Enlargement of GW Wilson stereo card - Waverley Bridge and Old Town from Princes Street, including the arches of Waverley Bridge

Waverley Bridge and Edinburgh Old Town
from Princes Street

Thank you to Patrick Hutton, Edinburgh for sending the following observations on the photograph above, one of two stereo views by G W Wilson that I have of Waverley Bridge.

Patrick wrote:

Canal Street Station

"Fascinating photo. In the corner between Waverley Bridge and Prices Street can be seen a clock on the end of a train-shed - this must be the Edinburgh Leith and Granton Railway station (Canal Street), lying at right angles to the present Waverley station.

I can't quite make out the text on the building wall between the train-shed and Waverley bridge."

"There should be a stationary engine in there somewhere - the carriages were taken up from and down to Scotland Street on a wire rope, and locos attached there to take the train on to Granton or (later) Leith. Perhaps the squat chimney to the left of the photo is from this.

There is a Begbie print from around the same date, showing the reverse view. Steps come down from Princes Street, and the tunnel mouth between these steps, leading to Scotland Street Yard, is (alas) just obscured.

The tunnel to Scotland Street went out of service in 1868, once the line through Abbeyhill and Powderhall had been opened. The Canal Street station would have been swept away quite quickly."

Patrick Hutton, Edinburgh - 8 April 2005

In response to Patrick Hutton's comment in his second paragraph above, I have zoomed-in on the lettering mentioned. Please click on the image below to enlarge it. The result answers the question of the lettering and also demonstrates the quality of G W Wilson's lenses.