Local Railway

[davemclaren]

A few from Granton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This station was built behind the caley hotel leading onto th ewestern appraoch road

 

 

 

 

That one was replaced by the Caley Hotel with the station behind it.

[Better call Saul]

O.I.C

 

Did no that right enough

[heartgarfunkel]

Brilliant, brilliant thread for sooooo many reasons. Going to light the pipe, dim the lights and chuck in some self-indulgent nostalgic tosh myself, hoping for my whisky glass to rattle with a passing locomotive making its ghostly way close by my Hawick abode along the Waverley line, Auld Reekie bound...

 

1. Ben Dover ? top work on the video. ?Ben and Mario Do Margate Housewifes? was better though.

2. There is just something so evocative about railways ? even if you care nought about the trains themselves, there is a melancholy about lines, existing and gone. They helped shape the world we know, facilitated population spread, carried troops to war, and helpless thousands to genocide.

3. Carlisle United are a great team in a great ground. Just gone 4-3 up against MK Dons.

4. After my old man popped it four years ago I did some family history. The great great granddad was born in Orkney in 1815, was in Fountainbridge for the 1851 census, dies in the Rosemount Buildings, 1900. Hearts supporter by family tradition, occupation Blacksmith/Blacksmith fitter, employed by the railway. Would it be a reasonable bet to think he worked for the Caledonian Railway?

5. Dave Henniker?s photos are SUPERB. Great site. Edinburgh is one of the great cities where photographing the mundane is an inspired move.

6. Circular railway ? Abbeyhill station and shops etc ?go on fire? ? monstrous green ****e ?lifesyle? flats carbuncle appears literally minutes later.

7. Tunnels ? the Innocent Railway tunnel was a scary place back in the late 70s/80s when a kid. Those were the days when the shepherd?s hoose was in the park, and there were a flock of sheep grazing Arthur?s Seat.

8. Eric Lomax?s book ?The Railway Man? is indeed superb.

9. There is a brilliant late 40s film based around the railway called ?Waverley Steps? which is a strange, dark, government film about Edinburgh.

10. The section of the Waverley line south of Hawick is utterly stunning ? as Ben Dover says, Riccarton Junction is very eerie. My wee boy loves the section at Whitrope, and the Shankend viaduct is stunning. Saw adders basking on it in the summer.

11. Spent ages in the Central Library on projects and just looking at books and learning in my youth. Magical place for me.

12. McEwan?s Export is THE way to take the strain on the train

 

[davemclaren]

Brilliant, brilliant thread for sooooo many reasons. Going to light the pipe, dim the lights and chuck in some self-indulgent nostalgic tosh myself, hoping for my whisky glass to rattle with a passing locomotive making its ghostly way close by my Hawick abode along the Waverley line, Auld Reekie bound...

 

1. Ben Dover ? top work on the video. ?Ben and Mario Do Margate Housewifes? was better though.

2. There is just something so evocative about railways ? even if you care nought about the trains themselves, there is a melancholy about lines, existing and gone. They helped shape the world we know, facilitated population spread, carried troops to war, and helpless thousands to genocide.

3. Carlisle United are a great team in a great ground. Just gone 4-3 up against MK Dons.

4. After my old man popped it four years ago I did some family history. The great great granddad was born in Orkney in 1815, was in Fountainbridge for the 1851 census, dies in the Rosemount Buildings, 1900. Hearts supporter by family tradition, occupation Blacksmith/Blacksmith fitter, employed by the railway. Would it be a reasonable bet to think he worked for the Caledonian Railway?

5. Dave Henniker?s photos are SUPERB. Great site. Edinburgh is one of the great cities where photographing the mundane is an inspired move.

6. Circular railway ? Abbeyhill station and shops etc ?go on fire? ? monstrous green ****e ?lifesyle? flats carbuncle appears literally minutes later.

7. Tunnels ? the Innocent Railway tunnel was a scary place back in the late 70s/80s when a kid. Those were the days when the shepherd?s hoose was in the park, and there were a flock of sheep grazing Arthur?s Seat.

