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Eskbank Station, 6a Station House, Eskbank And Dalkeith Station

Railway Station (19th Century)

Site Name Eskbank Station, 6a Station House, Eskbank And Dalkeith Station

Classification Railway Station (19th Century)

Alternative Name(s) The Waverley Line; Gallowshill Station; Innocent Railway; Edinburgh To Hawick Branch Railway

Canmore ID 192439

Site Number NT36NW 216

NGR NT 32389 66673

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/192439

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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Administrative Areas

  • Council Midlothian
  • Parish Dalkeith
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District Midlothian
  • Former County Midlothian

Archaeology Notes

NT36NW 216 32389 66673.

For footbridge see NT36NW 553.02

This station, just to the S of Eskbank South Bridge (NT36NW 215) is marked as Eskbank Station on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Edinburghshire 1854, sheet 7) and as Station on the 2nd edition of the OS 6-inch map (Edinburghshire 1895, sheet viiiNW).

Information from RCAHMS (MD) 26 July 2001.

Eskbank was opened as Gallowshill on 21st June 1847 and retained this name until 1850. It was renamed Esbank and Dalkeith in 1954 after the Dalkeith terminus Station to the E was closed.

Information from RCAHMS (DE), May 2007

Architecture Notes

NT36NW 216 32389 66673

The Object Name Book of the Ordnance Survey describes the railway station as 'A well constructed house on the Hawick Branch of the North British Railway erected by the company for offices and goods sheds'

Name Book 1852

Easkbank and Dalkeith railway station is situated in a deep cutting between the A768 Lasswade road and Bonnyrigg Road. The railway at this point runs N and S. The two stone built platforms, on the up (S going) and down (N going) lines, commence under the arched stone bridge carrying the A768 and runs due S for about 160m. The down platform retains the remains of the an asbestos roofed passenger shelter whilst the up side has a room under the road bridge and the remains of brick buildings. The whole area is heavily overgrown, but the trackbed is presently in use as a public path and cycle route.

The sandstone built offices and station house are at ground level in Station Road, the booking office formerly situated in the S wing, is now in use as flats following conversion in the mid-1980s.

About 30m S of the A768 road bridge is cast-iron lattice footbridge with timber walkway on E-W axis. The footbridge was to allow passengers to cross from one platform to another, the fenced concrete steps on both the up and down sides survive.

Road bridge carrying the A 768 also on an E-W axis is a single span with segmental arch additionally has a blocked off footpath at road level on the S side.

The station was built for the North British Railway by Thomas Grainger and John Miller, and was opened on 12 July 1847. Originally known as Eskbank, it was renamed as Dalkeith when the short Dalkeith branch was closed to passengers in 1942. The station was closed along with the rest of the Waverley Line in 1969.

The planned new station on the rebuilt railway to Tweedbank will be situated about 734m to the S.

Visited by RCAHMS (DE), 1 August 2006

Activities

Field Visit (April 2009 - February 2015)

The Borders Railway Project proposals are to reinstate the Newcraighall to Tweedbank section of the former Waverley Line. The reinstated railway line will be approximately 48km long and the majority of the route will use the existing railway embankment.

Several field surveys, archaeological evaluations and standing building surveys were undertaken by CFA Archaeology from April 2009 until February 2015.

CFA Archaeology

Standing Building Recording (3 October 2011 - 5 October 2011)

A enhanced standing builing survey was carried out to record the architectural remains of Eskbank Station. The survey recorded the roofless remains of a platform building, the plate iron footbridge, a pedestrian shelter and staircases. Both the east and west plaforms were also recorded.

Information from Oasis (cfaarcha1-115240) 15 January 2013

Standing Building Recording (October 2011 - April 2012)

NT 3326 6670 - Standing building survey; an enhanced standing building survey was carried out to record the architectural details surviving at the former Eskbank and Dalkeith Railway Station. The station is a two platform through-station built for the North British Railway, and opened on 12 July 1847. Originally known as Eskbank, it was renamed as Eskbank and Dalkeith when the short Dalkeith branchline was closed to passengers in 1942. The station was finally closed in 1969. The station has become overgrown since its closure, but was cleared of its vegetation to allow the building survey to proceed. The principal features recorded include the E and W platform, a ruined building at the N end of the E platform, two sets of stairs leading to the pedestrian footbridge, and a pedestrian platform shelter. Photographs dated to the late 19th century confirmed the presence of an earlier wooden footbridge and a timber built telegraph office. The footbridge was replaced in the 20th century by a riveted cast iron lattice-work footbridge. A small blocked fireplace and brick-built chimney breast are all that survive of the telegraph office. The S end of the E platform has been buried under an earth embankment. The W platform is well preserved along its full length of c166m.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended). Report: East Lothian HER and RCAHMS

Funder: ERM Ltd on behalf of Transport Scotland

Graeme Carruthers, Mike Cressey, Magnus Kirby, Ian Suddaby - CFA Archaeology Ltd, 2013

(Source: DES)

Watching Brief (October 2012 - September 2014)

A programme of archaeological works was requiring during the construction phase of the Borders Rail Link. This included standing building surveys and targeted watching briefs.

A watching brief was conducted at the location of the former Eskbank and Dalkeith Railway Station (NT 32365 66700) during machine stripping of the track bed down to the works formation depth. No features or deposits of archaeological significance were identified.

Funder: BAM Nuttal

CFA Archaeology Ltd

OASIS Id: cfaarcha1-188511

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