NBR Hamilton Branch - as it is today *LOTS of Pictures*

[Bittern]

SEE BIGGER VERSIONS OF THESE PICTURES ON MY FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM.​

Finally, I'm out and about tracing this old line down, as it facinates me quite a bit.

Today I checked out Bothwell, as I had seen in pictures that an old Platform remained. I was much disapointed to find out that the Platform is not as easy to see as in the RailScot pictures, if it's even there at all. That's how much vegatation there was!

This was the first view of the station that greeted me. There is a bus stop just on the bridge which makes this place easy to find and was very convenient for me. Like many other lines closed under BR, almost no traces of the lines existance remains, and the average Josephine walking down this footpath would have no idea that this was once a railway.

I'm hoping someone can help me with this one. There's something on the wall next to the bridge, and I have no idea if it's something to do with the railway or not. Thought I'd photograph it just in case.

Also, there's a part on the wall that's a brighter shade on the right. Looks like that might've once been the pedestrian entrace!

Same goes for this. An odd bit of concrete randomly there. The concrete looks different to that of the path and is next to the old station.

Remains of an old platform, maybe?

Walking away from the station, I came across the site of what was once a yard. The path turned from concrete into this ash and was like this for the remainer of this part of the trip.

following the line, I came across some sort of valley or something. I thought I was approaching some sort of giant bridge (), and found I was right when I saw this sign. It reads "BRB BOT 29". I don't know what any of this means, but I know a sign like this signifies some sort of railway bridge.

And then came the crown jewel. The "giant bridge" was actually none other than Craighead Viaduct itself. Or rather, what's left of it. What once had upwards of 5 piers and carried the line towards Blantyre, Burnbank and eventually to terminate at Hamilton is now only 3 peirs. It was rumoured that they were all to be dismantled, but I think these were saved to be preserved or something. Either way, I'm glad they remain as I've been hunting for a way to see them for ages. My breath was taken away when I saw them. They're freaking huge!

After a few minutes, I turned back and followed the line in the other direction. I bypassed the station and came to what is today, the end of the line.

Looking towards Bothwell.

Final view of the line before it becomes part of a Neighbourhood or something.

Fortunetly, the street the station was on has kept it's old name.

In all, it was a very interesting day. It got me into a "what could've been" mindset, wondering what the line would be like today had BR fixed Craighead Viaduct and the railway not closed (of course, then it would face threat of closure at the hands of Beeching as well). Shame an area such as Bothwell is not served properly by rail anymore.

Larger versions of the pictures can be found on my Flickr Photostream!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28870160@N02/

Also thought you'd like to see this. I came across it a few minutes ago.

Bothwell Railway Station - Circa 1936.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Excellent pics. - especially the inclusion of the archive phot of Bothwell station!

It reads "BRB BOT 29". I don't know what any of this means, but I know a sign like this signifies some sort of railway bridge.

"BRB" presumably stands for British Railways Board (trading name British Railways and later, British Rail).
The "BOT" would then refer to the specific line - in this case we can guess that it may be an abbreviation for "Bothwell Line". Then "29" would simply be the serial number of the structure within that line.
I'm unclear about the viaduct piers in your pics. I believe that there are still red stone piers remaining from 2 former viaducts in the Hamilton - Blantyre - Bothwell area. Which of these 2 have you photographed here?

 

[Bittern]

Excellent pics. - especially the inclusion of the archive phot of Bothwell station!"BRB" presumably stands for British Railways Board (trading name British Railways and later, British Rail).
The "BOT" would then refer to the specific line - in this case we can guess that it may be an abbreviation for "Bothwell Line". Then "29" would simply be the serial number of the structure within that line.
I'm unclear about the viaduct piers in your pics. I believe that there are still red stone piers remaining from 2 former viaducts in the Hamilton - Blantyre - Bothwell area. Which of these 2 have you photographed here?

Thanks for the help! The archive pic is pretty sweet.

