Toggle navigation
News
Latest
Queries
Articles
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Contributors
Maps
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Maps
More
Queries
Articles
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Contributors
Maps
Penicuik Railway
All photographs of this railway in date order.
![Looking south over the Auchendinny bridge towards the former station.<br><br>[Ewan Crawford //]](/images/0/796.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Looking north over the former Rosslyn Castle.<br><br>[Ewan Crawford //]](/images/0/797.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Looking north at the former Eskbridge station.<br><br>[Ewan Crawford //]](/images/0/798.jpg "Eskbridge")
![Looking north over the site of the former Penicuik station.<br><br>[Ewan Crawford //]](/images/0/799.jpg "Penicuik")
![Pomathorn Mill viewed from the southeast.<br><br>[Ewan Crawford //]](/images/2000/2098.jpg "Pomathorn Mill")
![Holmes J36 0-6-0 no 65234 with a railtour at Penicuik terminus in 1964. The Penicuik branch had closed to passengers in 1951 but freight traffic generated by the paper mills along the Esk kept the line open until 1967, the same year the J36 was finally withdrawn from St Margarets. <br><br>[K A Gray 29/08/1964]](/images/23000/23124.jpg "Penicuik")
![65234 on a railtour at Penicuik in August 1964. [See image 23124]. District Operating Inspector Kerr stands in the 4 foot on the right, hands behind his back, keeping an eye on the proceedings.<br><br>[K A Gray 29/08/1964]](/images/23000/23326.jpg "Penicuik")
![Despite closure to passengers in 1951 Penicuik remained open for goods traffic for another sixteen years, due mainly to the surviving paper mills along the Esk valley. The branch eventually closed completely in 1967, as the final withdrawal notice bears witness.<br>
<br><br>[Jim Peebles 27/03/1967]](/images/30000/30060.jpg "Penicuik")
![The last freight to visit Penicuik [closed to passengers in September 1951]. D8561 photographed at the platform of the Midlothian terminus during the early days of April 1967. In the background is the short tunnel under the A701 that once provided a rail link to Bank Mill [see image 34469]. <br><br>[Jim Peebles /04/1967]](/images/29000/29992.jpg "Penicuik")
![Clayton D8561, the locomotive on the last freight to visit Penicuik, shunts Valleyfield paper mill in the early part of April 1967, some 16 years after the branch had lost its passenger service. <br><br>[Jim Peebles /04/1967]](/images/30000/30039.jpg "Penicuik")
![The derelict station building at Penicuik with the goods shed beyond, seen here in December 1976. Closed to passengers in September 1951 the last freight called here in April 1967 [see image 29992]. No trace of the station site remains, with the area shown in the photograph now occupied by a housing development.<br>
<br><br>[Bill Roberton /12/1976]](/images/35000/35901.jpg "Penicuik")
![The former station at Rosslyn Castle, closed to passengers in 1951, seen here looking south from the platform towards Penicuik in February 1995. The trackbed now forms part of the Penicuik - Dalkeith walkway. <br><br>[John Furnevel 25/02/1995]](/images/57000/57707.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![A view of the now demolished Dalmore Mill, Auchendinny, in 1999 viewed from the trackbed of the former Pencuik Railway. This mill was rail served and the photograph is from roughly the location of the signal box which was located here.<br><br>[Ewan Crawford //1999]](/images/58000/58665.jpg "Dalmore Mill")
![View east across Firth Viaduct, Auchendinny, in October 2001.<br><br>[John Furnevel 22/10/2001]](/images/2000/2659.jpg "Firth Viaduct")
![Looking north from Auchendinny Station in 2002 towards the bridge over the North Esk and the tunnel beyond.<br><br>[John Furnevel 10/09/2002]](/images/3000/3710.jpg "Auchendinny")
![East end of Auchendinny tunnel, September 2002.<br><br>[John Furnevel 10/09/2002]](/images/3000/3822.jpg "Auchendinny")
![The remains of Auchendinny station in September 2002 looking east towards the tunnel. The former rail bridge over the North Esk can just be seen in the distance. <br><br>[John Furnevel 10/09/2002]](/images/5000/5609.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Looking out from the south portal of Auchendinny Tunnel on 10 September 2002. The former station stood on the other side of the bridge which carried the railway over the North Esk [see image 43919]. The Penicuik terminus was located approximately one kilometre to the south.<br><br>[John Furnevel 10/09/2002]](/images/59000/59639.jpg "Auchendinny Tunnel")
