Buchanan Street Tunnel West Signal Box

Location type


Name and dates

Buchanan Street Tunnel West Signal Box

Opened on the Buchanan Street Extension (Caledonian Railway).

Description

This signal box, originally Buchanan Street North Signal Box, was renamed from North to West, a more geographically correct name. It was at the western end of Buchanan Street Tunnel where the lines emerged and fanned out to approach Buchanan Street station, Buchanan Street Goods and Buchanan Street Shed.

The original box was on the south side of the line.

With the opening of a major new goods shed and potato store to the east of the existing goods station, approached by a new set of lines passing under Dobbies Loan, the area around the western portal of the tunnel was opened out. In the process Pulteney Street was lost entirely for the yard approach (authorised 1902).

Four reversing spurs were built to the south of the double track through the tunnel. The southern pair of these were used for loco stabling and there was an inspection pit. The signal box was relocated to the north side of the lines, above on the retaining wall for the site. It had a projecting middle portion to give a clear view of the lines.

The retaining walls, close to the tunnel mount, had relieving arches for the Cowlairs Tunnel, on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Rsilway approach to Queen Street High Level, which was below.

The layout was cut back in 1962 with the closure of the goods yards. It closed completely in 1966.

The tunnel mouth still exists but much of the site has been infilled and is now student housing,

Tags

Tunnel mouth signal box


Chronology Dates

  /  /1902Buchanan Street Extension (Caledonian Railway)
The tunnel mouth and area around Buchanan Street Tunnel West Signal Box was to be opened up to allow considerable expansion of Buchanan Street Goods. A portion of Pulteney Street was authorised to be stopped up (in fact the road was removed entirely). This road was to the south of the tunnel's west entrance.