Craghead Viaduct is the only one on the NBR Hamilton route, and is the one I have pictured here. It's on the "border" between Bothwell and Blantyre. In fact, it's so close to Blantyre that when I was standing taking that shot (on the Bothwell side, I could hear and identify a passing 334 leaving Blantyre on the Blantyre side (and I couldn't see it).

I think I know what the other one you're referring to is - the one on the old Hamilton > High Blantyre > East Kilbride line (apparantly, there's a bit in High Blantyre which has loads of old railway bridges and that). The piers are still there as well. That line was run by the Caledonian Railway and later the LMS.

Ohh, also just noticed! Look at the second picture. There's a part on the wall that's a brighter shade on the right. Looks like that might've once been the pedestrian entrace!

 

[CarterUSM]

Excellent photograph s , and a somewhat interesting day by the look of it! Was Craighead the viaduct that was subsiding? Or was that closer to Hamilton? Do you think you could pick up the line again past the houses in the other direction?

 

[Bittern]

Excellent photograph s , and a somewhat interesting day by the look of it! Was Craighead the viaduct that was subsiding? Or was that closer to Hamilton? Do you think you could pick up the line again past the houses in the other direction?

I don't understand your question regarding the viaduct.

As for tracing the line after the houses, no. Considering I have no idea where the line went from here (I've heard conflicting stories saying it went to Bellshill, Uddingston and Mount Vernon, and another saying it went straight to Mount Vernon).

I have no idea how the line would've got to Bellshill.

I also have no idea how the line did Hamilton > Peacock Cross > Burnbank > Craighead Viduct. I know near Burnbank (in the Craighead direction), it passed under the main road (the bridge still exists), but unless it passed under the road again and the bridge doesn't exist anymore, I can't think of how it got from burnbank t the Viaduct.

 

[CarterUSM]

In my 'Guide to closed Railways 1948-75 ' by the Branch line society it says the line was was closed at the Hamilton end from peacock cross to Hamilton ( NBR ) on the 15-9-1952 along with Bothwell to Burnbank, Blantyre junction, with Mount Vernon to Bothwell following on 6-6-1961. If i remember correctly, the 59 closures were due to subsidence, something about the viaduct rings a bell there with it being heavily affected. I've got a pre- grouping atlas that shows the route pretty well, to the North of Bothwell there was a junction leading to Bellshill in one direction and Uddingston the other.

 

[Bittern]

Yeah, there was some problems with Craighead Viaduct , and instead of fixing the viaduct, BR closed the line going over it! Apparently, however, BR thought it worthwhile to create a spur to the closed NB line to retain access to it at Burnbank. In '63, it was realigned to keep access to the closed NB High Blantyre line.

I just got told this on another site. XD

Also was given these beauties!

Potrait of Burnbank Railway Station.

 

[CarterUSM]

Beautiful diagram !! Don't see a title for the photo, is that Bothwell again?

 

[Bittern]

It's Burnbank.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I'm hoping someone can help me with this one. There's something on the wall next to the bridge, and I have no idea if it's something to do with the railway or not. Thought I'd photograph it just in case.

Bittern, are you asking about the rusted iron rod sticking out of the cement between two layers of red-stone, slightly left and up from image centre, and with two white ceramic oval spheres on top of it?
That's a telecoms cable anchor. Even during the pre-war period when wooden poles ran along most rail lines to carry telephone circuits through pairs of copper wire, and looped around these white ceramic insulators, they had to be terminated somehow. Brackets like there were (and still are!) used to lead the wires towards a building, and to help provide the neccessary tension on the cables.

You'll still see them, often in use for landlines, attached to homes and commercial or service properties. (I've even kept one as a souvenier of early 20th century technology - don't quite know why!)

 

[Bittern]

Yeah, that's what I was on about. Cheers.

 

[142094]

Quite a lot of them are still in use on the Norwich - Thetford line, looking quite magnificent. Or maybe not if they've been removed recently.