![Scene at Rosslyn Castle station in October 2002. Trackbed, platform and station name embedded in the wall.<br><br>[Brian Forbes 02/10/2002]](/images/11000/11357.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![The sun catches the rail bridge over the North Esk at Auchendinny, seen here looking along the trackbed towards Penicuik from above the tunnel in April 2004. <br><br>[John Furnevel 07/04/2004]](/images/3000/3305.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Peeking over bridge to find a station name opposite the platform.<br><br>[Brian Forbes //2006]](/images/14000/14408.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Rosslynlee Station forecourt area.<br><br>[Clive Barlow 26/05/2006]](/images/9000/9698.jpg "Rosslynlee")
![Rosslyn Castle Station viewed from overbridge looking east towards Hawthornden.<br><br>[Clive Barlow 26/05/2006]](/images/9000/9699.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Rosslyn Castle Station looking west towards Auchendinny.<br><br>[Clive Barlow 26/05/2006]](/images/9000/9700.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Station house at street level, my assistant Jim Campbell stands on the overbridge.<br><br>[Brian Forbes /09/2006]](/images/11000/11720.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Old Woodhouselee tunnel at Auchendinny on the Penicuik branch on 5 October. View looks southwest towards the station and the remains of Dalmore Mill. The old mill, which stood in the area between the tunnels dated from 1837 and final closure in 2004 brought to an end a long history of mills and paper - making on this part of the North Esk.<br><br>[John Furnevel 05/10/2007]](/images/16000/16949.jpg "Auchendinny")
![View southeast showing the old Firth Viaduct over the North Esk just to the east of Auchendinny on the Penicuik branch in October 2007. <br><br>[John Furnevel 5/10/2007]](/images/16000/16807.jpg "Firth Viaduct")
![View west along the trackbed of the Penicuik Railway about a mile short of the terminus in February 2009. The line has just entered the town at this point and, on the right beyond the second gate, where the information board is now located, stood the wooden platform of Eskbridge station, closed in 1930. The branch lost its passenger service completely in 1951 but remained operational until 1967, thanks to the freight traffic generated by the remaining paper mills along this part of the Esk. Part of the bridge over the river from which the station took its name can just be seen on the right of the picture, recently reduced to single lane traffic controlled by lights. <br>
<br><br>[John Furnevel 22/02/2009]](/images/22000/22646.jpg "Eskbridge")
![The station remains at Rosslyn Castle on the Penicuik branch, closed to passengers in 1951. The line survived until 1967 as a freight only route serving paper mills along the North Esk but is now part of a walkway / cycle path. Photographed on 2 May 2011 looking north east towards the former junction with the Peebles Railway at Hawthornden.<br><br>[John Furnevel 02/05/2011]](/images/33000/33913.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Beyond the former terminus at Penicuik a line ran south to reach Bank Mill on the other side of the A701 [see image 29992]. One of the mills that made up the Valleyfield complex of Alexander Cowan & Sons, Bank Mill had started life as a corn mill before being bought over and converted to a secure facility making bank notes. View west through the short single line rail tunnel under the A701 on 9 May 2011 with Bank Mill standing beyond. [Behind the camera the site of Penicuik station and Valleyfield mill is now housing.]<br><br>[John Furnevel 09/05/2011]](/images/34000/34469.jpg "Bank Mill")
![View south west at Rosslyn Castle towards Penicuik in 2013. The turn off to the right led to a yard which provided trans-shipment facilities for the nearby Hay Merrick (later Curtis and Harvey) explosives works. The works closed in 1954 (by then part of ICI's Nobel Division). The branch lost its passenger service in 1951 and closed completely in 1967. <br><br>[John Furnevel 05/03/2013]](/images/42000/42325.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Close up of the former yard at Rosslyn Castle in March 2013, with the Penicuik branch veering away to the left. The section of surviving platform where explosives were once loaded is now part of a picnic site, with farm buildings occupying the area beyond. The remains of Rosslyn Castle station stand just behind the camera [see image 42325]. <br><br>[John Furnevel 05/03/2013]](/images/42000/42338.