North British Railway: A brief biography
North British Railway: A brief biography |
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By a serious of amalgamations and mergers the North British Railway was formed.
Its centre of gravity could be considered to be Edinburgh from where a high
proportion of its services radiated but Glasgow is of almost equal importance.
The railway extended from Berwick on Tweed at the english border to Dundee and
Arbroath in the north and to Carlisle over the Waverley route. From Glasgow
the North British operated services to Mallaig and Fort William through some
of the most spectacular scenery in the British isles. This line is known collectively
as the West Highland line. The NBR had working agreements with the Caledonian
giving access to Aberdeen, with the North Eastern and perhaps most significantly
with the Midland over the Settle and Carlisle. The NBR was part of the M&SJS
(Midland and Scottish Joint Stock) until around 1896 when the M& NB (Midland
and North British ) joint arrangements were inaugurated.
The railway had its principally works at Cowlairs where a number of carriages
of Midland design for the Midland and Scottish Joint stock were built in 1884/5.
The NBR also purchased wagons from outside contractors on occasions as well
as building wagons for outside bodies particularly private owners itself. The
NBR also leased out mineral wagons to colliery companies ,vehicles included
the 8 ton Jubilee wagon and also the 12 and 16ton wagons.
The NBR was principally a mineral carrying railway and is known for a range
of high capacity wagons with the typical Scottish heavy end door. However the
railway had considerable portage interests at a number of harbours and from
these they transported goods throughout the United Kingdom.
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