Wishaw & Coltness Railway (railway company: 1829-1849: Scotland)

The Wishaw & Coltness Railway , Scotland, was initially called the Glenturk & Garion Railway and received its Act of Parliament in 1829 . In 2002 it forms part of the West Coast Main Line between Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, and Wishaw, North Lanarkshire. The line was planned to run from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, to Jerviston and Wishaw. A branch from Jerviston to Cleland, North Lanarkshire, was added. Further lines went on to Morningside, North Lanarkshire. Locomotives for the line were provided by R & W Hawthorn of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, between 1846 and 1848. The Wishaw & Coltness Railway was purchased by the Caledonian Railway in 1849 .

The Wilsontown, Morningside & Coltness Railway ran Morningside to Bathgate, West Lothian, with branches to Carluke, South Lanarkshire, and Addiewell and Westcraigs, West Lothian. The line opened in 1845 between Morningside and Longridge, West Lothian, with stations at Morningside, Daviesdykes, Blackhall, Headlesscross, Crofthead and Longridge. In March 1848, Daviesdykes station closed with Blackhall, Headlesscross, Crofthead and Longridge closing in December 1852. In 1864, the line re-opened to passengers with stations at Blackhall, Crofthead, Bents and Whitburn. In May 1930, Morningside, Fauldhouse South, Bents and Whitburn closed. In 1847 the line agreed to promote a Bill for amalgamation with the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway but the law prohibited the amalgamation of companies which had not expended half of their authorised capitalwhich was the case with the Wilsontown, Morningside & Coltness Railway. The purpose of the law was to stop larger lines from buying up smaller companies and thus nullifying the purpose of Parliament in passing the original railway act for the smaller line. As a result, the lines did not merge until 1849 although the Wilsontown, Morningside & Coltness Railway was managed independently until 1850 when the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway Co took it over.

From the guide to the Records of the Wishaw & Coltness Railway, and the Wilsontown, Morningside & Coltness Railway, Scotland, 1826-1847, (Glasgow University Archive Services)