Glasgow and South Western Railway - History

History

• The first railway in Scotland authorised by Act of Parliament was the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway; built to carry coal. The Act was passed on 27 May 1808 and the line opened in 6 July 1812. The G&SWR took it over in July 1899.
• The G&SWR main line between Glasgow and Carlisle was opened in stages:
  • 12 August 1840 — Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway (GPK&AR) opened between Glasgow and Ayr, with a branch to Kilmarnock. The eastern end the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway was jointly owned with the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway.
  • 4 April 1843 — Dalry – Kilmarnock.
  • May 1848 — Irvine – Crosshouse
  • 8 August 1848 — Kilmarnock – Muirkirk.
  • 9 August 1848 — Kilmarnock – Galston.
  • 23 August 1848 — Dumfries – Gretna Junction.
  • 20 May 1850 — Auchinleck – New Cumnock.
  • 28 October 1850 — New Cumnock – Closeburn (Dumfries).
• Proposed railway/tramway from Seamill to Fairlie via Portencross and Hunterston in 1899

In 1850 the GPK&AR merged with the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway (GD&CR) to form what became the Glasgow and South Western Railway. Services could now run between Glasgow Bridge Street and Carlisle.