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The Tweed Viaduct with water pipe.
The Talla Railway was a reservoir construction railway in Scotland active from 1897 to 1910. Located in the Scottish Borders, its most substantial engineering feature was the Tweed Viaduct, a 100-foot (30 m) girder bridge built to carry the railway and water pipeline across the River Tweed at Glenrusco to the north of Tweedsmuir.
Starting from Caledonian Railway metals at Rachan Junction, near Broughton station (originally part of the Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway's network), the railway followed the route of the River Tweed and what is now the A701 closely for 8 miles (13 km) in a southerly direction. It extended to Victoria Lodge, the headquarters for the dam's construction. An intermediate stop with wooden platforms was later established at Crook Halt, to serve the Crook Inn.
[edit] History
The railway was built by the Edinburgh and District Water Trust to assist construction of the Talla Reservoir which lies 1000 feet (300 m) above sea level and was built to supply Edinburgh with water. Construction was by James Young & Sons. On September 29, 1897 a stone-laying ceremony marked the start of construction of Victoria Lodge, at the southern terminus. The building is now a private house. Material was lifted from there to the construction site by a ropeway, called a 'Blondin' after the famous tightrope walker Charles Blondin.
The Caledonian Railway was persuaded to double the line from Broughton Station to Rachan Junction, and a new platform was built at Broughton.
Materials brought in included stone and aggregates from quarries in North Queensferry and Craigleith. Pipes, valve gear and pumping equipment came from central Scotland. Puddle clay, the mixture of clay, gravel and sand used for a watertight seal (which was perfected by canal builder James Brindley) came from the Carluke area. Over 100,000 tons of material were transported for the building of the reservoir.
When James Young & Sons went bankrupt in 1899, the main contract was taken over by John Best of Leith, who had been one of the main sub-contractors on the project, the other being Robert McAlpine & Sons. Best opened a halt at Crook Siding, close to the Crook Inn, which proved very popular with workers returning after their work, who would stop there for refreshments. Best had shrewdly bought a share of the inn prior to this.
As the reservoir neared completion, run-down of the line started in 1904. The reservoir opened on May 20, 1905, and the railway closed soon afterwards. It was sold for scrap in 1910 and all track had been lifted by 1912.
The Tweed Viaduct still carries the water pipe, which is still in use and supplies water from the reservoir to Edinburgh, 28 miles (45 km) to the north.
[edit] Sources
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Historical Scottish railway companies: |
| Primary companies: |
Caledonian Railway • Glasgow and South Western Railway • Great North of Scotland Railway
Highland Railway • North British Railway
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| Caledonian lines: |
Aberdeen Railway • Alloa Railway • Alyth • Arbroath and Forfar • Busby Railway • Callander and Oban • Cathcart District • Cleland and Midcalder • Clydesdale Junction • CR Main Line • CR Douglas Branch • CR Hamilton Branch • CR Hamiltonhill Branch • Crieff Junction • Crieff and Comrie • Crieff and Methven Junction • Dunblane, Doune & Callander • Dundee and Perth • Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen • Forfar and Brechin • General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour • Glasgow and Garnkirk • Glasgow Central Railway • Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock • Greenock and Wemyss Bay • Hamilton and Strathaven • Killin Railway • Lanarkshire and Ayrshire • Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire • Leadhills and Wanlockhead • Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie • Paisley and Barrhead District • Perth, Almond Valley and Methven • Polloc and Govan • Rutherglen and Coatbridge • Scottish Central • Scottish Midland Junction • Scottish North Eastern • Solway Junction • Symington, Biggar and Broughton • Talla Railway • Wishaw and Coltness |
| Glasgow and South Western lines: |
Ardrossan Railway • Ardrossan and Johnstone • Ayr and Dalmellington • Ayr and Maybole Junction • Ayr to Mauchline • Ayrshire and Wigtownshire • Barrhead Branch • Bridge of Weir Railway • Cairn Valley • Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction • Castle Douglas and Dumfries • Dalry and North Johnstone • Darvel Branch • Girvan and Portpatrick Junction • Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle • Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr • Greenock and Ayrshire • Kilmarnock and Troon • Largs Branch • Maidens and Dunure • Maybole and Girvan • Paisley and Renfrew • Paisley Canal Line |
| Great North of Scotland lines: |
Aberdeen and Turriff • Aboyne and Braemar • Alford Valley • Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction • Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla • Boddam Branch • Deeside Railway • Denburn Valley • Formartine and Buchan • Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction • Keith and Dufftown • Moray Coast • Morayshire Railway • St Combs Light Railway • Strathspey Railway |
| Highland lines: |
Buckie and Portessie Branch • Dingwall and Skye • Duke of Sutherland • Findhorn Railway • Fortrose Branch • Inverness and Aberdeen Junction • Inverness and Aviemore Direct • Inverness and Nairn • Inverness and Perth Junction • Inverness and Ross-shire • Kyle of Lochalsh Extension • Perth and Dunkeld • Sutherland and Caithness • Sutherland Railway
Independent lines worked by the Highland Railway
Dornoch Light Railway • Wick and Lybster Light Railway
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| North British lines: |
Ballochney • Bathgate and Coatbridge • Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company • Coatbridge Branch • Edinburgh and Bathgate • Edinburgh and Dalkeith • Edinburgh and Glasgow • Edinburgh and Hawick • Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction • Forth and Clyde Junction • Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh • Glasgow and Milngavie Junction • Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank • Kincardine Line • Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton • Monkland and Kirkintilloch • Monkland Railways • Mallaig Extension • North British, Arbroath and Montrose • Stirling and Dunfermline • Strathendrick and Aberfoyle • Slamannan • Slamannan and Borrowstounness • West Highland Railway • Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness |
| Joint lines: |
Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction • City Union • Dundee and Arbroath • Glasgow and Paisley Joint • Glasgow and Renfrew District • Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint • Kilsyth and Bonnybridge • Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint |
| Other lines: |
Brechin and Edzell District • Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway • Denburn Valley Line • Dundee and Arbroath • Glasgow City and District • Invergarry and Fort Augustus • Lochaber Narrow Gauge • Perth, Almond Valley & Methven • Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway |
