The Edinburgh–Bathgate line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It is also known as the Bathgate branch and was originally operated by the Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway. Except for the short section at the original Bathgate terminus, the main line is still in use, with a frequent passenger train service operated by ScotRail. Extension to Airdrie and Glasgow In 2005, the Scottish Executive declared that in line with plans to upgrade the unfinished part of the A8 to motorway standard, public transport links between Glasgow and Edinburgh must also be improved. The closed section of the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway between the 1989 Drumgelloch station and Bathgate was rebuilt and electrified, connecting with the North Clyde Line at Drumgelloch. This opened up an important fourth railway link between Glasgow and Edinburgh, giving many towns in West Lothian better connections to the Greater Glasgow conurbation. From 12 December 2010, the Edinburgh to Bathgate service was absorbed into the North Clyde Line with services from and via . All work on the extension was completed by 8 March 2011. History The Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway was opened from a junction near Ratho to Bathgate, in 1849. The owning company immediately leased the line to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway. From the following year, shale oil was extracted in the area, and the line became very successful from that traffic. Other railways joined at Bathgate and the line later became part of a through route from Edinburgh to Glasgow via Airdrie. In 1956 the passenger service was withdrawn, but it was reinstated from Edinburgh to Bathgate in 1986. In 2010 the through route to Airdrie and Glasgow was reopened and electrified, and the line continues in heavy passenger use at the present day. Authorisation and opening The Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway (E&BR) was authorised by Act of Parliament on 3 August 1846. The main line of 11 miles (17 km) was to run to Bathgate, then an important manufacturing town, from a junction near Ratho on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway main line. In addition there were to be branches to Midcalder, to Binny Quarries, from Barrack to Whitburn, and a loop from Whitburn to Bathgate, though in fact only one of these was built by the E&BR. The authorised capital was £250,000. Two subsequent Acts, in 1847 and 1848, authorised deviations. The engineer for the work was Thomas Grainger. The