Waverley Station

Edinburgh's principal station sees more than 18,000 passengers a year, but how many of them really notice its charms?

Booking Hall

Look up and see the roof and cupola. On the south wall there is a plaque commemorating Nigel Gresley, who designed some of the great British steam locomotives including The Mallard.

Platform 2

Every Friday between 11am – 7pm, the every week, the concourse becomes a vibrant indoor market of ethically-sourced gifts, local products and tasty treats. The markets are organised by Local Motive.

Platform 9

Set into the southern supporting wall of the roof across from Platform 9 is the 'Plum(b)ers Shop' which is presumably leftover from a time when this part of the station was accessible on foot. You can't help wondering about the tiny letter “b” which has been squeezed in – was someone teased mercilessly for their poor spelling...? Was there some debate about the spelling...?

Platform 19

Above a closed off tunnel opposite platform 19 is a sign reading “Site of the original Edinburgh-Leith-Newhaven Railway.” The tunnel ran beneath, what is now the Princes Mall shopping centre, through the site of the former Canal Street station (which closed in 1868) and into Scotland Street Tunnel (see Scotland Street Tunnel).

BITE Card

The discount card gives 10% off at food and drink outlets based in UK mainline railway stations (including Burger King, Millie's Cookies, The Pasty Shop, Upper Crust and the Nor Loch pub in Waverley). Get your free BITE card at bitecard.co.uk  

Kids Go Free Ticket

With a Scotrail 'Kids Go Free' ticket, up to two kids (aged 5-15) travel free with each adult. An added bonus is that you also get one free child's entry to selected attractions - which, in the case of the Zoo, is worth £12! Even if you weren't planning to get the train, it might make it worth your while (and it's useful to know about the four minute journey from Waverley Station to Haymarket!). [note – Abellio take over April 2015]


Waverley Railway Station, Edinburgh, EH1 1BB


0845 711 4141


networkrail.co.uk


@NetworkRailSCOT

Scotland Street Tunnel

When the 960 metre railway tunnel opened 1847, it completed the final section of the Edinburgh-Granton line passing deep beneath the cobbled streets of the New Town from Canal Street Station (later to form part of Waverley station) to Scotland Street.

Due to the steep (1:27 gradient) engines were disconnected from their carriages at Scotland Street station and the northern end of the tunnel, and hauled by steel cable to Canal Street.

As a railway tunnel, it was short-lived, closing in 1868. Other uses include storage for coal wagons, commercial mushroom growing and, during World War II, it was used as an air raid shelter and emergency control centre for the London and North Eastern Railway company.

The southern end of the tunnel was demolished in 1983 to make way for the foundations of the

Princes Mall shopping centre and, today, only a narrow (1.5m wide) ventilation pipe connects

the tunnel to the former site (which can be seen from platform 19 of Waverley Station).

Scotland Street Tunnel is secured at its north entrance by a steel screen which allows a peek inside.  The mouth of the tunnel forms a 'Teen Shelter', just one of many pieces of play equipment in King George V Park.