Newhaven

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Newhaven (1879-1962)

Opened on the Leith North Passenger Branch (Caledonian Railway).

Description

This was a two platform station opened on a short passenger line between Newhaven Junction and North Leith in 1879. It was parallel to, and to the south of, the goods and minerals line of 1864.

The station was sandwiched between the Craighall Road overbridge to the west and Leith High Depot Junction to the east. The station offices, a single storey building spanning both the passenger and goods lines, were on Craighall Road with waiting shelters on the platforms. The building was supported on attractive columns from the trackbed below.

There were two goods yards. The Newhaven Goods and Minerals depot was to the west, on the south side of the lines and approached from the west. Leith High Depot was to east and approached from the east end of the station from Leith High Depot Junction.

The layout was further complicated by the addition of the Leith New Lines (Caledonian Railway) in 1902. This was intended to start from a triangular junction and run south and then east to South Leith. An additional two passenger platforms (Newhaven [Leith New Lines]) were built on the west (Newhaven Junction) to south (Ferry Road Junction) curve. The east (Leith High Depot Junction) to south (Ferry Road Junction) curve did not have platforms and was probably not completed.

At Newhaven Junction the New Lines were fitted in between the goods yard and existing passenger line.

The station closed to passengers in 1962. The New Lines were closed in 1966. The line west of Newhaven Junction closed in 1967. The remaining line (the former westbound), serving the two Newhaven goods yards, closed in 1968. These were latterly accessed through the docks lines.

The trackbeds are now footpaths. The original station platforms remain. The station offices on Craighall Road also remain but no longer have footways down to the platforms.

Tags

Station

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
06/10/2019

Facilities

Listing: C




Chronology Dates

  /  /1868Leith North Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Caledonian Railway's proposed Bangholm Branch, associated with the Leith North branch (Act 1862), abandoned. (Today Bangholm Park borders, and is to the south of, the former Newhaven station.) The proposed line was to link the Caledonian Railway and North British Railway.
01/08/1879Granton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Leith North Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Leith North Passenger Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Passenger service starts, a new passenger portion opens from Newhaven Junction to Leith North on the south side of the existing goods lines. Granton Junction to Crew Junction to Newhaven Junction opened to passengers. Stations opened at Craigleith and Murrayfield on the Granton branch, Granton Road on the Leith North branch, Newhaven and Leith North on the new line.
04/07/1890Leith New Lines (Caledonian Railway)
Act received for a line from Newhaven to Seafield (Seafield Junction [CR] was for the line to the terminus and the North British Railway lines). Extension through Princes Street rejected.
09/09/1958Leith North Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Newhaven signal box re-painted for visit of King Olav of Norway.
30/04/1962Leith North Passenger Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Leith North Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Granton Branch (Caledonian Railway)
Edinburgh Princes Street (Dalry Middle Junction) to Leith North passenger service withdrawn. Craigleith, Murrayfield, Granton Road, Newhaven and Leith North closed.

News items

13/09/2023Edinburgh's iconic Sherlock Holmes statue makes a comeback after tram works [Edinburgh Live]
17/08/2023Dozens of Edinburgh tram journeys delayed due to cars parked on the network [STV]
07/06/2023Long-awaited Edinburgh Trams to Newhaven extension to carry first passengers [STV]
07/06/2023Trams return to Leith: Now let's build more lines [Transform Scotland]
07/06/2023Excited Edinburgh passengers in huge queues for first tram journey to Newhaven [Edinburgh Live]
02/06/2023Edinburgh test tram on new track stuck for 'over 20 minutes' behind parked van [Edinburgh Live]
25/05/2023Edinburgh tram extension to carry first passengers from June [BBC News]
04/05/2023Confused Edinburgh drivers end up in wrong lane as Leith Walk opens to traffic [Edinburgh Live]
19/04/2023Edinburgh locals speak of 'relief' as they get first glimpse of trams to Newhaven [Edinburgh Live]
17/03/2023Edinburgh's trams: Prepare for more battles as the network expands - Alastair Dalton [Scotsman]