Edinburgh Railway Stations History

[FORTHCLYDE]

[John Findlay]

9 hours ago, Restonbabe said:

I was as mentioned in my previous post just literally doing research on Edinburgh and Eastern Scotland rail line in antispitstion to our new train station being built this year in Reston.

 

Balgreen halt now Balgreen tram stop. Was trying to locate the station masters house but cannot seem to find it. Only the goods yard which is jenners. 

Amazing to know this station was still in use in 1964!

 

Did anyone see the Scotsman article on a proposed tunnel from Kirkcaldy to leith that would solve the bottleneck at haymarket Station?? 

Fun fact is that any delays at haymarket affect the entire national network.

Says its going to cost 4-6 billion to builds tunnel. It would revolutionise the Scottish network. Would cut travel time to Dundee to Edinburgh for under an hour. 

 

Also learning about Scotland Street tunnel to the old Canal Street station by a stationary cable car. 

 

Canal Street is now Waverley Station. This was on the Granton harbour to Scotland Street station goods line. 

I still remember the old railway bridge down trinity/ lower granton Road when I was younger. 

You can still see the entrance to this from platform 20 at Waverley. 

 

Something that has always bugged me about 1870's construction of the Edinburgh rail network was the disregard for a proper leith to Edinburgh railway line. 

Going on old line maps there was never a thought. 

Was that because of the tram lines and the massive depot at shrub Hill. 

 

There is still a station platform at dalry. If you walk up past the path at lidl and just adjesent to the park there is the platform you can stand on. 

Gorgie East Station platform is gone. How did you access it? 

Up that ramp opposite the station tavern? 

Why is there car parks at the other side of NB distillery. Was that not the station exit? 

 

I think the central line will be used when another hospital is built and integrated with the tramline. That will be way after our time. 

 

Yes there is a sign on platform 20 that says the sight of the original Newhaven line. I too remember the railway bridge at lower Granton road. Went under it many a time on a no16 bus. There was also a railway bridge across Leith Walk down by the Central station.

[Les Izemore]

19 hours ago, Tazio said:

When we were kids “the old railway” was our version of the countryside. Totally overgrown with no tracks and the ability to walk for miles and find new places. Loads of Tarzan swings to find and play on and the opportunity to build a gangy. Loads of memories of stupid behaviour like trying to make our own petrol bombs with paraffin stolen from home and throwing them at the walls under the bridges. 
A lad I was at school with was an expert at finding hidden bags of porn mags and sold them at school to people. He lived with his gran and I remember going to his house once and he had a clothes horse covered in them drying out as he found a pile of them after it had rained. 

My mates and I had similar adventures along the old railway lines, most likely the same lines and before they were tarmacced and had street lights. 
The part that got the heart pumping was the Coltbridge Viaduct when we had to cross over the river by walking on the old sleepers, some of which were cracked or missing, as it’s a fair old drop if you went in. 
 

We also done the petrol bombs, successfully, using choried milk bottles and petrol bought from the old station on Ferry Road. We even added sugar. Our target was the electricity sub-station which looks on to Ainslie Park leisure centre. 4 successful ignitions but no blackout. 

[John Findlay]

7 hours ago, Les Izemore said:

My mates and I had similar adventures along the old railway lines, most likely the same lines and before they were tarmacced and had street lights. 
The part that got the heart pumping was the Coltbridge Viaduct when we had to cross over the river by walking on the old sleepers, some of which were cracked or missing, as it’s a fair old drop if you went in. 
 

We also done the petrol bombs, successfully, using choried milk bottles and petrol bought from the old station on Ferry Road. We even added sugar. Our target was the electricity sub-station which looks on to Ainslie Park leisure centre. 4 successful ignitions but no blackout. 

I'm old enough to remember when there was still track down behind what was then Ainslie Park school and the school playing fields along past the old city park. Track came up what is now the access road and had a buffer at where the houses back onto the access Road now.

Used to get the occasional diesel loco out of the gasworks go as far as that buffer, under what was the old hump bridge then, it used to be a silver enclosed bridge across very road and not the red one they have now.

[Seymour M Hersh]

13 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

I'm old enough to remember when there was still track down behind what was then Ainslie Park school and the school playing fields along past the old city park. Track came up what is now the access road and had a buffer at where the houses back onto the access Road now.

