Branches in Dumfries and Galloway
A branch of the Caledonian railway, known as the Solway Junction Railway, at Kirtlebridge, led down to Annan and crossed the Solway Firth, by a 1,940 yard (1,791 m) viaduct, to Bowness-on-Solway and Whitrigg. The line was opened, with Caledonian Railway backing, completely by 8 August 1870. The Scottish part was bought by the Caledonian Railway on 5 August 1873; and the whole line on 6 July 1895. It joined up with the Maryport and Carlisle Railway. This line sought to bring iron ore, hematite, from Cumberland to the Lanarkshire steelworks. It was successful, but the iron ore started to run out by the end of the 19th century.
Another branch of the Caledonian railway at Lockerbie, known as the Dumfries, Lochmaben & Lockerby Railway (sic), led to Dumfries, with intermediate stations at Lochmaben, Shieldhill, Amisfield and Locharbriggs. The line opened on 1 September 1863, with Caledonian Railway backing, and it was bought by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1865.
The Caledonian gained running rights over the Glasgow and South Western Railway's Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway, between Dumfries and Castle Douglas; and hence from Castle Douglas to Portpatrick, Stranraer and Stranraer harbour over a jointly owned line, the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway, which was formed on 6 August 1885. This allowed the Caledonian to run Irish boat trains from the south without having to go though Ayrshire.
A branch, the Moffat Railway, just over one mile (1.6 km) and 5 furlongs long, ran between Beattock and Moffat. It was opened on 2 April 1883 and was taken over by the Caledonian, by Act of Parliament, on 11 November 1889.
Read more about this topic: Caledonian Railway
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