Edinburgh Railways in the 1950s

Six Railway Workers

 

Six Railway Workers

Six railway workers on a trolley - Photograph probably taken in the 1950s

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Archie Foley

Six Railway Workers

Here is a photograph of six railway workers, photographed probably in the 1950s, before the days of reflective clothing, hard hats and other more stringent Health & Safety rules.

The location of this scene is not known, and there is little to identify it from the background - but perhaps somebody will recognise themselves and email me to tell me more about it.

 

Answer

1.

A contributor, calling himself 'Scottish Dave' on a forum on the poker web site, 'Blonde Poker', found this photo on the EdinPhoto web site and wrote:

 Six railway workers on a trolley - Photograph probably taken in the 1950s ©

"That's me in the middle - hat going to the right.  Big John is standing over me, not wearing his hard hat as usual.

Peter, Tam and Jock are to the left of me, and wee Mongo, the apprentice is hanging off the back of the wagon."

Scottish Dave,  messages posted on Blonde Poker web site forum:  December 23, 2009

I think this may well be a joke, rather than genuine names!

Peter Stubbs:  December 26, 2009

 

Answer

2.

Thank you to Danny Callaghan who wrote:

"I don't know anything about this particular picture, but know the type of bogie."

 Six railway workers on a trolley - Photograph probably taken in the 1950s ©

Warriston

"Our neighbour, Magnus Flucker, was a railway linesman in Edinburgh and like many railwaymen had an allotment on the railway land.   His was near Warriston Cemetery where the lines split, one going to Granton and the other heading to Leith along by St Mark's Park, so the allotments were on a large triangle plot."

Kids

"As kids, we used to go with Magnus to his allotment at the weekends, there were no trains at the weekend, as the line was only used for goods trains by that time, in the 1950s.  

A few times, he would put a couple of the bogie wheels on the lines and the platform sat on top.  These were stored at side of track near the linesman's bothy. 

We had great fun pushing the bogie on the rails.  It was not 'silent movie' type with the pump handle.  You  just pushed it.  However, it did have a brake, thankfully.

The simple pleasures before H&S and Nintendos, etc!"

Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland:  December 27, 2009

 

The Photographer

This appears to be the photographer and railway worker who took many railway photographs in the 1950s. Who is he? ©              The Railway Snapper who took Railway Photos in and around Edinburgh in the 1950s and 1960s. Who was he? ©

The Photographer

Here are two photos of the man who is thought to have taken the photo at the top of this page and other railway photos in and around Edinburgh in the 1950s and 1960s.

 Archie Foley, Joppa, believes that he was a railway worker when he took these photos.  If you recognise him, please email me to let me know.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh

 

    

Where and When?      More photos

 

 

Edinburgh Railway Lines and Stations

Edinburgh

 Central

North

 West

East

South

SW

Leith

  

 

  

 

 

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