Used to get the occasional diesel loco out of the gasworks go as far as that buffer, under what was the old hump bridge then, it used to be a silver enclosed bridge across very road and not the red one they have now.

 

Dare Street, Roman Road. 

[Biko]

[Shanks said no]

Granton Gas Works Station

 

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by The Frenchman Returns

[Byyy The Light]

I was born in the 80s but seeing all this just makes me pretty sad. A light rail passenger service round all these stations would be such an asset to the City.

[Shanks said no]

Canal Street station

[Shanks said no]

 

Canonmills / Scotland Street Station 

 

and of course the famous tunnel

 

The tunnel measures 1000yds in length, 24ft in width, and 24ft in height with a gradient of 1-in-27 towards the north. The roof of the tunnel is just below street level at Scotland Street, but is 49 feet deep at St. Andrew Street and 37 feet deep under Princes Street. In order to cope with the steep gradient, cable haulage was required, with a stationary winding engine at Canal Street. Passenger carriages proceeding downhill were steadied by brake trucks, while those heading uphill were hauled by an endless rope, which ran under rollers beneath the rails and was powered by the engine at Canal St. Station.

A second shorter tunnel on the north side of Cannonmills took the line under Rodney Street and Broughton Road.

Edited January 18, 2021 by The Frenchman Returns

[Byyy The Light]

5 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

 

Canonmills / Scotland Street Station 

 

and of course the famous tunnel

 

The tunnel measures 1000yds in length, 24ft in width, and 24ft in height with a gradient of 1-in-27 towards the north. The roof of the tunnel is just below street level at Scotland Street, but is 49 feet deep at St. Andrew Street and 37 feet deep under Princes Street. In order to cope with the steep gradient, cable haulage was required, with a stationary winding engine at Canal Street. Passenger carriages proceeding downhill were steadied by brake trucks, while those heading uphill were hauled by an endless rope, which ran under rollers beneath the rails and was powered by the engine at Canal St. Station.

A second shorter tunnel on the north side of Cannonmills took the line under Rodney Street and Broughton Road.

Had no idea this existed. Thanks 

[Shanks said no]

5 minutes ago, Byyy The Light said:

Had no idea this existed. Thanks 

 

No problem, my uncle lived on Scotland Street and it always bugged him that he couldn't use the tunnel as a short cut to the Cafe Royal. 

Edited January 18, 2021 by The Frenchman Returns

[Footballfirst]

St Leonard's coal depot and the entrance to the Innocent Tunnel

 

[Shanks said no]

North end

 

 

South end

At the south end, a narrow corrugated metal tube runs from the tunnel underneath Princes Mall, emerging behind an insignificant looking barred gate in the north wall of Waverley Station. Most people who pass it daily would never suspect where it goes! So access and ventilation has been maintained, even though the south portal no longer exists.

@John Findlay can you tell us anything about this?

[Footballfirst]

Colinton Tunnel (with mural)

 

[Footballfirst]

Colinton Station

 

[Footballfirst]

Juniper Green station

 

[Footballfirst]

Currie Station 1967 (not Curriehill)

 

[John Findlay]

9 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

North end

 

 

South end

At the south end, a narrow corrugated metal tube runs from the tunnel underneath Princes Mall, emerging behind an insignificant looking barred gate in the north wall of Waverley Station. Most people who pass it daily would never suspect where it goes! So access and ventilation has been maintained, even though the south portal no longer exists.

@John Findlay can you tell us anything about this?

Alas afraid not accept as someone earlier said the South entrance is what is now platform 20 here at the Waverley.

[Footballfirst]

Balerno Station (I've now reach the end of the Balerno Branch line)

 

[superjack]

1 hour ago, Byyy The Light said:

I was born in the 80s but seeing all this just makes me pretty sad. A light rail passenger service round all these stations would be such an asset to the City.

Me too, but I was born in the 70s. I also believe this would be the best thing to reduce traffic in the city as a lot of residential areas would have a direct link to the centre and to other residential areas.

[John Findlay]

1 hour ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Granton Gas Works Station

 

 

The building and platform are still there between the Morrison petrol station and the Scottish Gas Hq.