8. Eric Lomax?s book ?The Railway Man? is indeed superb.

9. There is a brilliant late 40s film based around the railway called ?Waverley Steps? which is a strange, dark, government film about Edinburgh.

10. The section of the Waverley line south of Hawick is utterly stunning ? as Ben Dover says, Riccarton Junction is very eerie. My wee boy loves the section at Whitrope, and the Shankend viaduct is stunning. Saw adders basking on it in the summer.

11. Spent ages in the Central Library on projects and just looking at books and learning in my youth. Magical place for me.

12. McEwan?s Export is THE way to take the strain on the train

 

 

I'm more of a Peebles line man myself ( oh the irony ) as it ran at the bottom of my garden when I was a kid.

[The Mighty Thor]

As one who will be 47 next April. I can still remember freight trains(Petroleum carriers) going along the railway line that used to run past Granton harbour and up into what used to be two oil(petrol tanks) at where Saltire street and that are now. Then up into the old gasworks. I dont remember any passenger trains but I can still remember a fishing fleet out of Granton Harbour.

 

 

 

 

John

 

John

 

Bit of a digression here but;

 

I believe there was even a whaling fleet that used fish South Georgia and the South Atlantic which was based out of Granton. I've an uncle that used to be on them and i'm sure he said they were active up to the 60's

[scots civil war]

`I remember one night when I was about 18 he took me and ma dad down to Newcastle and back in the cab on what was then called the night rider.`

 

 

thats an incredible story there chief,to travel on the footplate that far must be a buzz and a half...was it a diesel job,locomotive,what year etc??

 

 

ive had two cabrides when a kid,one was on 40 123 from haymarket depot to waverley(en route millerhill) and 47 528 from waverley to craigentinny(empty coaches after a service from the wcml),the driver letting me off at the signals outside my house !!!!!!

[Ben Dover]

Think I'll give myself 8/10 for 'restoring' this thread again

 

Heartgarfunkel mate, I think you've captured my feelings exactly -

" There is just something so evocative about railways ? even if you care nought about the trains themselves, there is a melancholy about lines, existing and gone"

 

Some nice pics by various posters too

 

It's just a pity that global warming came a bit late for the Waverley line as I think the mild weather we have now might have saved it - given that it was all too easily blocked by heavy winter snows

[Fenerjambo]

Newington , blackhall (near blackford pond)

 

few other places like trinity , gilmerton , loanhead , millerhill , bonnington all had stations

 

I have a few pictures of them (sad I know ) will get round to posting them later

 

The platform is still there at the old Craiglockhart station. After Craiglockhart station you have the junction that veers left up to Slateford station and straight on takes you to Gorgie Junction.

[Guest casper]

`I remember one night when I was about 18 he took me and ma dad down to Newcastle and back in the cab on what was then called the night rider.`

 

 

thats an incredible story there chief,to travel on the footplate that far must be a buzz and a half...was it a diesel job,locomotive,what year etc??

 

 

ive had two cabrides when a kid,one was on 40 123 from haymarket depot to waverley(en route millerhill) and 47 528 from waverley to craigentinny(empty coaches after a service from the wcml),the driver letting me off at the signals outside my house !!!!!!

 

It was in about 1980/1 so a diesel but no idea what kind. And it was at night so dark and not much to see. But yes it was good.

[Ben Dover]

Unashamed plug for Xmas pressies available for yourself from

The Waverley Route Heritage Association

The videos / books you know you've always wanted

 

 

http://www.wrha.org.uk/merchandise.html

[Pistol1874]

I'm more of a Peebles line man myself ( oh the irony ) as it ran at the bottom of my garden when I was a kid.

As a boy (c1980-82) I stayed on 'holiday' during the summer at a cottage just outside Eddlestone which had (still has probably) a railway signal outside which would presumably have been on that line.

[davemclaren]

This one is for Barby, in fact I think that's her leaving the train.

 

http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=26496

[Stewart MacD]

Meanwhile, Glasgow has its new light rail up and running before Edinburgh does.

