Passenger Services operating
in the Monklands District in 1922
Passenger Services operating
in the Monklands District in 1922
The 1922 Bradshaws timetable is not the easiest to interpret, as services
are seldom shown complete, and through coaches not always indicated.
A good example is the table showing services between Glasgow to Coatbridge
Central, (table 881), where the latter is shown as the first / last station
in the table, however further examination shows a separate table (882)
of trains between Coatbridge and Glenboig, and the timings of this service
clearly indicate that the trains from Glasgow run through to Glenboig,
which made sense as there was no South facing bay platforms to handle these
trains, but nowhere in either table is there a comment that these are through
trains! At Glenboig, trains were probably turned in the sidings which
existed until recently at Greenfoot.
Despite being a simple two platform through station, Blairhill was
the terminus for trains to Slamannan and Bothwell (which didn't continue
on towards Glasgow), with stock working to and from sidings which were
near the Esbieside playing fields, and just beyond the station.
North British Services:
Glasgow - Airdrie - Bathgate - Edinburgh
In comparison with later years, a much higher proportion of trains ran
through to destinations beyond Airdrie, with 5 trains (2 fast, three stopping)
from Edinburgh and 6 trains (three fast, three stopping) to Edinburgh.
In each case the fast trains stopped beyond Airdrie only at Bathgate and
Haymarket and also ran limited stop from Glasgow to Airdrie. The
fastest time between the two cities was the 08:28 ex Queen Street Low Level
(originating at Clydebank East) which reached Airdrie in 25 minutes and
then took 59 minutes to Edinburgh Waverley, an overall time of 1 hour 24
minutes. (Comparable Edinburgh - Glasgow direct services took
between 1 hour and 1 hour 15 minutes at this time). In the opposite
direction the best overall time was a minute slower for the 21:15 Edinburgh
to Milngavie.
Trains that didn’t go all the way to Edinburgh terminated at Bathgate
(5 trains) or Caldercruix, (5 SO, 4 SX) leaving only 6 trains terminating
at Airdrie. Two of the Saturday services to Caldercruix originated
in the district, one from Blairhill and one from Airdrie. There were
9 originating services from Airdrie, 4 from Bathgate and 2 from Caldercruix.
Between Airdrie and Glasgow the service pattern was concentrated around
the morning and evening peak hours, with few services for the casual traveller,
for example there was only three trains departing Airdrie for Glasgow between
eight thirty a.m. and mid-day. These services terminated at either
Hyndland or Clydebank East with one exception each way originating /terminating
at Milngavie. There were no through services from Airdrie to Balloch
or Helensburgh, although there were through Edinburgh – Helensburgh services
that operated via the Falkirk route, running to Queen Street Low Level
via Springburn.
With the ruling gradient against Airdrie bound trains, journey times
were on average five minutes longer coming out from the city, and
between Coatbridge Sunnyside and Clarkston with the gradient much of the
way at 1 in 70 with restarts from two stations 16 minutes was allowed compared
with 11 minutes westbound.
Hamilton Trains
This was a straightforward service of eight trains from and seven trains to Hamilton, 5 trains terminated at Blairhill , two ran through to Shettleston and one ran to Hyndland. In the opposite direction 5 originated at Blairhill, one originated at Clydebank East and one at Easterhouse. Hamilton was reached in 20-24 minutes and a slightly slower 24-27 minutes from Hamilton, which on the whole was comparable with the Caledonian Service.
Monklands Railway Company "old" Route to Manuel Junction.
The original Monkland Railway Company line carried a service of 4 trains
each way Monday to Fridays with an additional service on a Saturday.
Through trains to Bo'ness had ceased by this time so three trains originated
at Manuel Junction with one (2 on Saturdays) coming from Bathgate, in the
opposite direction there were two to Manuel Junction and two to Bathgate.
The additional Saturday eastbound service ran through to Uphall via Bathgate.
Connecting trains ran from Blackstone Junction to augment the service.
Some services ran through to/from Hyndland and Clydebank East.
