Inverclyde line 1946 - 1980

[Gordonotron]

Hi Everyone,

I'm doing some research for a future layout and decided it would be nice to add some personal touches, as a result I'm looking into the history of my grandfather who worked with BR since the end of the war into the late 70's early 80's based on the Inverclyde Line. Of particular interest is Bishopton and Wemyss Bay stations where he worked for most of his time possible as the Station Master (at least at Wemyss Bay).

 

I'm looking to find info on these station especially any photo's of the region for modelling use so would appreciate any info or sources you can offer.

[flubrush]

For Wemyss Bay station,  the Caledonian Railway Association has published a short book on the station - about half way down the book list on this page.

 

http://www.crassoc.org.uk/cra/node/22

 

Jim.

[Ian Smeeton]

I used to live in Bishopton, from about 1975 - 1980.

 

What was your Grandfathers name?

 

Sam was the Booking clerk, Rab and Andy were two of the three Leading Railmen based there. Trying to remember the third.

 

T28 was the daily trip to Bishopton ROF Sidings. This was the furthest it ran. Not sure if it shunted Paisley St James or any other yards. 

 

Blue Spot fish vans (then in Rail Express parcels Blue) acted as barriers.

 

I hope that this is of some help.

 

Regards

 

 

Ian

[Gordonotron]

Thanks Flubrush, I will certainly check that out!

 

Landlord - His name was William Ronald but from what I have gathered he had moved up to Wemyss Bay by the 70's.

[Mad McCann]

Now here's a railway that can hold my interest!

PH of this parish can probably provide much enlightenment, being a son of Inverclyde.

[Gordonotron]

Indeed Mad McCann it is a lovely line, I just ends up in a loads of fantastic places!

[pH]

I presume you've looked at the Railscot site. Be careful, though, some of their information on the Wemyss Bay branch is wrong. The closed Ravenscraig station was west of the existing Branchton station, not east as the description of the branch implies. (Also, this means that it was not meant to serve Ravenscraig Hospital, as stated.)

 

Is there any particular information you're looking for about the line?

[souwest]

Hi there,

 

There is a really good book on the Wemyss Bay line published by Oakwood, and covers the history of the line, and recent restoration of the station.  The Caledonian Railway Association has featured Inverkip, Fort Matilda and I'm sure I recall seeing Bishopton station at least in an architecture feature in their True Line.  There are or were archive copies in the Mitchell library and I'm sure the Association would be happy to sell you back copies or photocopies.

 

The line, or parts of it would be ideal for modelling and the variety of traffic would be quite varied, whichever period you decided to model.

 

One of the big Glasgow clubs produced a model of Gourock in the 1970s.  I recall being knee high to a grasshopper and being listed up to see it, marvelling at the model steamers (in 4mm) as well as the trains, when the Big Show was held at the McLellan Galleries in Sauchiehall Street.

 

Even a model in the 1970s or 80s featuring the Port Glasgow northwards section could have interest in the container trains from the old Princes Pier and molasses traffic from James Watt dock, as well as the fun of modelling emus.  Of course steam would open a whole different box of goodies.

 

Good luck with the project - please keep us informed here.

 

Souwest

[Legend]

I think the Glasgow Club referred to was actually Renfrewshire MRC who had a model of Greenock Princess Pier. They also modelled Elderslie and part of Glasgow St Enochs. I believe they could connect all three layouts together. I saw Elderslie many times at MacLellan Galleries and also at the Paisley show. A great layout. I only remember seeing Princess Pier attached to St Enoch's. I don't think I ever saw all three together, which would have been massive.

 

Think this is the layout you are referring to , although, of course this is the G&SWR line not the Caley line through Greenock to Gourock you refer.

 

I love the railways in this area and. In particular the mass of railways around Greenock and Port Glasgow

[pH]

There is a really good book on the Wemyss Bay line published by Oakwood, and covers the history of the line, and recent restoration of the station. 

 

Yes, I meant to mention that in an earlier post. 'Caley to the Coast' by AJC Clark. Several copies available now on Abebooks.

[bahram]

I think the Glasgow Club referred to was actually Renfrewshire MRC who had a model of Greenock Princess Pier. They also modelled Elderslie and part of Glasgow St Enochs. I believe they could connect all three layouts together. I saw Elderslie many times at MacLellan Galleries and also at the Paisley show. A great layout. I only remember seeing Princess Pier attached to St Enoch's. I don't think I ever saw all three together, which would have been massive.

 

Think this is the layout you are referring to , although, of course this is the G&SWR line not the Caley line through Greenock to Gourock you refer.

 

I love the railways in this area and. In particular the mass of railways around Greenock and Port Glasgow

 

You are correct in saying Princes Pier, Elderslie and St Enoch was the work of Renfrewshire MRC, the layout was exhibited in full in the centre hall of the McLellan Galleries about 1979, St Enoch still exists in private ownership, Elderslie was given to Paisley Museums but what has happened to that who knows, Princes Pier was scrapped. I worked on the layout from its conception, only three members who worked on the layout are still members of the club.

[Legend]

Happy memories Bahram! I remember the Rootes or was it Chrysler Container train running round the layout. Blue Containers hauled by a two tone green 47 .  Just wish digital photography had been around then!

