Opening
The line is officially quoted to have opened on 1 October 1826, but the section north of Gartsherrie at least must have opened during May 1826; A coal merchant, James Shillinglaw advertised coal from Gartsherrie for sale in Edinburgh:
"The Gartshearie Coal (from the Monkland Coal-Field) is now introduced for the first time in Edinburgh, in consequence of the opening of the Kirkintilloch Railway."
The railway did not own wagons or horses to pull them, and independent hauliers operated over the line, paying the company a toll for the privilege. From 1835 the company started to acquire its own fleet of wagons.
Read more about this topic: Monkland And Kirkintilloch Railway
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““Who are you,” said the caterpillar.
This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have changed several times since then.””
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)
““If you do!” She was opening the door wider.
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I’ll follow and bring you back by force. I will!””
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With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by thy flood,
And lost in following years.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.”
—Isaac Watts (1674–1748)