The effect on train times caused by the severity of the Ballochney
incline can be seen from the timetable, where eastbound trains climbing
the incline were allowed 16 minutes for the 2¼ miles from Coatbridge
Sunnyside to Commonhead, a speed of about 12mph! Coming down the
hill trains were allowed 11 minutes.
The overall times to Bathgate were about an hour, compared with 45
minutes by the “new line” whilst it took about an hour and 4 minutes to
Manuel Junction.
| From | Days | Calder- cruix | Plains | Clarkston | Airdrie
(a) |
Airdrie (d) | Coatdyke | Whiterigg | Rawyards | Common
head |
Coatbridge Sunnyside | Whifflet (NB) | Coatbridge Central | Blairhill | To |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 05:18 | - | - | - | - | 05:23 | - | - | 05:26 | Hyndland |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 06:09 | 06:12 | - | - | - | 06:15 | - | - | 06:18 | Hyndland |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 07:09 | 07:12 | - | - | - | 07:15 | - | - | 07:18 | C'bank East |
| Hamilton | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 07:45 | 07:48 | 07:51 | Blairhill |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 07:50 | 07:53 | - | - | - | 07:56 | - | - | 07:59 | Hyndland |
| Bathgate | w'days | 08:02 | 08:06 | - | 08:12 | 08:13 | 08:16 | - | - | - | 08:22 | - | - | 08:25 | Queen St. |
| Caldercruix | w'days | 08:16 | 08:20 | 08:24 | 08:28 | 08:29 | - | - | - | - | 08:35 | - | - | 08:38 | Hyndland |
| Manuel Jn. | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | 08:47 | 08:54 | 08:58 | 09:06 | - | - | 09:09 | C'bank East |
| Hamilton | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 09:24 | 09:27 | 09:30 | Blairhill |
| Edinburgh | w'days | 09:14 | 09:18 | 09:22 | 09:26 | 09:27 | 09:30 | - | - | - | 09:34 | - | - | 09:37 | C'bank East |
| Hamilton | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10:58 | 11:01 | 11:04 | Blairhill |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 11:06 | 11:09 | - | - | - | 11:12 | - | - | 11:15 | Hyndland |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 11:48 | - | - | - | - | 11:54 | - | - | - | Hyndland |
| Bathgate | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11:49 | 11:56 | 12:00 | 12:06 | - | - | - | - |
| Bathgate | w'days | 11:54 | 11:59 | 12:03 | 12:07 | 12:08 | 12:11 | - | - | - | 12:15 | - | - | 12:18 | Hyndland |
| Caldercruix | (SO) | 12:30 | 12:35 | 12:40 | 12:44 | 12:45 | 12:48 | - | - | - | 12:51 | - | - | 12:56 | Blairhill |
| Hamilton | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13:13 | 13:16 | 13:20 | Hyndland |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 13:05 | 13:08 | - | - | - | 13:12 | - | - | - | C'bank East |
| Manuel Jn. | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13:45 | 13:52 | 13:56 | 14:02 | - | - | 14:06 | Blairhill (SX) |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 14:14 | 14:17 | - | - | - | 14:21 | - | - | 14:24 | C'bank East |
| Hamilton | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14:55 | 14:58 | 15:02 | Shettleston |
| Edinburgh | w'days | 14:59 | 15:03 | 15:07 | 15:11 | 15:12 | - | - | - | - | 15:18 | - | - | 15:21 | Hyndland |
| Bathgate | (SO) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15:39 | 15:46 | 15:50 | 15:57 | - | - | 16:00 | Hyndland |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 16:05 | 16:08 | - | - | - | 16:11 | - | - | 16:14 | Partick |
| Caldercruix | w'days | 16:57 | 17:01 | 17:05 | 17:09 | 17:10 | 17:13 | - | - | - | 17:16 | - | - | 17:19 | C'bank East |
