Losing The Competitive Race
At the time the Monkland & Kirkintilloch line was being built, there was a huge acceleration in the rate of technological change, and the pioneer lines—the coal railways—found themselves left behind by more advanced railways; the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway opened its intercity line in 1842, and the Caledonian Railway opened its trunk line from Carlisle to Glasgow (over the Garnkirk line) in 1848.
The Monkland and Kirkintilloch line found itself left behind; it had a track gauge that prevented through working with the developing networks; to convey minerals to Glasgow, it relied on either trans-shipment to a canal or transfer to another line (the G&GR); to get to Edinburgh was even worse: access was over the Ballochney Railway, with two rope-worked inclined planes, and then the Slamannan line, with another rope-worked inclined plane, and trans-shipment at Causeway End to the Union Canal.
This competitive disadvantage was equally keenly felt by the other "coal railway" lines with which the M&K collaborated. Working together, they decided to change the track gauge to standard gauge; they got parliamentary authority, and effected the change together on on 26 July and 27 July 1847.
The Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway was another coal railway with the 4 ft 6in gauge, and it seemed to be an ally; however it had extended southwards, forming an independent route through Coatbridge, and linking up with the Wishaw and Coltness Railway. When the Caledonian Railway was seeking a route into Glasgow, the long route over the Wishaw and Coltness and the G&GR, giving ready-made access into the city of Glasgow, was attractive to the Caledonian company, and in 1846 the CR got parliamentary authority to take over the G&GR line.
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