North Leith

Back when I was in short trousers, RM published a RoM article called North Leith (Sept 78). This may well have been North Korea to me at the time, but I found the scene fascinating with its short stock and triangular platforms. Later I worked out the the layout must have been unworkable due to the track that had been removed in order to compress it. That said, it still remains an influential piece. Last week I ended up where else but North Leith, though I didn't immediately start joining the dots; the area has been greatly developed and of course the line shut.

Into Edinburgh I peeped over a parapet in Leith Walk (as we are all bound to do) and surprisingly found an overgrown line (below) the line the falls off the bottom of the centre of the map. Where does this go? North Leith. A bit of research found that the track stops short of the waterway and the rest of the line is now cycleways. This information came later and after another peep over a bridge and finding Bonnington station still complete with platforms (map centre). My guess at the station building proved correct and is the splendid squat building which descends from street to track level.

 

What's this got to do with modelling? Nothing of course. The station is/was a bland commuter halt (with remarkably narrow staggered platforms) and not really worth a second glance except it's fun to stand for a few second and imagine what it was before WW2 and be just slightly thankful that the Scots don't casually sweep things away, but put them to good use and leave just enough history for me to want to go online and see if my guessing is proved correct 45 years after I bumped into the North Leith line.