Skulferatu #73 - East Trinity Road Railway Tunnel, Trinity Path, Edinburgh

I often walk or cycle along the old railway paths that crisscross Edinburgh.  If I’m heading down to Newhaven I’ll take the Trinity Path, which goes through the damply fascinating Trinity Tunnel or East Trinity Road Railway Tunnel to give it its full name.  The tunnel and the path were once part of the Edinburgh, Leith and Granton Railway which operated from around 1840 until 1986. 

 

East Trinity Road Railway Tunnel

 

The tunnel is 390 feet long and passes under East Trinity Road and several houses.  It has a horseshoe opening and is constructed of sandstone, and have I mentioned it is very, very damp?  Water oozes down the walls resulting in some fascinating crumbling grooves, rust coloured mud and lots of mini stalactite type blobs.  Some of the oozing, dissolving stone looks almost soft and as if it is an organic, living thing.  A weird alien life form escaping from the hewn rocks that were used to build the structure.

 

Metal hook on the tunnel wall

 

The tunnel is very, very damp

 

Moisture is life

Multicoloured slime and ooze

 

Multicoloured slime and ooze

 

Multicoloured slime and ooze

 

Some of the dissolving stone looks almost like a living thing

 

Rusty hook in oozing tunnel wall

 

Smiley Face Graffiti

 

From late spring onwards the dark cavities and grooves of the oozing stone are occupied by thousands of little spiders who hang from thin threads waiting for their prey…or any inquisitive arachnophobes who get too close.

 

Stalactites on the tunnel walls

Stalactites on the tunnel walls

 

Stalactites on the tunnel walls

 

Tendrils and moss

 

The remains of an old sign being absorbed into the tunnel walls

 

Moss on the tunnel walls

 

Graffiti in the tunnel walls

 

Oozing rust dissolving down the tunnel walls

 

I left the Skulferatu that accompanied me on my walk in a small cavity of rusting, dripping slime where it will hopefully be consumed into the melting walls of the tunnel.

 

Skulferatu #73

 

Skulferatu #73 in a rusty, dripping cavity in the tunnel wall

 

Map showing the location of Skulferatu #73

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are –

 

Latitude 55.976781

Longitude -3.203583

 

I used the following sources for information on the tunnel -

 

Historic Environment Scotland

East Trinity Road Railway Tunnel, Edinburgh

 

Rail Scot

RAILSCOT | Trinity Tunnel

 

  

Skulferatu #63 - Newhaven Railway Station Building, Craighall Road, Edinburgh

 

When I’m out cycling or walking along the paths, through and round Edinburgh, on which the old city railway lines used to run, there is a building that has always tended to catch my eye.  It stands on pillars over Hawthornvale Path and looks a bit like a Victorian Boy Scouts hut.  This building was originally Newhaven Railway Station and was for the former Caledonian Railway line.  This line ran from Edinburgh Princes Street Station, which was at the West End of Princes Street next to the Caledonian Hotel, to North Leith Station, which was on Commercial Street in Leith. 

 

Newhaven Station Building on Craighall Road, Edinburgh

 

Newhaven Station Building on Craighall Road, Edinburgh

 

Old telegraph pole next to Newhaven Station

 

Newhaven Station from Hawthornvale Path

 

Newhaven Station from Hawthornvale Path

 

Newhaven Railway Station was opened in 1879 and closed on the 26^th of April 1962.  It is the only station building to have survived of the five stations that were on the Caledonian line.  It originally had stairs leading down to the platforms, though these have now been removed.

 

After the railway line closed the station building was used as premises for a joinery business, a taxi firm and then lay derelict for a while. It has now been restored and is a business centre renting out desk space.

 

On my walk today I scrambled up the slope under the station building and past the ruins of a brick hut that is now the depository for hundreds of discarded, empty beer cans.  Then I went on up to one of the stone supports for the building and there I left a Skulferatu in one of the hollows.    

 

Skulferatu #63

 

Underneath the station building

 

Skulferatu #63 in hollow of stone support

 

Skulferatu #63 in hollow of stone support

 

Google Map showing location of Skulferatu #63

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are –

 

Latitude 55.976620

Longitude -3.1966390

 

I used the following sources for information on Newhaven Railway Station–

 

Canmore

Edinburgh, Craighall Road, Newhaven Station | Canmore

 

Doors Open Day

Newhaven Station (doorsopendays.org.uk)

 

Newhaven Business Station

Newhaven Business Station, Edinburgh | Desk Space to Rent