The Public notice of the Kilmacolm service withdrawal

[overthewater]

I come across this while looking for other stuff from October 1980: It's the government notice for the closure of the Kilmacolm to Paisley canal line and the purpose replacements. I thought some people might like to see it.

 

[Buzby]

And here’s an amateur video of the last day of operation. Kilmacolm Closure It’s worth remembering that they reopened 4 of the closed stations, only Houston, Bridge of Weir and Kilmacolm remaining shut.

 

[Taunton]

And here’s an amateur video of the last day of operation. Kilmacolm Closure

Is that a single APT carriage in the Shields sidings at the 5 minutes mark?

 

[dazzler]

Is that a single APT carriage in the Shields sidings at the 5 minutes mark?

Looks like one of the APT power cars to me.

 

[AndrewE]

Looks like one of the APT power cars to me.

In a test train, I would say.

 

[32475]

Is that a single APT carriage in the Shields sidings at the 5 minutes mark?

Well spotted! That last day footage looked really depressing and little wonder that Kilmacolm lost its rail service.

 

[Taunton]

That last day footage looked really depressing and little wonder that Kilmacolm lost its rail service.

Among the surprises is the number of stations which still had old Scottish Region blue signs. I was in Scotland in the 1970s, quite some years before this, and they seemed to have completely disappeared.

Except that in 1976 we went (by car) westwards from Callander following the old Oban line, closed 1965, and at Balquhidder bumped up the old station approach. There, thrown down in the weeds, was the old station enamel running in board, quite large (and with a name like that, long), in three sections, in the old style. Even then it seemed it ought to be in a museum.

 

[nw1]

Looks like the line had something of a reprieve as the actual closure wasn't until early 1983, two years after the original proposed date.

Until around 2014 I was unaware of this line and its late closure; it's one of the very few lines that has been closed after I started using the railways (September 1982 onwards). I remember the Paisley Canal reopening but assumed it had closed as part of Beeching.

For the inner stations it was a short period of closure indeed: around 7.5 years. Makes you wonder why they closed the Glasgow-Paisley Canal section at all.

It had a reasonable service in the last timetable of operation (May 1982): hourly Mon-Sat with one peak extra each way Mon-Fri (see Table 220, Timetable World). Not like the usual pre-closure timetables of a small number of services per day at inconvenient times. It did finish very early though, immediately after the evening peak.

Given Kilmacolm is only 17 miles from Glasgow it's perhaps surprising it didn't survive on commuter traffic, though I know little about this area so I don't really know if it's prime commuter territory.

 

[midland1]

Few people about having a last ride, some stations are still staffed!, not pay on the train. Yes it all looks very depressing.

 

[Buzby]

Is that a single APT carriage in the Shields sidings at the 5 minutes mark?

To be honest, I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but the windows (all of them) were filthy. I would have been surprised any APT residuals would be lying around - although it’s not far from Shield’s Depot.

 

[Falcon1200]

Makes you wonder why they closed the Glasgow-Paisley Canal section at all.

Indeed. The Kilmacolm service was treated, and closed, as if it was a single route, when it was two, Shields Junction to Elderslie via Paisley Canal and Elderslie to Kilmacolm. The latter section had no hope of survival, however the Canal Line, as was proved by its subsequent re-opening, certainly did! The great pity is that the section from Canal to Elderslie was not retained, or even safeguarded, it would have been, and still would be, invaluable.

 

[WesternLancer]

Among the surprises is the number of stations which still had old Scottish Region blue signs. I was in Scotland in the 1970s, quite some years before this, and they seemed to have completely disappeared.

Except that in 1976 we went (by car) westwards from Callander following the old Oban line, closed 1965, and at Balquhidder bumped up the old station approach. There, thrown down in the weeds, was the old station enamel running in board, quite large (and with a name like that, long), in three sections, in the old style. Even then it seemed it ought to be in a museum.

Even in 3 sections I guess too long to rescue and get in the car Taunton?

Would that be like the one pictured here in a delightful series of images:

130 Balquhidder station 09-10-64 (John Boyes) 133

Explore Ernies Railway Archive's 31129 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[Taunton]

Even in 3 sections I guess too long to rescue and get in the car Taunton?

Would that be like the one pictured here in a delightful series of images:

130 Balquhidder station 09-10-64 (John Boyes) 133

Explore Ernies Railway Archive's 31129 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Might well be the same one ! Good find.

 

[Strathclyder]

Indeed. The Kilmacolm service was treated, and closed, as if it was a single route, when it was two, Shields Junction to Elderslie via Paisley Canal and Elderslie to Kilmacolm. The latter section had no hope of survival, however the Canal Line, as was proved by its subsequent re-opening, certainly did!

7 years between closure and reopening! It likely doesn't hold the record for shortest amount of time between closure and (partial) re-opening, it's certainly noteworthy all the same.

