Glasgow and South Western Railway

The Glasgow and South Western Railway (G & SWR ) was a British railway company that existed from 1850 to 1922. They opened up a triangular area in south west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle. In the last year of operation, the length of the route network was 793 km.

History

The main route from Glasgow to Carlisle was built in several sections. On August 12, 1840, the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway ( GPK & AR ) opened the section between Glasgow and Ayr, with a branch to Kilmarnock. The northeastern end of this range, the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway, was owned jointly with the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway.

From 1843 successively followed by other sections. On October 28, 1850, the last gap between Cummock and Closeburn was closed and the GPK & AR merged with the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway (GD & CR) for the Glasgow and South Western Railway. From that day on, it was possible to offer in collaboration with the London and North Western Railway ( LNWR ) trains on the entire length of the West Coast Main Line to London.

In this first fusion followed in 1854 Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway, 1869, the Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal ( in 1885 a railway line converted ) and the Bridge of Weir Railway, 1872, the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway and 1899, the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway (the oldest railway line in Scotland ).

The G & SWR not only grew through mergers, but also by the construction of numerous new routes. In 1883 she took over the Glasgow St Enoch station and used this as a new starting point of their trains and as headquarters. Together with the LNWR and the Midland Railway operated the G & SWR joint venture Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway.

In the first decade of the 20th century, the route network has been completed. With the entry into force of the Railways Act 1921, the G & SWR went up in the London, Midland and Scottish Railway newly formed on 1 January 1923.