Edinburgh Transport  -  Railways

Railway Line through

Victoria Park

Railway Line through Victoria Park

Thank you to Kenneth Williamson for allowing me to reproduce this photograph of a railway line passing through Victoria Park.

Kenneth wrote:

"This photo of the railway in the snow was taken late-1950s or early-1960s.  It was actually taken by the late William (Bill) Inglis who was my upstairs neighbour when I lived in Craighall Crescent.

This line was part of the Caledonian Railway's ill-fated Leith New Lines plan which joined up with the NB at South Leith.  The line was eventually going to run under the New Town.

The scheme was eventually abandoned.  All the new stations build on the line at Newhaven, Ferry Road, Leith Walk West were never opened for passenger service.

The engine shed at Seafield was leased to the NB Railway and the yard was used for storing locos."

Kenneth Williamson, Silverknowes, Edinburgh:  March 5 + 6, 2010

Caledonian Line

A J Mullay's book, 'Rail Centres - Edinburgh' gives a little more information about this line.                  ['Rail Centres - Edinburgh', Publ. Ian Allan, 1991: ISBN 0 7110 1983 5]

This line, through Victoria Park, was part of a cross-Leith Caledonian Railway line that ran from the Trinity area to Seafield, announced in 1889.

It was also proposed that when it reached Lochend, the line would branch:

-   The northern branch (which was built) would continue to Seafield.

-  The southern branch (which was never built) would continue to the south then west, passing through a tunnel beneath Calton Hill, then under Princes Street to Princes Street Station at the West End of Princes Street, so completing a circle through the north of Edinburgh for the Caledonian Railway.