The great pity is that the section from Canal to Elderslie was not retained, or even safeguarded, it would have been, and still would be, invaluable.

Indeed, and it likely never will be reopened in any form now; about as likely as a north-south cross-Glasgow tunnel linking Central & Queen Street imho.

 

[hexagon789]

7 years between closure and reopening! It likely doesn't hold the record for shortest amount of time between closure and (partial) re-opening, it's certainly noteworthy all the same.

I can think of a pair of stations, closed for 214 and 211 days respectively

 

[Buzby]

The great pity is that the section from Canal to Elderslie was not retained, or even safeguarded, it would have been, and still would be, invaluable.

I believe it is - although I’ve not been along it for 10 years or so. The selling off of the delightful Paisley Canal station buildings (it was swiftly converted into a pub/resturant) with all speed seemed well planned. When the reopening was mooted, they couldn’t get their station back so like Balloch Central, whacked in a concrete platform and some bus shelters a few 100 yards up the line and that’ll do them.

From the buffers there’s a recognised track bed cycle path that follows the route to Elderslie. It gets a bit complicated for cyclists as they have to cross the Ayrshire main line before picking up the Greenock/Kilmacolm route. At Kilmacolm new housing blocks the path on to Greenock, but that isn’t ever going to happen.

 

[Strathclyder]

I can think of a pair of stations, closed for 214 and 211 days respectively

Pardon my ignorance, but what stations would these be? lol

 

[hexagon789]

Pardon my ignorance, but what stations would these be? lol

Dunlop - 214 days
Stewarton - 211 days

The great pity is that the section from Canal to Elderslie was not retained, or even safeguarded, it would have been, and still would be, invaluable.

Definitely useful, in more ways than one.

 

[Strathclyder]

Dunlop - 214 days
Stewarton - 211 days

Ah, those two should've been obvious lol

 

[Taunton]

I never quite got the Kilmacolm line's junction arrangements at Elderslie in the later years, as the Canal line to Kilmacolm route was treated as if it didn't touch the Ayrshire main line, there seemed no trains that switched between the routes. Did main line non-stop trains run via Canal to the end? In the outward direction a burrowing junction did allow the Kilmacolm trains to keep fully clear. There are actually very few grade-separated junctions in Scotland, and why this one was provided, goodness knows.

In the opposite direction there's no separation, so trains would have to go across the main line on the flat - unless someone is going to tell me that they came from the Kilmacolm single line in the opposite direction through the flyunder as well, which would have been quite practicable with the handful of hourly services. I came through a few times on the main line when it was still running, but always dark, or on the wrong side.

 

[Peterthegreat]

I wonder how many of the bus services mentioned in the closure notice survive.

 

[hexagon789]

I never quite got the Kilmacolm line's junction arrangements at Elderslie in the later years, as the Canal line to Kilmacolm route was treated as if it didn't touch the Ayrshire main line, there seemed no trains that switched between the routes. Did main line non-stop trains run via Canal to the end? In the outward direction a burrowing junction did allow the Kilmacolm trains to keep fully clear. There are actually very few grade-separated junctions in Scotland, and why this one was provided, goodness knows.

In the opposite direction there's no separation, so trains would have to go across the main line on the flat - unless someone is going to tell me that they came from the Kilmacolm single line in the opposite direction through the flyunder as well, which would have been quite practicable with the handful of hourly services. I came through a few times on the main line when it was still running, but always dark, or on the wrong side.

There were some Largs trains which went via Canal, but possibly only dated Saturday ones in the later years.

 

[nw1]

There were some Largs trains which went via Canal, but possibly only dated Saturday ones in the later years.

1982 timetable shows three on Mon-Fri (0752, 1653, 1805)

There was also one service which, conversely, went to Kilmacolm via Paisley Gilmour Street (0807).

 

[hexagon789]

1982 timetable shows three on Mon-Fri (0752, 1653, 1805)

There was also one service which, conversely, went to Kilmacolm via Paisley Gilmour Street (0807).

Thank you, I do have 1982, but I was remiss in deciding to rely on memory.

I know that back in the 1960s, far more trains went via Canal to destinations not on the Kilmacolm route.

But then, the loop round the other side of the Loch still existed, and about half the Largs and a few Ayr trains went that way as well.

 

[Rutland23]

The other end of the Lochwinnoch loop line was also grade separated on the approaches to Dalry

See here

View map: Ordnance Survey, Ayrshire sheet VII.SE (includes: Dalry; Kilbirnie) - Ordnance Survey Six-inch 2nd and later editions, Scotland, 1892-1960

Regards

Ian

 

[Taunton]

The other end of the Lochwinnoch loop line was also grade separated on the approaches to Dalry

See here

View map: Ordnance Survey, Ayrshire sheet VII.SE (includes: Dalry; Kilbirnie) - Ordnance Survey Six-inch 2nd and later editions, Scotland, 1892-1960

Regards

Ian

I had forgotten that the junction at Elderslie was not only the turnoff for Kilmacolm, but was also for the Lochwinnoch Loop parallel to the main line, sharing the Kilmacolm route for the first mile, built I think shortly before WW1, and thus with flying junctions at both ends. Quite why the GSWR went to all that trouble for a separate but parallel line, not serving anything new, when the existing main line was straight and through open and level country, and surely would have been an easy quadrupling exercise, is part of the puzzle. Were the Caledonian proposing a line along the north side of the Loch, and this was an (expensive) blocking move?

