Early railways in Scotland had been mainly involved with conveyance of minerals, chiefly coal and limestone in the earliest times, a short distance to a river or … See more

This had been a race against competing railways: the main competitor was the Caledonian Railway, which planned to build from both Edinburgh and … See more

All these plans for expansion were committing huge sums of money even before the main line was ready. At last on 22 June 1846 the … See more

The station at Edinburgh was located in a depression between the Old and New Towns; this had early been a disreputable and insanitary swamp called the Nor' Loch, although steps had been taken to provide ornamental gardens on part of the area. The North … See more

The English railway entrepreneur George Hudson was expanding his portfolio of railways and in 1847 his York and Newcastle Railway … See more

Parliament had declined to authorised the NBR line throughout to Carlisle, and for the time being Hawick was to be the southern terminus, although the plan to construct to Carlisle later was made manifest. As the Edinburgh end was to use the old Edinburgh … See more

The NBR obtained Parliamentary authority in 1846 to build numerous branches off its main line and off the Hawick line. Not all of these were built, but in addition to the Haddington branch, … See more