OK, made it up here yesterday in the blazing sunshine, which was lovely for walks but made photography a little irksome. Here are some shots that didn't turn out too badly - half of the rest were taken looking directly into the sun, so don't show much other than shadow!
NOTE: These are the High Blantyre ones, not the ones over the Clyde referred to in the thread title - they're next on my list, if they're still there!
As you walk up the path from the wee bridge over the Calder at Millheugh, this is your first sight of the pillars, and what muckle beasts they are too. As far as I can gather, this line is a continuation of the one that currently runs from Glasgow to East Kilbride, it once having continued through Nerston and just north of where Whirlies roundabout is, through fields alongside Stoneymeadow Road and Crossbasket House, over this viaduct into High Blantyre where it joined up with the Hamilton and Strathaven railway just after High Blantyre station.
This is probably the tallest pillar, sitting as it does in the eastern bank of the Rotten Calder. The bank rises very sharply on that side, so there's only one more pillar beyond this one, high up on the ravine above, in contrast to the gentler slope behind where I'm standing - I think there are about ten or so pillars in all, two to the east of the river, and eight to the west. I'll think to count them next time!
Evidence of climbing equipment on the side of this one, guess it makes good practice! According to the excellent Railscot site, the line was built around 1868, this section having closed between 1914 and 1923. It then re-opened, only to close permanently to passenger traffic a year later, and to freight traffic in 1935. So it's now been adanboned for 73 years, 6 years longer than it operated for!
There is still much evidence of the line between here and west towards East Kilbride, although a section through Nerston has been completely lost to industrial estates and the like.
This is where the western side of the viaduct where it hits terra firma, very overgrown now and in the middle of thick woods. The line then enters a wide cutting, with some brick wall structures evident a few hundred metres along, no idea what they are though. Only seems to be a pond behind them.
The view from the top of the terminal end of the viaduct, not quite as impressive as it could be due to the tree growth, but you can see the top of the first pillar easily enough. The cutting behind me goes through woods, as I've mentioned, and emerges briefly before going into another cutting across fields behind Crossbasket House.
There are two of these wee bridges over the cutting, presumably for farm access. This one is looking worse for wear, with time having robbed it of its stone walls, and rust eating some rather worrying holes in the deck.
This one is just slightly further west, and in better shape. Strangely, telegraph poles carrying still live wires follow the line here, I'm guessing to serve the farmhouses nearby. It then crossed Flemington Road, near the junction with Stoneymeadow Road, although the supporting walls and bridge have all been removed. Beyond that, it runs on an embankment then a cutting before crossing Stoneymeadow Road on another impressively high bridge, the support walls of which remain. Again, very impressive industrial remains, but I never have my camera with me when I'm there. Give me another week or two!