height on Annies Hill. A further branch turned back from Barblues to Meadowhead Pit. The pit was close to the Ballochney workings, but the location was referred to then as Planes, later spelt Plains. These extensions were completed by early February 1860. However the Stepends branch was short lived: it closed in 1878. That left two sections. The first was the gap from Barblues (sometimes spelt Barbleus, near Stepends) to Standhill Junction (near Blackridge; the junction was with the uncompleted Shotts Iron Works line (below), and that was completed by 27 April 1861 when a trial mineral train passed over the line; full opening to mineral trains was about 10 May 1861. This enabled through running from Coatbridge to Bathgate, but over the Ballochney inclines and running north of Airdrie. The second gap was the line south of Airdrie, from Sunnyside Junction to Brownieside Junction, avoiding the rope worked inclines. This may have opened, also for mineral traffic only, in early August 1861. Passenger working between Coatbridge and Bathgate started on 11 August 1862; however there was no direct route to Glasgow yet, except over the former Garnkirk railway Caledonian section. The New Line is sometimes referred to as the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway, but it was never independent of the Monkland Railways. However an independent Bathgate, Airdrie and Coatbridge Railway had been proposed in 1856. Shotts iron works The important iron works at Shotts was connected to the Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness Railway but the works owner obviously wanted an alternative carrier, and approached the Monklands company to propose a branch line southwards from the "new line". This was agreed to, and Parliamentary authority for the 5½ mile line was obtained in August 1860. The line opened by 5 February 1862. A short branch off the branch to West Benhar was built in 1864. Absorbed by the E&GR The Monkland Railways Company was absorbed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway by Act of Parliament, dated 5 July 1865, on 31 July 1865. The following day, that company was itself absorbed by the North British Railway. The larger company used the acquisition to consolidate its dominance of mineral traffic in the Monklands coalfield and in connection with the iron works in the area. The Monklands section it had acquired was profitable, although its operating costs were very high, and it was concentrated in mining areas generally remote from the large