership of the W&CR through the Caledonian Railway (Wishaw and Coltness Railway Purchase) Act 1849 (12 & 13 Vict. c. lxvii).
While initially operating from GG&CR’s Townhead terminus in Glasgow, Caledonian soon expanded services to a newly constructed terminal at Glasgow, Buchanan Street.
Portions of the original Wishaw and Coltness routes continue in use today, notably the stretch from the original Motherwell station to Garriongill Junction and from Whifflet to Mossend South Junction along their initial alignment.