Saltoun

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Saltoun (1901-1933)

Opened on the Gifford and Garvald Light Railway.

Description

This was a two platform station with a passing loop on a single track line. At the north end was a level crossing. By the crossing was the southbound platform for Gifford. The station building, a small timber building typical of the line, was by the crossing. The northbound platform was timber built.

The goods yard was on the west side, two sidings approached from the north over the level crossing with a loading bank. The yard was served by a road on its west side. The yard carried whisky casks brought from the nearby Glenkinchie Distillery. Inbound traffic for the distillery was typical and included barley, coal, malt and peat.

There was a signal box from 1901 to 1956 when the line became one-engine-in-steam. The line had closed to passengers in 1933 and closed completely in 1965. Saltoun had been the end of the line since 1960.

The station building and southbound platform survived into the 2000s. The platform still stands and the former loading bank. A railway cottage still stands, in use as a house.

The the north the trackbed is a footpath. To the south it crossed Humbie Viaduct, sadly now demolished.

Local

Glenkinchie Distillery is just over a mile away, by road, to the north west and remains in operation today.

Tags

Station

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map




Chronology Dates

14/10/1901Gifford and Garvald Railway
Opened. Pencaitland, Saltoun, Humbie and Gifford opened.
03/04/1933Macmerry Branch (North British Railway)
Gifford and Garvald Railway
Edinburgh (Monktonhall Junction) (excluded) to Gifford closed to passengers. Ormiston, Pencaitland, Saltoun, Humbie and Gifford closed.
02/05/1960Gifford and Garvald Railway
Humbie to Saltoun (excluded) closed to freight.
25/05/1965Gifford and Garvald Railway Macmerry Branch (North British Railway)
Saltoun to Smeaton (excluded) closed to freight. Ormiston goods depot closed.

Books


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

Haddington, Macmerry and Gifford Branch Lines (Oakwood Library of Railway History)