The main line continues in use today as a major part of the Scottish Railway network carrying frequent passenger services and a significant freight traffic.

In earlier years Perth had been an important trading town, but in the 1830s its significance was being overshadowed by the cities of central Scotland.

There were short local railways in the area around Dundee, but connection to the emerging network further south, and potentially in England, seemed to be essential, and proposals were put forward from 1841 to achieve that.

The Caledonian saw the synergy of a linkage with the Scottish Central and proposed an alliance, offering to pay certain Parliamentary and other expenses.

This ran from Coatbridge in a broad northern sweep to a terminus at Townhead in Glasgow, and the Caledonian was going to lease or buy it.

This later became titled the Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway but at this early stage its committee asked the SCR for support.

Fearing that rejection would drive the Callander line into hostile hands the SCR undertook to take a substantial shareholding.

In September 1845 a frenzied series of negotiations took place with the Caledonian and the E&GR about access; these did not lead directly to an agreement, but in October 1845 the Board agreed on amalgamation with the E&GR "on equal terms"; the Caledonian were informed, and in November the SCR announced to them that they planned to merge with or lease the Scottish Midland Junction Railway.

[1] While construction of the line was proceeding, the Board considered how they could best get access to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and amalgamation with the Caledonian Railway now seemed to be the way forward.

This was at a time when final payments to the SCR's own construction contractors were becoming due, and finding the cash was for a while a significant problem.

[1][6] The intermediate stations were incomplete and goods facilities were not initially available, so that at this stage the line was open for passengers only, until 15 June 1848.

On 1 December 1850 the SCR reclaimed its rolling stock from the Caledonian in order operate its trains and those of the Scottish Midland Junction; this included working into Queen Street station in Glasgow.

[note 3] A period of relative stability now followed, and an arrangement for sharing the receipts from traffic damped down competitive aggression for a decade.

The engineer for the construction was Thomas Bouch, but he had many commitments at the time, and his absences led to considerable delay in completion of the line.

Perth magistrates were anxious that the branch should be built, as they believed their burgh was losing out to Dundee because of the inconvenient transport links.

The other "founding" users of the station were With the operating arrangements of the day, dealing with the trains of four companies proved a challenge.

The SNER refused this in 1859 and set up a temporary platform just beyond the SCR lines; the station was called Glasgow Road.

When the Inverness line opened in 1863, the major issue was the stabling of its carriages: the SCR insisted that there was no room within the station for the purpose.

Their version became law on 1 August 1865, also formalising the status of the Joint Committee in the light of the railway amalgamations that had taken place.

[2] The Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway had been supported financially by the Scottish Central, to the extent of £200,000 and worked by it.

In 1856 a branch was authorised, from the junctions at Carmuirs; it opened on 1 April 1858, after some delay due to the Inspecting Officer's reservations about some details.

In 1888, after absorption by the Caledonian Railway, a further extension south-west from Stoneywood was built; known as the Castlerankine branch, it ran to Carronrigg Colliery.

[2][8] The Edinburgh and Glasgow formed an increasingly close alliance with the North British Railway, and it was clear that this would result in polarisation into an East Coast group; the obvious consequence was closer alliance between the SCR and the Caledonian, and amalgamation was seriously discussed: it resulted in formal amalgamation by an act of Parliament[which?]

However this changed from 1 January 1870, by which time the Caledonian had enlarged its Buchanan Street terminal in Glasgow, and SCR trains now ran to that station.

As early as 1846 the Scottish Central Railway board had determined to build a line to Tillicoultry, crossing the Forth at Alloa.

[11][12] In July 1852 the SCR operated the ferry crossing, advertising the journey to Glasgow and Edinburgh as taking 2 and 2½ hours.

[13] The ferry remained open but with different lessees, for example the lease was re-let in 1861 when the local newspaper hoped to see an improved vessel put into service that could accommodate carts and carriages.

[14] The CR was still using the ferry and South Alloa station in early 1885 advertising services to Glasgow (Buchanan Street) and Edinburgh Waverley.

[12] Moncrieffe Tunnel lay south of Perth station and between November 1901 and late 1903 it was lined with bricks, having originally been left unlined.

In many cases these were remarshalled at Perth, with the through coaches being transferred between trains or stood to one side to await a later onward service.