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![View north from the road bridge at Rosslyn Castle on 5 March 2013 looking towards Hawthornden Junction. The path running off to the centre left leads to the wooden steps up to the gated entrance from the bridge. [See image 42630]<br><br>[John Furnevel 05/03/2013]](/images/42000/42622.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![The entrance to Rosslyn Castle station was via the gate alongside the station master's house, then down a wooden stairway to the platform [see image 42622]. Roslin Castle itself stands in the distance on the other (north) side of Roslin Glen with Rosslyn Chapel beyond. Nearby stations also existed at Roslin, on the Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway (closed 1933), Rosslynlee and Rosslynlee Hospital Halt on the Peebles Railway (both closed 1962). [Note spelling variations!] <br><br>[John Furnevel 05/03/2013]](/images/42000/42630.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Girl on a pony. Crossing the former railway bridge over the North Esk after leaving Auchendinny tunnel on Saturday morning 20 April 2013 heading towards Penicuik. <br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/42000/42787.jpg "Auchendinny")
![The bowstring girder bridge spanning the North Esk at Auchendinny on 20 April 2013, seen from the west portal of Auchendinny Tunnel. The station site and platform remains are on the left immediately beyond the bridge. View is west towards the terminus at Penicuik.<br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/42000/42804.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Crossing the North Esk between Auchendinny (left) and Rosslyn Castle is Firth Viaduct, seen here looking north on 20 April 2013. The 1872 viaduct now forms part of a walkway. <br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/42000/42818.jpg "Firth Viaduct")
![The approach to Old Woodhouselee Tunnel, Auchendinny, on 20 April 2013. View is east towards Rosslyn Castle station, with Firth Viaduct standing just beyond the far end of the tunnel.<br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/42000/42846.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Approaching Penicuik from Auchendinny the line passed below this notable skew-arch bridge carrying a minor road. What looks like a level crossing gate in the distance is there to prevent unauthorised vehicles accessing the trackbed. Beyond the gate stood the small station of Eskbridge (closed in 1930) of which no trace remains [see image 22646].<br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/42000/42858.jpg "Eskbridge")
![Looking west towards Auchendinny Tunnel on 20 April, with the remains of the former station located just beyond the far end. Taken from the site of Dalmore Mill, the last of the Midlothian paper mills on the North Esk, closed in 2004. The old mill has since been demolished and a new housing development is currently underway here.<br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/42000/42879.jpg "Auchendinny")
![The western approach to Auchendinny station in April 2013. The trackbed (now a walkway) passes the remains of the platform on the left, while the former goods yard stood over to the right, with a loading bay occupying the area in between. Part of the surviving station house can just be seen through the trees in the right background alongside the exit road [see image 45194].<br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/42000/42973.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Looking out from the east portal of Old Woodhouselee Tunnel, Auchendinny, on 20 April 2013. View towards Firth Viaduct in the middle distance.<br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/42000/42983.jpg "Auchendinny")
