Darvel and Strathaven Railway

[v · Legend
Darvel Branch  Loudounhill County Boundary Junction Drumclog Ryeland Strathaven Central  Hamilton and Strathaven Railway   Mid Lanarks Lines

The Darvel and Strathaven Railway linked, with the Darvel Branch to the former Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway in Scotland to allow trains to travel between Kilmarnock and Lanarkshire.

History

On 4 July 1905, the line opened connecting with the Darvel Branch, resulting in the ceasing to become a branch and became a through line to Strathaven which was a jointly run line between the Glasgow and South Western Railway and the Caledonian Railway.^[1] However despite being a through line, no trains ever ran between Kilmarnock and Strathaven;^[2] instead, the two companies took it in turns to run the line between Darvel and Strathaven every six months.^[2]

The line was never successful and closed in 1939.^[1] Little evidence of the line still exists today, aside from the occasional embankment, bridge and cutting along the route.

Connections to other lines

• Darvel Branch west of Darvel
• Mid Lanarks Lines of the Caledonian Railway at Strathaven
• Hamilton and Strathaven Railway at Strathaven

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Wham, page 47
2. ^ ^{a b} Stansfield, page 20

Sources

• Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199. 
• Lewin, Henry Grote (1925). Early British Railways. A short history of their origin & development 1801-1844. London: The Locomotive Publishing Co Ltd. OCLC 11064369. 

• Stansfield, G. (1999). Ayrshire & Renfrewshire's Lost Railways. Ochiltree: Stenlake Publishing. ISBN 1-8403-3077-5. 

• Wham, Alasdair (1997). The Lost Railway Lines of Ayrshire : Ayrshire Railway Walks. Wigtown: G.C. Book Publishers. ISBN 1-8723-5027-5. OCLC 38356283. 

• Whishaw, Francis (1842) [1840]. The Railways of Great Britain and Ireland practically described and illustrated (2nd ed.). London: John Weale (1840 publisher - Simpkin, Marshall & Co.). OCLC 36383414. 

• RAILSCOT on Darvel and Strathaven Railway