Edinburgh Railways in the 1950s

Woodmuir Junction Signal Box

Woodmuir Junction Signal Box

Here are six railway workers on the steps of Woodmuir Junction Signal Box in West Lothian.  Please click here to see another photograph of Woodmuir Junction

Question

Do you recognise any of the men on the signal box steps?

Answer 1

Two men identified

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Thank you to Alec Dingwall, Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland, who wrote:

"My dad knows two of the men in this picture. The  grey-haired man sitting on the banister is Pat McGourty (signalman), from Fauldhouse. And the chap in front of the doorway (no hat) is Alec Dingwall (my grandfather) who lived in Breich.

Some of the others are familiar, but my dad (John) will make further enquiries."

"My Grandad is also seen holding a shunting pole in front of NCB-13."

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Alec Dingwall, Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland:  January 21, 2007

Alec added:

"My grandad joined the railway as a boy of 16 and retired at 70.  He was Station Master during the war. The Germans even tried to bomb the station, after a raid on the Forth Estuary.  His last post was signalman at West Calder.

My dad was born in the station house at Breich. He started as a booking clerk at West Calder and went on to bigger and better things. He retired from Scotrail after 40 years' service, just in time to escape privatisation."

Alec Dingwall, Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland:  February 1, 2007

Answer 2

Third man identified

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Thank you to Linda Kiddell (née Kearney) now living in Norwich who has identified a third man in this photo.

Linda left this message in the EdinPhoto guest book.

"Hi.  The man in the middle of the picture, with his hat on the back of his head, is my dad, Bobby Kearney.  He was a fireman.

We lived at Longstone near Slateford.  Sadly, my dad died 24yrs ago.  it was a nice surprise to come across his photo on your site."

Linda, Kiddell (née Kearney), Norwich, Norfolk, England:  February 1, 2007

Answer 3

Fourth man identified

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Thank you to Bill Ramsay, Elkhart, Indiana, USA  for identifying a fourth man in  this photo.

Bill wrote:

"I believe that Johnny McGlinchey is at the extreme left of the photo.  He was an avid golfer and taught me the game at Greenburn in the 1950`s."

Bill Ramsay, Erkhart, Indiana:  January 2, 2008