General view of the Caledonian Railway Bridge, Grove Street, Edinburgh, taken from the north-east.

Description General view of the Caledonian Railway Bridge, Grove Street, Edinburgh, taken from the north-east.

Date 4/8/2014

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number DP 203689

Category On-line Digital Images

Scope and Content In 1842 train services began to run along the newly constructed line between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket in Edinburgh’s west end (the line’s eastern terminus at that time). By 1849 the canal had been eclipsed to the point where it was bought over by the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway Company. Of greater importance to the Fountainbridge area, however, was the Caledonian Railway which cut through the northern boundary of the area, bringing with it goods yards and foundries. This line ran from Carlisle to Edinburgh, opening in 1848. Initially, the line terminated at Caledonian Railway Station, the site of which is now occupied by the Sheraton Hotel and Festival Square. This railway had two major impacts on Fountainbridge. Firstly, it reinforced its position as a location with excellent transport links for industry. Secondly, it created a physical boundary between the industrialising area and still-rural Dalry to the north. Ultimately, however, the railway also lost its place to road transport when it was closed in 1964 and replaced by the West Approach Road in 1974. This shows the Caledonian Railway Bridge taking Grove Street across the line of the former railway, now crossing the West Approach Road. The railway bridge is formed by plain cast-iron panels riveted together.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1461245

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap