XIV. Geological Notes on the Cuttings in the City of Glasgow Union Railway between Bellgrove and Springburn

Abstract

The branch line connecting the College and Sighthill Stations of the North British Railway, was made principally to relieve the Queen Street terminus—long inadequate for the purpose—from the ever-increasing goods traffic. Although only about one mile and a half in length, its cost has been great, as besides heavy cuttings, with much building in and tunnelling, the Monkland Canal had to be diverted, and a new bed half a mile in length constructed. Minerals have been long and extensively worked in the district. I remember a deserted coal pit and a sandstone quarry where the Camlachie goods station now stands, while another pit was till lately visible near the Cumbernauld Road, about 100 yards north of Duke Street. Craigpark whinstone quarry and Blochairn sand quarry are still being worked. Although, owing to the thick overlying deposits of clay, the locality has been so barren to the geologist as not to have been mentioned in the Transactions of the Society except in one instance, and then only to state that nothing of interest was to be seen, yet I do not know any place, where, within the space of a mile, there can be seen more interesting geological features,—igneous and stratified rocks, boulder clay, and other glacial deposits, besides numerous fossil remains. Unfortunately a number of the sections have been built up, but of those hereafter described, parts at Burnbank, Blochairn, and Garngad Road are still visible. The first section worthy of note is one seen immediately after leaving the main