Before the G&SWR In the early 1830s, there were already several mineral railways operating in Scotland; local in extent, they were mostly built to serve coal mines and other mineral activity. The successful operation of the
Liverpool and Manchester Railway as an inter-city line, and then the
Grand Junction Railway reaching northwards, caused railway promoters in the west of Scotland to consider that one day, there might be a through railway line to London. The
Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway (GPK&AR) was authorised by the
Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway Act 1837 (
7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. cxvii), and opened its line to Ayr in 1840. It was a locomotive railway, and in due time it opened its branch line from Dalry to Kilmarnock, with the intention of extending to Carlisle to meet up with whatever railway might reach that city from the south. The had anticipated constructing its authorised line and then the extension, but by 1846 there was a frenzy of competing schemes that threatened to destroy the company's core business. Few of these were realistic, but the itself felt obliged to promote numerous branches, many of them tactical, in order to keep competing schemes out. This period of railway promotion was followed by a slump, when money was difficult to come by, and these factors prevented the from bringing its Carlisle extension into reality. Enthusiasm for a connection to English railways continued, however, and was intensified by the promotion of other schemes to link central Scotland and England. Interests friendly to the formed the
Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway (GD&CR) to extend from the southern extremity of the to Carlisle; their route became known as the
Nithsdale Route. Opposing promoters put forward a so-called
central line via Carstairs and Beattock, that had the advantage of a shorter mileage, and the capacity to serve Edinburgh directly, but the disadvantage of much heavier gradients and running through a less populous area. This route became known as
the Annandale Route. The was authorised by an act of Parliament, the
Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle Railway Act 1846 (
9 & 10 Vict. c. ccclxxii), but the rival
Caledonian Railway (CR) had already had authorisation for building its line on the Annandale route; the 's financial position led it to abandon its intention of building an independent line to Carlisle, and it altered its plan so as to join the at Gretna Junction, relying on negotiating running powers for its trains to reach Carlisle. The and the formed the definite intention of merging; at first the demanded terms that were excessive, particularly as their own financial situation was weak: they were funding construction of their line with money loaned by the . However more realistic expectations emerged later, and by the
Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle Railway Act 1846 (
9 & 10 Vict. c. ccclxxii) and the '''''' (
10 & 11 Vict. c. clxxxiii) it was determined that the two companies would merge when the had completed construction of its line. The extended as far as Horsecleugh (between Cumnock and New Cumnock) and the reached an end-on junction there, completing the through line on 28 October 1850.
The G&SWR formed Accordingly on 28 October 1850 the was formed. Although this was described as a merger, the reality was that the penniless was dissolved, its operation was taken over by the , and the latter company changed its name to the . The had been working the 's line for it since it (partially) opened. The new company had lines: • from Bridge Street in Glasgow to Ayr; the Ayr station was north of the river, at Newton-on-Ayr), and the section between Bridge Street and Paisley was owned and operated jointly with the
Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway; and • from Dalry Junction to Gretna Junction via Kilmarnock and Dumfries; and • a number of lines in mineral districts, including the former
Kilmarnock and Troon Railway, now upgraded to contemporary technical standards. The trains on the Dumfries line now ran through to Carlisle, an arrangement having been made with the Caledonian Railway (CR) to permit this. However the did not encourage the and only on 1 March 1851 was a booking clerk given accommodation at Carlisle Citadel passenger station. This was granted on an undertaking that the would never interfere with the business of the or the
Lancaster and Carlisle Railway, and tolls were charged for use of the line from Gretna, and for bulk goods passing through Carlisle, whether transshipped or not. The ensured that all traffic between south of Carlisle and Glasgow or Edinburgh was routed over its own line.
Expansion by alliance In the years immediately following the formation of the G&SWR, the shortage of capital meant that no definite steps were taken for further expansion. Local initiatives were encouraged, however, with the G&SWR providing some funding and in most cases working the line when it was completed. The
Ayr and Dalmellington Railway Act 1853 (
16 & 17 Vict. c. cxlviii) was passed on 4 August 1853. At this time the G&SWR Ayr station was north of the River Ayr, and the A&DR was to run from Falkland Junction, a short distance north of the station, and round the east side of the town. The new line had an Ayr passenger station (a temporary structure at first), but it was less convenient than the old terminus; until January 1860 the old G&SWR terminus station continued to be used by some trains. There were important ironworks owned by the Houldsworth family, and ironstone and coal deposits, in the lands near Dalmellington. The independent A&DR company was worked by the G&SWR and later absorbed on 1 August 1858. On 10 July 1854 the
Ayr and Maybole Junction Railway was authorised to reach Maybole by a junction from the Ayr and Dalmellington; the junction was to be called Maybole Junction, but was named
Dalrymple Junction when the line opened to goods traffic on 15 May 1856. Passenger opening was delayed until 2 August 1856 because of the Board of Trade inspecting officer's dissatisfaction with the works at first. This line too was worked by the G&SWR. There were discussions of a further extension railway to reach Girvan and develop the harbour there, possibly as a ferry port for Ireland: a
Maybole and Girvan Railway was formed in 1855; it got its authorising act of Parliament, the
Maybole and Girvan Railway Act 1856 (
19 & 20 Vict. c. xcix), on 14 July 1856. All of these local initiatives received the promise of cash support from the G&SWR. The Maybole and Girvan line opened on 24 May 1860; the old Maybole station, east of Redbrae, was unsuitable for an onward route and was by-passed, the new passenger station being at Culzean Road. The
Ardrossan Railway had long been allied to the G&SWR and by the
Ardrossan Railway Transfer Act 1854 (
17 & 18 Vict. c. clxxxii) of 24 July 1854 it was vested in the G&SWR, effective on 1 August 1854. The line ran between Ardrossan Harbour and Kilwinning, with mineral branches extending further east. The line opened on 21 July 1856. The construction, through difficult terrain, went ahead, and as completion became near, the Portpatrick Railway planned the arrangements for the working of its line. The G&SWR were working the and offered to work the Portpatrick line for 72% of gross receipts. The G&SWR had recently announced that it worked its own railway for less than 38%, and the Portpatrick line decided the proposed charge was too much; on 28 March 1860 they decided that "the board should retain the working of the line under their own management". The G&SWR had been certain that its terms for working the line would have to be accepted; it had promised a further £40,000 towards the capital cost of the Portpatrick Railway, and on a pretext it now declined to make that payment, further alienating the Portpatrick Railway. The line opened, stoutly independent, on 12 March 1861 as far as Stranraer. The government had implied a promise to improve the tiny harbour at Portpatrick and was now delaying; the Portpatrick Railway delayed too, but finally completed the line from Stranraer to Portpatrick on 28 August 1862. Although some use was made of the route, the anticipated major sea crossing never materialised, and in time
Stranraer became the more important port.
The Paisley and Renfrew line Before the existence of the , its predecessor, the had acquired the
Paisley and Renfrew Railway, a horse-operated railway with track on stone blocks, and the GS&WR acquired this line. By 1866 the primitive technology had become an embarrassment and pressure from the Burgh of Renfrew caused the to upgrade the line to locomotive haulage, converting it to standard gauge, and connecting it to the main joint line at Greenlaw, east of Paisley, and facing Glasgow. The work was completed by September 1867 and through passenger trains between Glasgow and Renfrew were instituted. (The following year the two existing companies agree to take all the stock themselves.) The line would run from a junction with the Paisley joint line at West Street to Sighthill on the , with a new passenger station at St Enoch, a large goods station in land vacated by the
University of Glasgow and a connection at West Street to the
General Terminus goods branch on the bank of the Clyde. ==Operations==