The Glasgow & South Western Railway A History is a well-researched and comprehensive history of the railways of south western Scotland, which has been drawn from original sources and is fully referenced. The account begins in 1808 and covers the formation and development of the railway in the south west of Scotland; it includes the first railways to appear, such as the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway and the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock & Ayr Railway, which were later to become part of the Glasgow and South Western Railway. The information is presented sequentially and the author, David Ross, also looks at events which were of economic relevance to the railway industry at the time. The expansion of the railway played a significant role in the growth of many local industries including ironworks, coal mining, ferry ports, agriculture and tourism.
As well as looking at the Glasgow & South Western Railway itself, David Ross studies its relationships and alliances with other railway companies, including the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway, the Caledonian Railway, the North British Railway and the Midland Railway, along with its eventual amalgamation as part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in the early 1920s. He also includes a chapter covering the Glasgow & South Western Railway’s steam shipping operations.
11 route maps, 120 black & white photographs and 6 miscellaneous items. 252 pages.