The top photo hangs framed in the Morrison store, saying it's from the 1930s.

[John Findlay]

Just tried to upload a photo of what is on platform 20, but it wouldn't allow me too. It's a sign over an entrance saying this is the site of the original Edinburgh-Leith-Newhaven Railway. It does go underneath the Princes Mall.

[Tazio]

28 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

North end

 

 

South end

At the south end, a narrow corrugated metal tube runs from the tunnel underneath Princes Mall, emerging behind an insignificant looking barred gate in the north wall of Waverley Station. Most people who pass it daily would never suspect where it goes! So access and ventilation has been maintained, even though the south portal no longer exists.

@John Findlay can you tell us anything about this?

When we were teenagers we, erm, negotiated the padlock on what used to be a brick wall with a door in it at Scotland Street and explored the tunnel. About half a dozen of us with torches made it all the way to Waverley and back. We were most of the way along the journey and at Waverley when we suddenly got the fear that someone might fix the lock where we’d gone in.  Then we worked out even if that happened we could go back to Waverley, but weren’t sure if our torches would last. A nervous journey back. 
For a while a company rented the buildings in the tunnel to grow mushrooms I think. 

[Shanks said no]

 

I always assumed it was a passenger ferry

[Montgomery Brewster]

11 hours ago, Byyy The Light said:

I was born in the 80s but seeing all this just makes me pretty sad. A light rail passenger service round all these stations would be such an asset to the City.

Throughout the 80’s and 90’s there have been various headlines in the evening news along the lines of “ south suburban line to reopen “ etc etc. As always with the city fathers they have other fish to fry and are obsessed with a shiny tram line and pouring vast amounts of money into it.

 

no foresight in using these old  railways for the benefit of all the people not just a few characters who stay next to the tram line. Rank bad mismanagement over the years 

[Byyy The Light]

40 minutes ago, Montgomery Brewster said:

Throughout the 80’s and 90’s there have been various headlines in the evening news along the lines of “ south suburban line to reopen “ etc etc. As always with the city fathers they have other fish to fry and are obsessed with a shiny tram line and pouring vast amounts of money into it.

 

no foresight in using these old  railways for the benefit of all the people not just a few characters who stay next to the tram line. Rank bad mismanagement over the years 

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/reopening-edinburghs-south-suburban-railway-being-actively-considered-says-minister-3040925
 

Looks like it’s rearing it’s head again. Completely agree about the trams. Too focused on the tourists and city centre businesses and not the residents who live and work here. As with everything in life a balance is what is required. Would love to see areas such as Portobello regenerate properly and making them more accessible to everyone in the city would be brilliant. As it stands I actively avoid heading over to that side of the city because the roads are so bad. 

[The Real Maroonblood]

14 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

Colinton Tunnel (with mural)

 

Been through that tunnel a few times.

Absolutely fantastic.

Edited January 19, 2021 by The Real Maroonblood

[Footballfirst]

14 hours ago, John Findlay said:

Just tried to upload a photo of what is on platform 20, but it wouldn't allow me too. It's a sign over an entrance saying this is the site of the original Edinburgh-Leith-Newhaven Railway. It does go underneath the Princes Mall.

[John Findlay]

Just now, Footballfirst said:

Thank you.

[davemclaren]

The problem with the closed railways was that, due to Edinburgh geography, very few of them were direct routes to the city centre and thus couldn't compete with the trams and then buses. The South Sub re-opening rears its head every few years but is a solution looking for a problem. 

[inspector]

17 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

Currie Station 1967 (not Curriehill)

 

Lived in Currie from 1960 . Is that station up by Currie Kirk?

[Footballfirst]

3 minutes ago, inspector said:

Lived in Currie from 1960 . Is that station up by Currie Kirk?

Yes. It was just to the west side of the bridge that crosses the road up to the kirk.

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=55.89585&lon=-3.31061&layers=168&b=1

Edited January 19, 2021 by Footballfirst

[inspector]

1 minute ago, Footballfirst said:

Yes. It was just to the west side of the bridge that crosses the road up to the kirk.

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=55.89585&lon=-3.31061&layers=168&b=1

Thought so. Used to play up there and can remember trains on the line, l think. Thanks for that

[kawasakijambo]

23 hours ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Been through that tunnel a few times.

