Springburn Virtual Museum

Railway industry

Caledonian Railway 123 entering St Rollox station, below St Rollox church, 1950s

The engine shown in this picture, Caledonian Railway engine 123, was built in 1886 by Neilson & Co. During the 1920s it was allocated to work the director's saloon but later returned to ordinary service. Under the LMS it was renumbered 14010, but on its return from service it was restored to its former Caledonian peacock blue colours and now has pride of place at the Transport Museum in Glasgow.

It is the best known locomotive to have been produced at the Hyde Park Works. In the 'Railway Races' of 1888, rival east and west coast railway companies competed to have the fastest trains on their respective routes from London to Scotland. CR123 took part, achieving a time of 104 minutes for the 100 mile stretch between Carlisle and Edinburgh.

St.Rollox station was situated just below Springburn Road, adjacent to the St Rollox works on the Sighthill branch of the railway line from the old Buchanan Street station in Glasgow. St Rollox Presbyterian Church opened in 1894 on Springburn Road at Fountainwell Road. It was destroyed by fire in 1982 and replaced by a new church in 1984, the year of its centenary.

Source: Glasgow City Archives