| Hamilton | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17:31 | 17:34 | 17:39 | Shettleston |
| Edinburgh | w'days | - | - | - | 17:47 | 17:48 | - | - | - | - | 17:54 | - | - | - | Hyndland |
| Bathgate | w'days | 17:58 | 18:02 | 18:06 | 18:10 | 18:11 | 18:14 | - | - | - | 18:17 | - | - | 18:20 | Hyndland |
| Hamilton | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19:21 | 19:24 | 19:27 | Blairhill |
| Caldercruix | (SX) | 19:16 | 19:20 | 19:24 | 19:28 | 19:29 | 19:32 | - | - | - | 19:35 | - | - | 19:38 | Hyndland |
| Edinburgh | w'days | 19:47 | 19:51 | 19:55 | 20:00 | 20:01 | - | - | - | - | 20:07 | - | - | - | Hyndland |
| Manuel Jn. | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20:02 | 20:09 | 20:13 | 20:20 | - | - | 20:22 | Blairhill (SX) |
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | 20:21 | 20:24 | - | - | - | 20:27 | - | - | 20:30 | Jordanhill |
| Hamilton | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 21:25 | 21:28 | 21:31 | Blairhill |
| Bathgate | w'days | 21:20 | 21:25 | 21:29 | 21:32 | 21:33 | 21:36 | - | - | - | 21:39 | - | - | 21:42 | Hyndland |
| Edinburgh | w'days | - | - | - | 22:16 | 22:17 | - | - | - | - | 22:23 | - | - | - | Milngavie |
| From | Days | Blairhill | Coatbridge Central | Whifflet (NB) | Coatbridge Sunnyside | Common
head |
Rawyards | Whiterigg | Coatdyke | Airdrie (a) | Airdrie
(d) |
Clarkston | Plains | Calder-
cruix |
To |
| Hyndland | w'days | 06:01 | - | - | 06:06 | - | - | - | - | 06:11 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Blairhill | w'days | 06:10 | 06:14 | 06:17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Hamilton |
| Blairhill | w'days | 06:16 | - | - | 06:24 | 06:32 | 06:39 | 06:43 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Bathgate |
| Milngavie | w'days | 06:53 | - | - | 06:58 | - | - | - | 07:02 | 07:05 | 07:07 | 07:14 | 07:18 | 07:23 | Edinburgh |
| Hyndland | w'days | 07:04 | - | - | 07:08 | - | - | - | 07:12 | 07:15 | 07:16 | 07:23 | 07:27 | 07:31 | Caldercruix |
| Hyndland | w'days | 08:08 | - | - | 08:12 | - | - | - | 08:16 | 08:19 | 08:21 | 08:28 | 08:32 | 08:37 | Bathgate |
| Blairhill | w'days | 08:19 | 08:23 | 08:26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Hamilton |
| Hyndland | w'days | - | - | - | 08:47 | - | - | - | - | 08:53 | 08:55 | - | - | - | Edinburgh |
| Hyndland | w'days | 09:45 | - | - | 09:49 | - | - | - | 09:53 | 09:56 | 09:59 | 10:06 | 10:10 | 10:15 | Caldercruix |
| Blairhill | w'days | 09:55 | - | - | 10:00 | 10:08 | 10:12 | 10:16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Bathgate |
| Hyndland | w'days | - | - | - | 10:55 | - | - | - | - | 11:01 | 11:03 | 11:10 | 11:14 | 11:19 | Edinburgh |
| Blairhill | (SO) | 11:55 | - | - | 12:00 | - | - | - | 12:04 | 12:08 | 12:08 | 12:15 | 12:19 | 12:23 | Caldercruix |
| C'bank East | w'days | 12:06 | 12:10 | 12:13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Hamilton |
| C'bank East | w'days | 12:38 | - | - | 12:43 | - | - | - | 12:47 | 12:50 | - | - | - | - | - |
| - | (SO) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13:04 | 13:11 | 13:15 | 13:19 | Caldercruix |
| Hyndland | w'days | 13:45 | - | - | 13:50 | - | - | - | 13:54 | 13:57 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Blairhill | w'days | 13:55 | 13:59 | 14:02 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Hamilton |