 

[Bittern]

Went back to Bothwell today to see if there was anything I missed, and my my, what a difference a few days make. On my earlier visit, there was nothing to cremorate the site of the old station. Today, however...

What a nice surprise these were.

I spent some more time at Bothwell.

Nearby and looking towards towards Craighead Viaduct.

No idea what this thing is. It was near the site of what was some sort of yard, I beleive.

Looking towards Bothwell from the Craighead Viaduct direction.

I then journeyed to Hamilton to see how much of the route remains there. I, again, was quite surprised.

Peacock Cross station looking towards Burnbank. The trackbed remained like this for the entire walk, which is far more scenic and peaceful (and longer), than the more direct route beside the main road.

The last section of trackbed that remained. This is just at the very tip of Burnbank (the area, not the station).

Taken from the same site, just looking in the opposite direction. Looking towards Peacock Cross and Hamilton stations.

At Hamilton, things got a little bit...'dirtier'.

That very same sign as before, but in worse condition than it's Craighead Viaduct counterpart. This is on the bridge that the road on Union Street used to get over the railway as it entered Hamilton.

I went down onto the old trackbed under this bridge. Now, I should point out that it was very dark, dirty and wasn't easy to do so. It was partially filled, but someone has made a path to go down there (probaby a junkie). However, there was no fence or anything at this side.

Looking towards the other exit. I used to think the line curved before entering the bridge and went straight on. I was wrong, and I was surprised to see it actually entered at an angle!

No idea what this thing is. There was a triangular one there too.

And finally folks, here it is. Hamilton Railway Station.

..............Yeah.... At least ,that's what is used to be. It's now some crappy football thing which no one uses. The station throat is an even-crappier "swing park" (with just one swing left, as well as a few other worse-for-wear things).

I'm a bit weary of getting Burnbank station as it is today, as it's a housing estate and I don't want anone to think I'm taking photos of their houses cause I'm mad or something.

 

[CarterUSM]

THAT was the station? I have actually played football on the that park! Many years ago though. I would never have guessed. A great bit of detective work there Bittern, well done and thanks for updating.

 

[Bittern]

Time for an update!

I've not forgotten about this at all, and have infact being doing plenty more research and am thinking about making a model of the route in the future. I know Bachmann do the Gresley V3 OO gauge and that they were common on the line, but the coaching stock I know very little of.

What I do know of (now anyway) is the remains of what seems to be an old platform at Peacock Cross station. Peacock Cross is special in how it closed with every other station the line in 1917, it never re-opened with the rest in 1919. So these remains are a good 90 years old! And beleive me, they're showing their age.

It's only a small section that remains, sadly. There's a lot of fencing up (I sneaked my hand and phone through to grab a few shots). Dunno what they're doing. Reinstating the line, maybe?

As always, bigger versions of the pics can be found on my flicker photostream.

Plus, someone on Scot-Rail was very kind enough to share this with me. Since it's a (very) big image, I'll just post the link:

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2088/nbrtohamilton.jpg

 

[rwb4950]

I really love old railway pictures & the traces left behind etc, but you have to follow this link, its amazing for working out where old lines went etc !

http://www.nls.uk/maps/os/air-photos/view/?sid=75221252

 

[Bittern]

Thanks, but I already have a much bigger map.

http://geo.nls.uk/maps/air-photos/openlayers.html

 

[Bittern]

Just found this image online.

It's Bothwell sometime after closure. Compare with the 1936 image posted on first page.

On the subject of physical remains of the line, I've got a possible lead on one that's not been mentioned before. It's the old bridge where the Caley line crossed the NBR Line - right on the junction to where the Caley's East Kilbride Line diverged from it's Blantyre Line. I've marked that bridge in a yellow circle.

As you can see, it's surrounded by indistrial areas, making it very difficult to access (if not impossible and/or illegal). There's also the chance that there's been some infilling and the bridge is buiried or worse - no longer exists!

However, I'll see what I can do. Who knows? Could be very much worth my while.