In the 1890’s, a railway bridge once crossed over Broompark Road, near to where St John Ogilvie Church is today. The open grass parks where people walk their dogs today once accommodated an elevated railway.
The ceremony of breaking ground and commencing the construction of this under section of the Strathaven Railway took place on Tuesday 4th May 1858 at the the farm of Broompark, Blantyre, the property of John Gardiner, Esq. However, the railway bridge over the road was poorly constructed and 36 years late, in 1894, people were complaining it had become dangerous, perhaps due to mining subsidence. It may have looked similar to the one pictured which is also thought to be on the Strathaven line.
On 3rd August 1894, a Blantyre resident wrote into the Hamilton Herald newspaper commenting, “Sir, Will you kindly grant me space in your valuable paper to draw the public attention to the very unsafe condition of the Caledonian Railway bridge which crosses the public road at Dr Grant’s house on the Strathaven railway. I am certain if Mr Clark of any of the other daily travellers on the railway line could see the rickety condition of this bridge, they would think twice before venturing over it again. It is in such a dilapidated condition that a catastrophe may happen any day.”
“The poor condition of the bridge is much in keeping with the Station accommodation. The old wooden shed which did duty when that line was opened some 50 or 60 years ago are still in force. The sanitary arrangements, what little there is of them are a disgrace to the Parish. I wonder if our Sanitary Inspector, Medical officer, County Councillors ever pay them a visit in their passing? Perhaps seeing there is no footbridge over the lines and the sanitary accommodation is all on one side, they may not care to risk the crossing. Is there a Board of Trade going about anywhere? Surely Blantyre has been neglected long enough? I am, etc”
Getting back to Broompark Road, an accident finally happened at this bridge a few decades later as was confidently predicted.
On 31st July, 1928, a train derailment happened where now modern houses are built at Moorfield Road. A after crossing the bridge over Broompark Road, a goods train immediately derailed, landing on farmland of Broompark Farm, tenanted by James Rochead. Mr Rochhead and others were quickly on the scene, and had the cattle removed to the farm. A veterinary surgeon was summoned, and found that none of the cattle were injured.
Today, it’s very easy to forget that there used to be a bridge here at all, let alone the excitement and drama of a railway derailment!