railway worker

[iainbs]

My great great grandfather, William Grant, in the 1851 census for Bothwell parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland is working as an "Engine Driver Railway"
I would like to establish which railway company and, if possible, any records of his employment with them.
Any help on which archives to search would be appreciated.

[KGarrad]

The Railway Company was probably the Caledonian Railway?

[iainbs]

Great. Thanks for that. A good starting point.
As a bit of an aside. One of his children, another William, went on to become Medical Doctor and GP in Bothwell

[KGarrad]

Bothwell station wasn't built/used until 1877?!

But Hamilton West was around in 1851:
The station was once part of the Caledonian Railway and later, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. It was originally opened by the Caledonian in September 1849, as the terminus of their branch line from Newton and was originally known simply as Hamilton.
As a terminus, surely train drivers would have been based in the area? less than 2 miles from Bothwell.

Not good news re records, but try the Caledonian Railway Association?
http://www.crassoc.org.uk/cra/node/24

[philipsearching]

The Railway Company was probably the Caledonian Railway?

KGarrard beat me to it     

Just so I can feel that I have made a contribution:- in the early days of the Caledonian Railway, many branch lines were constructed principally to move goods (particularly coal) - there were some passenger carriages but tourism and commuter transport did not become significant until much later.

Regards
Philip

[Skoosh]

The North British had a station there a year after the Caley but with many collieries & iron-works he might have been employed there.

Skoosh

[mazi]

Many collieries had their own railway network, you cannot discount the possibility he was driving an engine belonging to colliery.

Mike

[mazi]

Many collieries had their own railway network, you cannot discount the possibility he was driving an engine belonging to colliery.

Mike

Wrong there , the only railway shown in the area on the 1859 map is the Hamilton branch of the Caledonian as mentioned by kgarrad, no signs of any colliery railways then

[Skoosh]

South Lanarkshire railway network,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Railway_branches_in_South_Lanarkshire

Skoosh