Absolutely fantastic.

 

bonaly tunnel.htm

[kawasakijambo]

23 hours ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Been through that tunnel a few times.

Absolutely fantastic.

[kawasakijambo]

23 hours ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Been through that tunnel a few times.

Absolutely fantastic.

[EIEIO]

On 17/01/2021 at 21:26, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

West Lothian still is countryside compared to town but when I was young we still rode our bikes along disused railways that had been ripped up re Beeching or even older. The mineral railways interest me more although all signs of tracks have now vanished but we still have the remains of bridges.

There's a few paths and bridges around Winchburgh that were part of narrow  gauge tracks for the shale mining and works. Think they linked various mines in Hopetoun estate with Broxburn. There's a shale trail from West Calder to Winchburgh just opened with associated website but focuses more on  the mines than  railways.

[Seymour M Hersh]

On 18/01/2021 at 23:21, Tazio said:

 
For a while a company rented the buildings in the tunnel to grow mushrooms I think. 

 

Magic! 

[The Real Maroonblood]

6 hours ago, kawasakijambo said:

👍

[davemclaren]

On 19/01/2021 at 14:13, davemclaren said:

The problem with the closed railways was that, due to Edinburgh geography, very few of them were direct routes to the city centre and thus couldn't compete with the trams and then buses. The South Sub re-opening rears its head every few years but is a solution looking for a problem. 

https://stsg.org/edinburgh-light-rail-how-the-axis-turned?fbclid=IwAR27FaluTm41IbNbbG8_DU6OEQL_le_A0aXnV8Oif87SnUSC_DGMcdYbOf4

[Doctor FinnBarr]

On 20/01/2021 at 14:22, EIEIO said:

There's a few paths and bridges around Winchburgh that were part of narrow  gauge tracks for the shale mining and works. Think they linked various mines in Hopetoun estate with Broxburn. There's a shale trail from West Calder to Winchburgh just opened with associated website but focuses more on  the mines than  railways.

 

When I was growing up there was still bridge supports at either side of the river Almond between Blackburn and Seafield and the same on the Livi to Fauldhouse road at Oakbank cottages although these have now vanished, daresay the ones over the Almond are still there. Just inside the Seafield boundary as you approach from Blackburn you pass over a bridge and in the field behind it is the haulage house where the engine was sited to haul carts from Burngrange and Addiewell. House still stands although the roof has collapsed in the last year or two.

[Silvery_Moon]

Great thread which I have just discovered. A more recent temporary station was at Meadowbank opened for the Commonwealth games on the Abbeyhill Loop. 

 

https://www.railscot.co.uk/locations/M/Meadowbank_Stadium/

Edited May 7, 2021 by Silvery_Moon

[Locky]

On 18/01/2021 at 22:49, The Frenchman Returns said:

North end

 

 

South end

At the south end, a narrow corrugated metal tube runs from the tunnel underneath Princes Mall, emerging behind an insignificant looking barred gate in the north wall of Waverley Station. Most people who pass it daily would never suspect where it goes! So access and ventilation has been maintained, even though the south portal no longer exists.

@John Findlay can you tell us anything about this?

 

On 18/01/2021 at 22:49, Footballfirst said:

St Leonard's coal depot and the entrance to the Innocent Tunnel

 

Just catching up with this thread and loving this stuff guys. Thanks for posting.

[Locky]

On 19/01/2021 at 14:13, davemclaren said:

The problem with the closed railways was that, due to Edinburgh geography, very few of them were direct routes to the city centre and thus couldn't compete with the trams and then buses. The South Sub re-opening rears its head every few years but is a solution looking for a problem. 

With you on that one. I struggle to genuinely find a convenience for having such a railway line opened again. I think people sometimes forget how small Edinburgh really is. The bus network is second to none.

 

What I'd like to see if anything is a bit more of a connection from East Lothian right through to Glasgow with a stop off or 2 in West Edinburgh. A lot of commuters down this way who work in and around the Gyle, but the public transport links are murder. I worked up at Sighthill before the pandemic and could find it taking me 2 hours to get home from work. 

 

I'm sure I've seen that there is very occasionally a direct train from Glasgow right down to North Berwick, but seems to be on weekends only.