Cathcart Circle Lines

Cathcart Circle Lines
Class 314s at Cathcart North Junction in 2011
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Glasgow East Renfrewshire South Lanarkshire Scotland
Termini	Glasgow Central Neilston / Newton / Cathcart
Stations	21
Services	4
Operation
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	Abellio ScotRail
Rolling stock	Class 314 Class 320 Class 380 (peak times only)
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification	25kV 50hz AC

The Cathcart Circle Lines form a suburban railway route linking Glasgow (Central) to Cathcart via a circular line, with branches to Newton and Neilston, on the south bank of the River Clyde. They are part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network.

The lines were built by the Cathcart District Railway (Cathcart Circle) and the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway (Newton and Neilston lines). The first part opened on 1 March 1886 as a double line from Glasgow Central to Mount Florida then single to Cathcart, doubled on 26 May 1886. The circular route back to Central station via Shawlands and Maxwell Park was completed on 2 April 1894.

The Newton and Neilston branches were built to provide a through route from the Lanarkshire coalfields to ports such as Ardrossan on the Ayrshire coast. There is still a junction with other lines at Newton, but the track beyond Neilston has been lifted.

The lines originally carried significant amounts of freight, but commuter trains are the only regular users now. Football specials sometimes run to Mount Florida and King's Park for major matches at Hampden Park.

When the lines were built much of the land around them was open countryside. The existence of a commuter railway was a major factor in the development of Glasgow's southern suburbs, although until electrification in 1962 there was virtually no passenger service beyond Kirkhill by this route.

On weekdays the services have provided a vital transport link for school pupils and college students at nearby schools and higher education establishments, contributing to passenger numbers on top of the commuter traffic.