Transfer of minerals to the network of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway (E&GR) system assumed increasing importance, and a connection was made in this period from the M&KR at Garngaber and from the Slamannan beyond Causewayend. As the track gauge was incompatible, trans-shipping was necessary at those places. A sale of the Monkland lines to the E&GR became an objective, and the E&GR had an expansionist policy, and the E&GR took over the working of the three Monkland Mineral Lines, and also the Wishaw and Coltness Railway from 1 January 1846.