I'm sure there must be other grade separated junctions in Scotland, but I can't think of any offhand. Any offers?

 

[Dr Hoo]

I had forgotten that the junction at Elderslie was not only the turnoff for Kilmacolm, but was also for the Lochwinnoch Loop parallel to the main line, sharing the Kilmacolm route for the first mile, built I think shortly before WW1, and thus with flying junctions at both ends. Quite why the GSWR went to all that trouble for a separate but parallel line, not serving anything new, when the existing main line was straight and through open and level country, and surely would have been an easy quadrupling exercise, is part of the puzzle. Were the Caledonian proposing a line along the north side of the Loch, and this was an (expensive) blocking move?

I'm sure there must be other grade separated junctions in Scotland, but I can't think of any offhand. Any offers?

The parallel route through 'Glengarnock' served the Kibirnie steel works, which was a major rail customer at one time. It finally closed in 1985.

Other grade separated junctions in Scotland include Cathcart North (just south of Mount Florida), Shields Junction (aka 'The Burma Road') and (more recently) Finnieston/Kelvinhaugh.

 

[Taunton]

The parallel route through 'Glengarnock' served the Kibirnie steel works, which was a major rail customer at one time. It finally closed in 1985.

The Kilbirnie steelworks lay between both GSWR routes, they are only about half a mile apart there, and was fully served from both ends. It was further served by a Caledonian branch from their own Ardrossan direct line at Lugton, so had plenty of connections. I do believe that as these were progressively rationalised in more recent times it was the link onto the Lochwinnoch Loop which was last to go.

 

[Fleetwood Boy]

I’ve always been a bit puzzled about the decisions regarding both the Lochwinnoch Loop and the Kilmacolm line.

The latter had every potential to be a solid middle class commuter line, just like the nearby Inverclyde and Ayrshire lines. And with some imagination could also have served Linwood, which is fantastic territory for public transport.

The Lochwinnoch Loop probably served more population than the retained route, actually having a station in Lochwinnoch itself plus one in Kilbirnie and one in Kilbarchan. It’s station in Johnstone was better located than the current one too. Examination of timetables when both routes were open suggests pretty similar journey times.

Keeping both open they would have shared infrastructure and the line from Elderslie to Glengarnock could have closed.

In some ways, I find the reopening of the section east of Paisley Canal more surprising, although it has the advantage of the line as far as Corkerhill needing to be retained for the depot.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I’ve always been a bit puzzled about the decisions regarding both the Lochwinnoch Loop and the Kilmacolm line.

The latter had every potential to be a solid middle class commuter line, just like the nearby Inverclyde and Ayrshire lines. And with some imagination could also have served Linwood, which is fantastic territory for public transport.

The Lochwinnoch Loop probably served more population than the retained route, actually having a station in Lochwinnoch itself plus one in Kilbirnie and one in Kilbarchan. It’s station in Johnstone was better located than the current one too. Examination of timetables when both routes were open suggests pretty similar journey times.

Keeping both open they would have shared infrastructure and the line from Elderslie to Glengarnock could have closed.

In some ways, I find the reopening of the section east of Paisley Canal more surprising, although it has the advantage of the line as far as Corkerhill needing to be retained for the depot.

As the closure notice itself makes clear, closure of the Kilmacolm branch (and Paisley Canal line) was precipitated by withdrawal of Strathclyde PTE/Regional Council subsidy. (This was running at around £500,000 per year in the early 1980s.) In the nicest possible way, the general political sympathies of the Council weren't particularly aligned with 'solid middle class commuters'.

The Lochwinnoch loop had lost its passenger service in 1966, having originally been listed in the Reshaping Report. Fast services on the 'main line' provided links with larger and more lucrative markets such as Ayr, Troon and Largs (and Stranraer). These were vulnerable to road competition by car and bus, given the relatively roundabout geography of the rail network.

On the Paisley Canal route itself the track had remained not only to Corkerhill Depot but also a single track as far as Hawkhead oil depot. In fact the track was still down almost as far as Canal station itself. The dynamics of Strathclyde PTE changed dramatically after bus deregulation when it was basically left with suburban rail and the Glasgow Subway. The 1983 Strathclyde Rail Review, which heralded many ways of achieving economy without closure meant that rail could be looked at again.