Greenock
The coast of Greenock formed a broad bay with three smaller indentations: the Bay of Quick was known as a safe anchorage as far back as 1164. To its east, a sandy bay ran eastwards from the Old Kirk and the West Burn as far as Wester Greenock castle. The fishing village of Greenock developed along this bay, and around 1635 Sir John Schaw had a jetty built into the bay which became known as Sir John's Bay. In that year he obtained a Charter raising Greenock to a Burgh of Barony with rights to a weekly market. Further east, Saint Laurence Bay curved round past the Crawfurd Barony of Easter Greenock to Garvel (or Gravel) Point. When a pier (or dyke) was built making the bay an important harbour, the fishing village of Cartsburn gained the alternative name of Crawfurdsdyke. In 1642 it was made into the Burgh of Barony of Crawfurdsdyke, and part of the ill-fated Darien Scheme set out from this pier in 1697. This town was later renamed Cartsdyke.
Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway
Adjacent to the Cathcart Street station, the old Wester Greenock castle and Mansion House were demolished before taking a tunnel under their grounds in Well Park. The line then runs in deep cuttings to Greenock West where it enters the tunnel under Newton Street: when the street turns uphill becoming Lyle Road, the tunnel curves behind the Mariners Home to emerge near Fort Matilda station. Spoil from the tunnel and cuttings was used for landfill out from Gourock's Shore Street to the long new steamboat wharf which extended along the bay, beside the station. The extension opened on 1 June 1889, with the first train departing at 05:25 and the first arrival from Glasgow at 07:20.