Newhailes Junction

Location type

Junction

Names and dates

New Hailes Junction (1858-1938)
Newhailes Junction (1938-1971)

Opened on the North British Railway.

Description

This junction was controlled by a tall signal box on the west side of the line and south of Newcraighall Road. The box was tall enough to see over the bridge. Both lines were double track.

After 1847 and prior to 1858 trains to Fisherrow and Musselburgh [2nd] still used the original alignment of the Fisherrow Branch. These travelled from Portobello East Junction to Niddrie Junction [2nd] to join the branch. This was an indirect route which crossed over the North British Railway main line at Newhailes.

The route was shorted with the opening of a new curve from New Hailes Junction which allowed a train from Edinburgh onto the branch. The curve started from directly under where the E&DR line had crossed over and then swept to the east to join the original formation. The portion of the original formation over the main line closed. (To the east a new connection to Niddrie East Junction was made in 1884 reusing some of it).

A pair of goods loops was provided on the westbound main line approach to the junction. The east end of the loops was controlled by Niddrie East Junction which after 1915 (opening of the [[Lothian Lines (North British Railway)) and closure of Niddrie East Junction) was known as Newhailes East Junction.

The Musselburgh [2nd] branch closed to passengers in 1964, was singled in 1965 (the eastbound line was lifted) and closed completely in 1971 (the box closed).

The former junction is hard to recognise now, but the trackbed of the curve is a footpath.

The name changed from New Hailes to Newhailes in 1938, yet Ordnance Survey used the later spelling even in 1893.

Tags

Junction

External links

NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map



Chronology Dates

07/09/1964Musselburgh Branch (North British Railway) Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway
Musselburgh [2nd] to Joppa (Newhailes Junction) closed to passengers.
06/09/1972Musselburgh Branch (North British Railway) Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway
Musselburgh to Joppa (Newhailes Junction) closed to freight. (Alternative dates: 1971, 7/12/1970).

Books


A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Scotland - The Lowlands and the Borders v. 6 (Regional railway history series)

Drem to Edinburgh: Including Gullane, Haddington, Tranent, Musselburgh and Fisherrow Branches (Scottish Main Lines)

Edinburgh St. Margaret's: The Story of the 'Other' Edinburgh Depot of the North British Railway 1845-1967

Exploring Disused Railways in East Scotland

Last Trains: Edinburgh and South East Scotland v. 1
LNER Wagons: Volume 3: Scottish Area: Ex North British and Ex-Great North of Scotland Railway Wagons
North British Railway in Northumberland, The

North British Railway, Vol. 1 (Standard Railway History)

North British Railway, Vol. 2 (Standard Railway History)

Signalling and Signal Boxes along the North British Railway, Great North of Scotland Railway and the CLC Routes

South East Scotland (British Railways Past & Present)

The Castle and the Bear: A Brief History of the North British Railway

The North British Railway a History
The North British Railway, Volume 1, One,
The Vanished Railways of Old Western Dunbartonshire (Britains Railways/Old Photos)

Vanished Railways of West Lothian