| Hyndland | w'days | 14:10 | - | - | 14:15 | - | - | - | 14:19 | 14:22 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Blairhill | w'days | 14:22 | - | - | 14:27 | 14:35 | 14:40 | 14:44 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Manuel Jn. |
| Hyndland | w'days | 15:00 | - | - | 15:05 | - | - | - | 15:09 | 15:12 | 15:15 | 15:22 | 15:26 | 15:31 | Bathgate |
| Hyndland | w'days | - | - | - | 15:40 | - | - | - | - | 15:46 | 15:48 | - | - | - | Edinburgh |
| Hyndland | w'days | 16:07 | - | - | 16:11 | - | - | - | 16:15 | 16:18 | 16:20 | 16:27 | 16:31 | 16:35 | Caldercruix |
| Easterhouse | w'days | 16:18 | 16:22 | 16:26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Hamilton |
| Hyndland | w'days | 16:29 | - | - | 16:34 | 16:43 | 16:50 | 16:54 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Manuel Jn. |
| Hyndland | (SX) | - | - | - | 17:18 | - | - | - | - | 17:24 | 17:25 | - | - | - | Bathgate |
| C'bank East | w'days | 17:40 | - | - | 17:45 | - | - | - | - | 17:51 | 17:53 | 18:00 | 18:04 | 18:09 | Edinburgh |
| Hyndland | (SX) | 18:03 | - | - | 18:07 | - | - | - | 18:11 | 18:14 | 18:15 | 18:22 | 18:26 | 18:30 | Caldercruix |
| Blairhill | w'days | 18:18 | 18:22 | 18:25 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Hamilton |
| Milngavie | w'days | 19:01 | - | - | 19:05 | - | - | - | 19:09 | 19:12 | - | - | - | - | - |
| C'bank East | w'days | 19:33 | - | - | 19:37 | - | - | - | 19:41 | 19:44 | 19:46 | 19:53 | 19:57 | 20:02 | Bathgate |
| Blairhill | w'days | 19:42 | 19:46 | 19:52 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Hamilton |
| Hyndland | w'days | - | - | - | 20:22 | - | - | - | - | 20:28 | 20:30 | - | - | - | Edinburgh |
| Hyndland | (SO) | 20:41 | - | - | 20:46 | 20:56 | 21:02 | 21:07 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Uphall |
| Hyndland | w'days | 21:51 | - | - | 21:55 | - | - | - | 21:59 | 22:02 | 22:03 | 22:10 | 22:14 | 22:18 | Caldercruix |
| Hyndland | w'days | 22:25 | - | - | 22:29 | - | - | - | 22:33 | 22:36 | 22:39 | 22:46 | 22:50 | 22:55 | B'gate (SO) |
| Hyndland | w'days | 23:21 | - | - | 23:25 | - | - | - | - | 23:31 | - | - | - | - | - |
Caledonian Lines
Airdrie - Glasgow and Newhouse
In 1923 the Airdrie terminus had a midweek service on 11 trains to and 13 trains from Glasgow (11 each way on Saturdays), 2 other services (1 on Saturdays) ran to and from Whifflet and Langloan. Average journey time to the City was slow compared with the North British Line, taking 41 minutes, the return journey even slower at about 44 minutes. There was a service of 8 trains each way midweek and twelve on Saturdays to Newhouse, calling at Calderbank and Chapelhall as shown in the scan from Bradshaws below.
Routes through Coatbridge
The Caledonian Station was hub station for routes from Buchanan Street
and Glenboig from the North and Glasgow Central, Motherwell, Holytown and
Hamilton to the south. The local services were nominally Glenboig
to Glasgow Central and Buchanan Street to Hamilton with the Holytown service
worked as a shuttle from Coatbridge itself. This pattern was not
totally consistent however, with some trains only operating over part of
the route. In addition to the direct service to Glasgow most Hamilton/Holytown
trains offered reasonable connections into Glasgow bound trains from Airdrie,
if the traveller was willing to climb the stairs from the low level to
the high level at Whifflet. Bradshaws shows services to Hamilton
as through trains, but some trains clearly stretched that description,
with arrival and departure times at Motherwell over half an hour apart.
