Old stations of Edinburgh #1: Abbey Hill

This may look like a patch of wasteland or a little used alley, but look a bit closer at the bottom left and you'll see two rails. For this was the site of Abbey Hill Station, the first stop for trains running toward the Leith Central branchline. Until 2011 there was even a surviving platform on the right, approximately where the holly bush is and the overgrown rails of both the up and down lines were intact running from the junction with the East Coast Mainline (further up from this location), through the station site and onward under the road bridge before curving and coming to an abrupt halt where they'd been severed. Then the platform was demolished, undergrowth cleared and most of the rails were lost amongst in-fill. Leith Central branchline is one of the most interesting former lines in Edinburgh. Opened to traffic in 1903 by the North British, running for only a mile, it branched off at the London Road -Piershill spur. There were two stations, Abbey Hill, Easter Road Park Halt (now vanished under blocks of flats) and the enormous terminus, Leith Central. In spite of initial success, the introduction of trams and buses made the line 'unviable' and the stations were closed to passengers in 1952. Leith Central's enormous train shed became a Diesel Multiple Unit depot (the 'Deltic' prototype was even stabled there whilst undergoing test runs on the Waverly Route) but closed in 1972 after which the rails were mostly lifted. However two short sections survived in isolation - that running through Abbey Hill and one in a cutting running by Easter Road Stadium (since filled in and built on). Sadly the imposing train shed at Leith Central was allowed to fall into dereliction when it should have been listed and preserved. Much debate was had about its future but the forces of mediocraty won and the thing got torn down in 1989. Its office buildings with their iconic clock still survive at the foot of Leith Walk. Abbey Hill station consisted of a building at road level (long demolished), with an up and down platform that both had their own structures. It outlived the Leith Central line, closing eventually in 1963. A campaign to re-open it was started recently but failed to succeed (as the powers that be are preoccupied with trams!). CLICK HERE to see a picture of the station back in the day. A section of the line from the East coast Mainline is going to be relaid as a switchback siding to help increase capacity at Edinburgh Waverly, although construction appears to be stagnent.