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A train passes Granton Square
and crosses West
Harbour Road |
A train heading for Texaco Terminus at Granton passes Granton Square - 1980
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Kenneth G Williamson, Silverknowes, Edinburgh
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Recollections 1. Kenneth G Williamson Silverknowes, Edinburgh |
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Granton Railway - Texaco Sidings Thank you to Kenneth G Williamson for sending me this picture of an oil train destined for the Texaco sidings on the old Caledonian Railway line at Granton. Here, the train passes the entrance to Middle Pier at Granton Square and crosses West Harbour Road on its final approach to the Texaco sidings at Granton. Kenneth wrote: |
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Fuel for Prestwick "This loco is taking tank cars to the Texaco sidings to collect aviation fuel destined for Prestwick. I don't know if it is true but the story goes that as a result of the decision to transfer the fuel by road, the railway was eventually torn up. I remember the siding into Waugh's scrap yard being isolated when the rails were lifted. The diesel shunter used by Texaco is now at Bo'ness." Kenneth G Williamson, Silverknowes, Edinburgh: January 10, 2010, |
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Zoom-out In this photo, we zoom-out to get a better view of the road beside the train, leading to Granton Harbour: |
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Recollections 2. Andy Merrylees Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada |
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Thank you to Andy Merrylees who replied: |
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Texaco Sidings "I think Kenneth is correct in saying that the rails were torn up as they started transporting the fuel by road. I was working with another welder on a pipe job at the Granton Gas Works that year, and that's what my boss told us. So there is some truth to it." Andy Merrylees, Burnaby. British Columbia, Canada: January 12, 2010 |
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3. Patrick Hutton New Town, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Patrick Hutton who wrote: |
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Texaco Depot at Granton "I always understood that the 'Texaco' - should it be Shell?*** - depot at Granton Gas Works was (latterly) for naphtha going in, not aviation spirit going out to Prestwick. For that matter, avgas is still taken from Grangemouth to Prestwick by rail. You may remember that this train derailed and caught fire not so long ago." Patrick Hutton, New Town, Edinburgh: January 15, 2010 |
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*** Answer No, it was Texaco, not Shell. I met Kenneth Williamson at the old Granton Gas Works station on March 23, 2011. He told me that it was definitely the Texaco Depot, and that Shell had no rail connection into its depot at Granton. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: March 24, 2011 |
