These remarkable photos were taken by Mr. C. Towely in May 1961. They show High Blantyre’s abandoned railway station, just off Craigmuir Road, which is now the site of modern homes next to High Blantyre Old Parish Church. The view looks south.
The 11 photos show excellent detail including the removed steps on the footbridge, for safety reasons. The canopy and station building roofs look as though they have blown off, on to the line and Im sure a certain amount of vandalism was occurring at this time.
The Hamilton and Strathaven railway opened High Blantyre Station in 1863 (a big year for this area with the nearby church also built!) although the line was taken over by the Caledonian Railway the following year. They ran a service for various industries in the area including to Quarter Ironworks and Dixons Pits. In 1885, a connection from High Blantyre to East Kilbride opened, (over the Greenhall pillars) and this line was opened for both freight and passengers. The Strathaven passenger service via High Blantyre ended on 30th September 1945, likely a casualty of post WW2 cuts. The freight service, ended 8 years later on 21st September 1953. Despite this it is known that some goods services still ran the line, especially those connected with the Dixon’s Pits in High Blantyre. A restricted goods run continued until 11th June 1960, at which point the line was completely unused. In railway circles, these buildings photographed are known as building 281.
Today, houses at Craigmuir road and gardens occupy the site of this station which stands just off Main Street, High Blantyre.
On Social media:
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Michelle Evans I believe according to the old plans, my parent’s house is where the ticket office used to be.
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Marian Maguire Such a shame the railway was closed down, it would be great if it was there now, properly preserved.
I only came across this great website last Sunday when I was trying to find out the name of the farm just off the Calderside Road corner which I pass often on my walks around Blantyre – I now know that it’s Basket Farm and the road past which I have walked down to the express way has a name!
In the photos of High Blantyre station there is a house facing down the hill. Is that the house at the end of a Hamilton Drive, or is on Sydes Brae, as I don’t recognise it.