2008 A725 East Kilbride Expressway Tunnel

Although this is a modern photo by Jim Brown, the tunnel itself dates from 1967. This co-incides with the opening of the Crossbasket stretch of the A725 East Kilbride Expressway, leading up to East Kilbride. The tunnel permits water coming off the upper Southern slopes of Blantyre to safely travel under the expressway heading back into the Calder.

In October 2011, my little dog ran off from a walk in Greenhall, spooked by the Council’s leaf blowing machine. He was found 24 hours later thankfully due to the name tag and telephone number, arriving on the doorstep of a property at Calderside. I was stunned that he had traveled a mile and a half up the hill and even more so over a busy expressway. Upon reflection, after seeing this photo, he likely went through this tunnel rather than crossing a busy dual carrigeway, as he’s very fearful of cars in general.

On social media:

Alistair Morrow And the roundabout at the foot of the expressway, Whistleberry Toll, has now been removed as part of the upgrades at Raith …. due to be completed next spring …. 50 years after the original section to EK opened. Quite a fitting anniversary present 🙂

Jane Johnstone And I remember so well climbing the hill over the General’s bridge and up through Stoneymeadow home to East Kilbride every day from school in Hamilton and the ice as we drove downhill on the old CSMT buses…..and every Sunday to visit Grannie in Auchinraith road. There was a large drain at the bus stop at the top of Auchinraith Road which my mother referred to as a ‘stank’…..and it did!

Bill Hunter Attended many accidents at the Generals Bridge. The first was a single decker SMT bus which had hit the small wall of the bridge and couldn’t be driven due to the front wing having been bent into the tyre. It was then I found I had 14 badly injured Miners (or so they said) and as they were being ferried to Hairmyres many asked me for a form so they could claim compensation.

Trisha Mcginty I can remember when I was a wee lassy it was closed due to the snow 👍❄️❄️❄️

Moyra Lindsay My husband remembers being on a Chieftain bus and the passengers being asked to get off and push! And they did!

Archie Peat When I was a child in Blantyre in the 40s /50s it was pronounced ” Steenymeedy ” not Stonymeadow !!

1 Comment

Robert Stewart

July 12, 2014 at 10:53 am

I remember sitting at Basket Road watching sections of the tunnel being put into place during the summer of 1965. I have at home an aerial photograph from 1965 of the area and you can clearly see the ground works from the River Calder to where the expressway originally terminated at Greenhall.

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