British Rail & SPTE also published plans in the early 1980s to re-route services west of onto the Neilston branch of the Cathcart Circle Lines using a short-lived connection between the two routes first laid in 1903. This would have brought overhead electrification to the branch and seen trains run via and Cathcart to Glasgow, but also seen Giffnock & Thornliebank stations closed (along with the section of line between Clarkston & Busby Junction). The proposals proved unpopular and were not implemented.