[Northern Maiden]

Port Glasgow had a very extensive run of sidings on what is now the old Glasgow Road as well as lines running down to serve the dock area.  One of the loco sheds is still standing, now being used by a garage.. of course there is also the old sidings and goods area that served the "Upper Port".

 

Greenock had the docks sidings (UM) and the old Princes Pier line (latterly containers).  There was also a goods shed on/near Drumfrochar Road as well as sidings etc servicing the area around the "bone factory" .    Greenock West Station also had sidings (now where Homebase is).

[AngusDe]

All,

 

Idle youtubing (is that a real word?) this evening threw up these two gems, I think I've seen one of them mentioned on here before, but both are worth a look, if you fancy a reminder of just how industrial the lines were when they were electrified.

 

http://youtu.be/ui_uAzIQUq0

 

http://youtu.be/8oofV65yewk

 

Hope they are new to you and of interest,

 

Angus

[Scottish Modeller]

Hi Angus,

 

Another good find - thanks

 

Interesting to see how much of the rail infrastructure has changed.

 

Also interesting how much remains!

 

Just wish there was a 'Now' video to do this...

 

Thanks

[Dava]

Angus,

 

Thanks for these films, I recall as a child steam trains at Gourock Pier as well as the glory of CSP steam turbine, paddle and diesel ships in the sunlight, in the 1963-5 period. Happy days.

 

Dava

[pH]

The steam one, I thought, had better visuals than commentary. That seemed to have been added some time later - there were several times the past tense was used to comment on scenes being shown. Is this from some commercial recording?

There are further 'episodes', covering the line from Fort Matilda on to Glasgow Central (but missing out Paisley St James):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMTMfsDrOIA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leDRzJnJmwE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcqH3Ce-G4Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX9WZpyxLuI

I would be careful about some of what's said in the commentary. Just from the first part - Corkerhill engines had no scheduled work to Gourock, 80122 was never a Corkerhill engine and Fort Matilda was named after a Napoleonic War fort, not a 'wartime army barracks'.

But very nostalgic scenes, so thank you, Angus.

 

(Edited to give better Youtube links)

[souwest]

The area around the bone factory was quite fascinating, having the G&SWR line diving down to Princes Pier, the goods depot at Lynedoch, and the branch down to the harbour (where the runaway loco ran away to) and the Caledonian line climbing from Wemyss Bay.  If you are interested in the Lynedoch area pm IanatStEnoch's - the goods shed at Lynedoch was featured in a recent Sou West Journal and he may have copies for purchase.  

[class29returns]

Only runaway engine I,ve heard about round here was on the long closed Overton paper mill which crashed back onto the W.B line,a bus once went into the docks in Greenock.W.bay station should have a diesel line put back in to attract specials after all if Greenock can attract cruise liners anything is possible!

I,m trying to get a plan of the never built line to Largs and planning to visit the closed before 1900 freight line near dunrod junction.

[pH]

Only runaway engine I,ve heard about round here was on the long closed Overton paper mill which crashed back onto the W.B line,a bus once went into the docks in Greenock.W.bay station should have a diesel line put back in to attract specials after all if Greenock can attract cruise liners anything is possible!

I,m trying to get a plan of the never built line to Largs and planning to visit the closed before 1900 freight line near dunrod junction.

 

The runaway on the Overton paper mill branch didn't actually land on the Wemyss Bay line. The branch left the Wemyss Bay line going east to a set of reversing sidings. Trains would then reverse out of these, west up the hill to the mill. The runaway ran through these sidings and over the bank at the end, into (I think) what is now the top of Upper Cartsburn Street:

http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/community-life-and-leisure/mclean-museum-and-art-gallery/museum-collections/photographs/greenock-early-views/?galleryindex=26&show=large

 

There were at least two other runaways in the area. One was in early LMS days, when a goods train on the ex-G&SWR line, carrying grain for a distillery, ran away down into Princes Pier station and through the buffers.

 

The other was the runaway that 'souwest' refers to above, again on G&SWR tracks, and it happened in 1900. It was a light engine, and ended up about where the big dry dock is now. Here is the accident report:

http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BoT_InchGreen1900.pdf

 

Here are some pictures I took of the Dunrod Quarry branch:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/59826-the-dunrod-quarry-branch/?hl=dunrod

Wear good boots and be prepared to scramble!

[Legend]

Wasn't there a runway involving a cattle train, where the wagons having broken away on the G&SWR line ran through the tunnels and piled up on Princess Peir. Many cattle killed outright but many other of the poor beasts had to be put out misery as they were so distressed. I have it in a book somewhere

[Mad McCann]

There was indeed. I'll have a look and see if I can find it but I've definitely read this too. Might have been in a fairly recent issue of SouWest.

[pH]

It's in "Legends of the Glasgow & South Western Railway in LMS Days" by David L. Smith. A cattle train had a breakaway on the climb out of Princes Pier, the guard's van couldn't hold the wagons which broke away, and they ran back into Princes Pier station. They hit an empty passenger train sitting in one of the platforms.

 

I didn't include this in post#20 above as (pedantically) I wouldn't consider that a 'runaway'. To me, a runaway is a train going in the direction it's meant to, but not under control. Others may disagree.

[D9020 Nimbus]

Well, there are bell code signals for "train running away in right direction" and "train running away in wrong direction", so it looks like the 'real' railway could have considered both to be runaways...