![The eastern approach to Old Woodhouselee Tunnel, Auchendinny, on 20 April 2013, with Firth Viaduct behind the camera [see image 2659]. The site of Dalmore Mill is at the far end of the tunnel.<br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/43000/43035.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Eastbound at Auchendinny in April 2013. Part of the overgrown station platform still stands on the right running up to the bowstring girder bridge over the North Esk, beyond which the line entered Auchendinny Tunnel. The B7026 road passes over both the railway and the river on the viaduct.<br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/43000/43919.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Trackbed of the Penicuik branch looking west towards Auchendinny Tunnel in April 2013. On the left lie the remains of the recently demolished Dalmore Paper Mill, with new housing already beginning to take over the site. <br><br>[John Furnevel 20/04/2013]](/images/55000/55853.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Station House, Auchendinny, photographed looking north west from the B7026 in April 2013. The lane leading down to the station site (now part of a walkway) runs past the front of the cottage. [See image 42973] <br><br>[John Furnevel 24/04/2013]](/images/45000/45194.jpg "Auchendinny")
![A mile after leaving the terminus, trains on the Penicuik Railway reached the single wooden platform at Eskbridge. The station here closed in 1930 and any remains are buried beneath the mound on the left. The trackbed now forms part of the popular Penicuik – Dalkeith Walkway. Scene looking north towards Auchendinny on 27 February 2016.<br><br>[John Furnevel 27/02/2016]](/images/54000/54374.jpg "Eskbridge")
![On leaving the west portal of Auchendinny tunnel, trains on the Penicuik Railway crossed a bowstring girder bridge over the North Esk before reaching the station. The surviving platform stands on the left immediately beyond the bridge in this view from the tunnel on a bright but chilly morning in March 2016. The route now forms part of a walkway. <br><br>[John Furnevel 28/03/2016]](/images/54000/54722.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Route of the Penicuik Railway shortly after leaving Eskbridge station (off picture to the left) heading for Auchendinny. This bridge carried the line over the Loan Burn, which enters the River North Esk immediately behind the camera. View is west on 28 March 2016, nearly 50 years after closure.<br><br>[John Furnevel 28/03/2016]](/images/54000/54748.jpg "Eskbridge")
![Standing on the bank of the North Esk at Auchendinny looking east in March 2016, with the surviving station platform beyond the wall on the right [see image 5609]. Here the river first runs below the old railway bridge (which carried the line into Auchendinny Tunnel) then below the B7029 road bridge, which spanned both the raiway and the river.<br><br>[John Furnevel 28/03/2016]](/images/54000/54758.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Making sense of old railway locations becomes more like archeology with each passing year. Here, at peevish sounding Auchendinny on the Penicuik line, the platform edge is clear enough but you can just make out where the goods siding crept in behind it in this cramped location. Looking east on 09/05/2017.<br><br>[David Panton 09/05/2017]](/images/59000/59297.jpg "Auchendinny")
![Bridge over the siding into Bank Mill, Penicuik.<br><br>[John Yellowlees 17/05/2017]](/images/59000/59765.jpg "Bank Mill")
![The substantial skew bridge carrying a minor road over the trackbed of the Penicuik Railway near the site of Eskbridge station (located some 150m further on). Photographed looking south towards the long closed Penicuik terminus on 19 May 2017, with the River North Esk just off picture to the right.<br><br>[John Furnevel 19/05/2017]](/images/59000/59469.jpg "Eskbridge")
![I have drawn to Midlothian Council's attention the error that this was not the Peebles railway, on which I travelled many times. It's the Penicuik Railway! It was nice to catch the train from Eskbank.<br><br>[John Yellowlees 17/06/2017]](/images/59000/59792.jpg "Eskbridge")
![The former Rosslyn Castle station, now a footpath.<br><br>[John Yellowlees 17/06/2017]](/images/59000/59849.jpg "Rosslyn Castle")
![Looking west towards Auchendinny Tunnel in 2017 along the trackbed of the Penicuik Railway. The branch from Hardengreen Junction closed in 1967 and the route is now a walkway. The new housing built on this particular site stands on land previously occupied by the rail served Dalmore Paper Mill, which ceased production in 2004. Photographed from near the location of the former signal box [see image 58665].<br><br>[John Furnevel 27/09/2017]](/images/61000/61147.jpg "Dalmore Mill")
![View from the eastern portal of Auchendinny Tunnel on a September morning in 2017, heading for Hawthornden Junction along the route of the former Penicuik Railway. The new housing stands on land once occupied by the Dalmore paper mill, closed in 2004. For the view back towards the tunnel [see image 61147].<br><br>[John Furnevel 27/09/2017]](/images/61000/61388.jpg "Dalmore Mill")
