Morningside Road
This photograph is published in 'The Scottish Railway Scene 1973-2020' by John Kirk, published by Pen & Sword.
It is the summer of 1973 and the Kodak Instamatic records a 'skinhead' class 24 reach Morningside Station on a cement train probably for Uddingston. Both platforms are still in place and the station buildings can be seen. Morningside Road’s signal 17, the Up home is also seen; note the two arms. This cement has just climbed from Newington, a stiff test for locomotives and in the early hours one morning a similar locomotive expired a couple of hundred yards east of this location and caught fire. I got up and went out to see what was going on. I found a row of very tired and dirty firefighters sitting on the kerbside having been inside the loco's engine room to fight the fire. I asked if there was anything I could do to help and was given the biggest teapot I have ever seen to be filled with boiling water to make a brew. It took two kettles and two pans of water to fill it. Having negotiated the engine room of a 24 at NYMR in engineman’s gear I hate to think how it must have been for the fire crew; pitch dark, wearing boots, yellow wet legs (that melted when you got them hot enough) heavy woollen tunics, breathing apparatus and those awkward shaped helmets! No wonder they were tired and in need of a brew!
The photograph is courtesy of Pen & Sword.
Location: Morningside Road
Original line: Edinburgh, Suburban and Southside Junction Railway
Photographer: John Kirk
Contact photographer: John Kirk
Date: 1973
Image number: 86188
Other photographs of Morningside Road on RailScot
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
