Plaque underlines Shotts’ position of power on track
Scotrail installed a commemorative plaque at Shotts Station to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of the line between Glasgow and Edinburgh via the town.
The plaque was unveiled by local MSP Alex Neil and Transport Scotland director for rail Bill Reeve to commemorate the century and a half since the construction of the line by the Caledonian Railway.
At the unveiling, Alex Neil said: “I am honoured and delighted to being unveiling this plaque.
“The electrification of the railway through Shotts, coupled with the recent M8 upgrade, makes Shotts one of the best-connected towns in Scotland.
“Our job now is to use this new level of connectivity to bolster new jobs and industry in our area.”
Construction of the Shotts line by the Caledonian Railway in 1869 shortened the distance between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Princes Street, from 69 to 46 miles.
This enabled the route to compete with the North British Railway operated Edinburgh to Glasgow mainline via Falkirk for coal and shale-oil traffic, as in those days, railways raised most of their revenue from freight operations.
By the early 1960s the coal and shale-oil industries were in severe decline, and while the biggest steam locomotives still used the route, the Beeching Report recommended withdrawal of passenger services.
The line was saved from closure following a campaign supported by local MP Margaret Herbison.
In April, Network Rail completed the Scottish Government- funded £ 160m electrification of the line. The successful delivery of the project created a fifth electrified route between Scotland’s largest cities.
Bill Reeve added: “It’s right to celebrate 150 years of the Shotts line and station – connecting communities with opportunities for work, study and leisure.
“The Scottish Government’s ambitious programme of electrification is delivering faster, greener trains with more seats and services.
“Shotts now has its best ever train service. It has never been easier to make the switch from car to rail.
“As we celebrate our history, passengers can be confident the Shotts line has a strong future.”