There have been major changes over the years to how we get about Edinburgh, and to and from the Capital. Train stations have come and gone over the years, including a forgotten city centre station under one of the Edinburgh’s landmark hotels.
Our look at seven Edinburgh transport hubs show major changes to St Andrew Square Bus Station, the city’s newest train station Edinburgh Gateway, and the new tram depot opened at Gogar ahead of the return of trams to the Capital in 2014.
1. Haymarket railway station then
During 1842, Haymarket railway station was opened as the original terminus of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway. The station represented the launch of a new age of travelling opportunities to the Scottish capital, being the first intercity route to be built and offering a previously unheard of journey time of two and a half hours between Scotland's two largest cities. Reportedly, early passenger numbers were far in excess of any expectations held during the line's construction, having topped one million by 1846. The station building itself featured impressive Doric-style porticos and was often hailed for its impressive architecture and engineering. During 1846, the line was extended through the Haymarket tunnels and Princes Street Gardens to what is today known as Edinburgh Waverley railway station. By the 1890s, Haymarket, pictured above in 1955, had lost some of its original appeal, and came to be often subject to criticism over a lack of maintenance and a perpetual climate of austerity. During 1894, covered platforms were added to the station by the railway engineer James Carswell. | Archive
2. Haymarket railway station now
During 1983, British Rail performed some alterations to the station; Haymarket's original train shed was demolished and moved to Bo'ness, while its footbridge was replaced by a smaller counterpart and new platform canopies were installed. During the 2000s and 2010s, Network Rail performed a £24 million upgrade programme at Haymarket Station. During May 2012, construction work commenced at the station, initially focused upon temporary station alterations to create space for the new concourse and the undercroft below it. In December 2013, the new-look station was formally reopened the station, marking the official completion of work. Clean-up work, such as the demolition of the old footbridge and lifts, continued until April 2014. | Google Maps
3. Caledonian Station/ Princes Street Station then
Between 1890 and 1893 a grand station with seven platforms and an 850 ft long bayed roof was erected on the corner of Lothian Road and Princes Street, pictured above in 1898. Initially known as Princes Street Station, it had its own power station, to the west of the station in Rutland Court. Parcels and goods were dealt with at the nearby Lothian Road station, further up Lothian Road, which was opened in 1870. In 1899, work started on building a grand railway hotel above the main three archway entrance of the station, designed by Edinburgh architects, Peddie and Washington Browne, and opened in 1903 as Princes Street Station Hotel. It was commonly known as The Caledonian Hotel, with the station often also referred to as Caledonian Station. The main pedestrian entrance to the station became the right hand arch of the original three openings, while vehicular access was by way of Rutland Street. Both the station and the hotel were built in red sandstone in common with most Caledonian Railway buildings. | National World Photo: Archive
4. Caledonian Edinburgh Hotel now
After nationalisation of the railways in 1948, it was considered logical to concentrate all rail services in Edinburgh at one station. With Waverley Station a short distance along Princes Street, by the 1960s Princes Street Station was seen as surplus to requirements. Although its street-level entrance was rather more convenient for travellers than that of Waverley, the latter was much larger, more conveniently located within the city, and had access to the East Coast Main Line. After closure of Princes Street, the west of the city would continue to be served by nearby Haymarket Station. Local services were gradually withdrawn. The remaining services to Glasgow Central, Stirling and English cities were then diverted to Waverley, allowing Princes Street Station to be closed in September 1965. The station was demolished in 1969–70, with the West Approach Road built along the track bed in the early 1970s. The hotel still operates on the site and has been renamed The Caledonian Edinburgh Hotel. Part of the station space still remains within it and the vehicle entrance screen is still visible at the side of the hotel. The former Parcels Office survived on Lothian Road between the hotel and the West Approach Road, until a major office development was constructed on its site in the 1990s. | Google Maps