[Barby]

This one is for Barby, in fact I think that's her leaving the train.

 

http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=26496

 

Yeh thanks 1958?

 

In fact here was my local train 2 weeks ago in Phulad and my new VERY best friend. So there.

 

[Silvery_Moon]

Apologies for bumping a near 11 year old thread. Thought it more relevant than starting a new one. 

 

Another interesting old section was the Junction at Abbeyhill - known has the Abbeyhill Loop or Abbeyhill triangle. 

 

Heading East from Waverley the line would come off the East Coast Mainline and after a station at Abbeyhill would go left towards Easter Road or right towards Meadowbank. These lines would link up with the Powderhall to Portobello line. For the section that branched right to join the Powderhall to Portobello line there would be a station at Piershill before the route rejoined the mainline. 

 

Perhaps most interesting to me (as I never knew till now) was that there was a temporary station built at Meadowbank for the Commonwealth Games in 1986. You can actually still see the overgrown platform from Marionville Road. 

 

For the section at Abbeyhill that branched left it would join the Piershill to Powderhall line and join up at the Easter Road junction which appears to be to the left of a bridge we are all familiar with as we approach Easter Road. 

https://images.app.goo.gl/NZjwrnHXhFn7n5P9A

The Powderhall to Piershill railway line is still in place although hasn't been used for a few years and may be removed to make way for a cycle route. 

 

There was even a section of route at Abbeyhill that went straight on to Leith Central Station. 

 

However it appears that the Eastern section of the Abbeyhill route may be reinstated to help with capacity issues East bound out of Waverley. 

Edited June 14, 2020 by Silvery_Moon

[davemclaren]

3 hours ago, Silvery_Moon said:

Apologies for bumping a near 11 year old thread. Thought it more relevant than starting a new one. 

 

Another interesting old section was the Junction at Abbeyhill - known has the Abbeyhill Loop or Abbeyhill triangle. 

 

Heading East from Waverley the line would come off the East Coast Mainline and after a station at Abbeyhill would go left towards Easter Road or right towards Meadowbank. These lines would link up with the Powderhall to Portobello line. For the section that branched right to join the Powderhall to Portobello line there would be a station at Piershill before the route rejoined the mainline. 

 

Perhaps most interesting to me (as I never knew till now) was that there was a temporary station built at Meadowbank for the Commonwealth Games in 1986. You can actually still see the overgrown platform from Marionville Road. 

 

For the section at Abbeyhill that branched left it would join the Piershill to Powderhall line and join up at the Easter Road junction which appears to be to the left of a bridge we are all familiar with as we approach Easter Road. 

https://images.app.goo.gl/NZjwrnHXhFn7n5P9A

The Powderhall to Piershill railway line is still in place although hasn't been used for a few years and may be removed to make way for a cycle route. 

 

There was even a section of route at Abbeyhill that went straight on to Leith Central Station. 

 

However it appears that the Eastern section of the Abbeyhill route may be reinstated to help with capacity issues East bound out of Waverley. 

The re-instatement has been talked about for a while. Prior to rationalisation in the early 70s there were four tracks between Waverley and Portobello - two of them via the abbeyhill loop. 

[Angry Haggis]

On 15/10/2009 at 21:10, Ben Dover said:

Fill yer boots boys

 

 

 

Just a wee snippet from a Video I have .............showing a couple of trains passing the Diggers heading via Dalry into 'Princes St' Stn

You can see Angle Park Terr on the left and the bridge taking you over to Dundee Terr, with a couple of Corpy buses on the hill just down from where the slip road now takes you onto the Western approach rd

 

Old railway trackways are so sad

 

Bumping this - such an amazing clip of the line passing Ardmillain/Diggers heading into the new Western Approah road. 

 

Awesome.

[Silvery_Moon]

1 hour ago, davemclaren said:

The re-instatement has been talked about for a while. Prior to rationalisation in the early 70s there were four tracks between Waverley and Portobello - two of them via the abbeyhill loop. 

I would love to see these reinstated along with the South Suburban line. Would be great to be able to go to Tynecastle by train.