Its operating costs were much higher than expected, and its income was disappointing, and horse traction was used to save expenditure.

This was such an obstruction that local promoters decided to construct a railway between Renfrew Wharf and the centre of Paisley.

They employed the engineers Thomas Grainger and John Miller, who had successfully designed several coal lines in the West of Scotland and elsewhere.

"[3]: 69 The line opened on 3 April 1837, with locomotive working from the start; this was considered important to ensure a speed advantage over waterborne transport.

[1][page needed] The line was 3 miles (4.8 km) long on an almost level gradient throughout; when first constructed had only one bridge, carrying Inchinnan Road.

Whishaw stated that for the year ended 15 May 1839, receipts were £3,091 and expenditure £2,613, so that operating cost 86% of gross income.

[1][page needed] Many early railways in the west of Scotland had projected an operating ratio of 10%.

[3][page needed] In 1842 the company changed to horse traction as an economy measure, much business having been lost by then to the GP&GR.

Slowly the G&SWR took action, and on 1 January 1866 the line was closed to passengers to enable the regauging and track relaying work.

Passengers travelling only between Glasgow and Paisley were not accepted on these trains, to preserve the business of the Joint Line.

[11][full citation needed] The line ran from north to south, from a wharf on the River Clyde at Renfrew to a terminal on Hamilton Street in Paisley.

Much of the route of the line is now occupied by a cycle path, and partly by a private road used by the Doosan Babcock site in Renfrew.

A home improvement superstore was built on the site of the former Paisley Abercorn railway station goods yard in the late 1970s.