Sold at Edinburgh Waverley in the Mid 1980s – needless to say those sold at Glasgow Queen Street were suitably re-worded “The best thing about Glasgow …the Edinburgh Train” much to the hilarity of my Edinburgh born wife of course…
47703 “Saint Mungo”
Queen Street was always an attraction for enthusiasts and yet photo’s taken prior to the late 60s “modernisation” are not that commonly seen. Pity really since what remains of the 1878-1880 version – the overall roof designed by James Carswell – has from the outside been relatively hidden away in the name of progress. Disgraceful really but that was 1970s planning for you. Only around 1971 between demolition of the surrounding buildings and reconstruction of the new has the whole front been in plain sight. Fortunately as part of the re-development work for the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Project, over the next five years the front will appear once again… If the work done at London King’s Cross is anything to go by, it’ll be well worth the 43+ year wait!
Here’s what it looked like in 1935 – though even back then it was partially obscured by other victorian buildings….
Queen Street 1935 – photo Courtesy of Bob Docherty
North Queen Street (seen here in it’s entirely) must be a candidate for the shortest street in Scotland….
As for locomotives here’s a fine shot from John Turner over on Flickr of LNER D49/1 No.265 (appropriately named) Lanarkshire and taken in 1936
For further shots of the station during its reconstruction in the late 60s early 70s see this RCAHMS entry.
Thanks to Colin Duncan here’s a rare shot in between demolition and the 1970s monstrosities erected in front of it (circa 1971)
A Carriage Shop Miscellany 