As with services to Airdrie, the Caledonian trains were slower than
the North British getting to and from Glasgow, with the Buchanan Street
service being marginally faster than the route to Central Low Level.
The late evening trains from Perth and beyond were interesting in that
they worked to Glasgow Central via Coatbridge, instead of Buchanan Street,
a characteristic that was to last up to the closure of Buchanan Street
in 1966.
| From |
|
|
|
(HL) |
|
|
|
(a) |
Central (d) |
|
|
|
To |
| Maryhill | w'days | 06:14 | 06:21 | - | - | - | - | 06:25 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hamilton (06:15) | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | 06:39 | 06:42 | 07:01 | 07:05 | - | 07:10 | Buchanan St. (07:37) |
| Motherwell (07:12) | MO | - | Sleeper Connection | - | 07:25 | 07:28 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Motherwell (07:18) | MX | - | Sleeper Connection | - | 07:30 | 07:32 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 07:48 | 07:52 | - | 07:57 | Buchanan St. (08:24) |
| Carstairs | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | - | 07:54 | 07:55 | - | - | - | Perth |
| Holytown (07:55) | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | 08:05 | 08:08 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Maryhill | w'days | 08:11 | 08:16 | - | - | - | - | 08:20 | 08:25 | - | 08:30 | - | - |
| - | w'days | - | 08:20 | 08:23 | 08:25 | 08:31 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Maryhill | w'days | 08:34 | 08:43 | - | - | - | - | 08:47 | 08:48 | - | 08:53 | - | - |
| Maryhill | w'days | 09:01 | 09:06 | 09:10 | 09:12 | 09:18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hamilton (09:04) | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | 09:28 | 09:30 | 09:32 | - | 09:36 | - | Stirling |
| Holytown (09:22) | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | 09:32 | 09:35 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Maryhill | w'days | 10:13 | 10:17 | 10:21 | 10:23 | 10:29 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hamilton (10:35) | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | 11:00 | 11:02 | 11:04 | 11:08 | - | 11:13 | Buchanan St. (11:40) |
| Balloch | w'days | 11:11 | 11:15 | 11:19 | 11:21 | 11:27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dalmuir | w'days | 11:40 | 11:45 | - | - | - | - | 11:49 | 11:51 | - | 11:56 | - | - |
| Holytown (11:20) | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | 11:30 | 11:33 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hamilton (12:20) | (SO) | - | - | - | - | - | 12:58 | 13:01 | 13:04 | 13:08 | - | 13:13 | Buchanan St. (13:41) |
| Holytown (13:00) | (SO) | - | - | - | - | - | 13:10 | 13:13 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Holytown (13:10) | (SX) | - | - | - | - | - | 13:20 | 13:23 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Maryhill | w'days | 13:09 | 13:13 | 13:17 | 13:19 | 13:25 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Maryhill | (SX) | 13:31 | 13:36 | - | - | - | - | 13:40 | 13:47 | - | 13:52 | - | - |
| Maryhill | (SX) | 13:48 | 13:52 | 13:56 | 13:58 | 14:04 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| - | (SO) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13:55 | 13:59 | 14:04 | Buchanan St. (14:28) | |
| Maryhill | (SO) | 13:49 | 13:54 | - | - | - | - | 13:58 | 14:00 | - | 14:05 | - | - |
| Kilbowie | (SO) | 14:06 | 14:10 | 14:14 | 14:16 | 14:22 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hamilton (14:17) | w'days | - | - | - | - | - | 14:41 | 14:44 | 14:47 | 14:51 | - | 14:56 | Buchanan St. (15:22) |
| Maryhill | w'days | 14:45 | 14:50 | - | - | - | - | 14:54 | 14:58 | - | 15:03 | - | - |
| Maryhill | w'days | 15:23 | 15:27 | 15:31 | 15:33 | 15:39 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |