Location type

Junction

Names and dates

Millerhill Marshalling Yard [North] (1961-1983)
Newcraighall Junction (2003-2014)
Newcraighall North Junction (2014-)

Opened on the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway.

Note: text in square brackets is added for clarity and was not part of the location's name.

Description

This is where the Borders Railway joins the alignment of the former Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway, today the lines serving Millerhill EGIP Depot and the goods loop serving the remains of Millerhill Marshalling Yard off the East Coast Main Line.

The original alignment south was crossed south of Millerhill Marshalling Yard on the level by the Edinburgh City Bypass which precluded re-opening the former Waverley Route on its original alignment. Instead a deviation carries the line to the west of its original route passing through Shawfair station before rejoining the original alignment around King's Gate Junction.

This was approximately the north end of Millerhill Marshalling Yard (it is a little south of its northern extent). On the east side of the line were the Millerhill Yard Up Arrival Sidings where southbound trains entering the yard would leave the main line. On the west side was the northern end of the Millerhill Yard Down Secondary Sorting Sidings and a loop on the west side of the main line which ran north to join the route to Niddrie West Junction just west of Niddrie South Junction.

The Whitehill Road/Muckland Road passes over the line here, just south of the junction. This road was realigned to the north when the yard opened to accommodate it. Nevertheless a long pair of bridges were required to cross the main line and loops and also to pass over the Millerhill Yard Up Arrival Sidings. Both still stand.

Prior to the reopening of the Borders Railway the Newcraighall Turnback Siding was installed here running from north of the bridge to south of it terminating in what had been the northern part of the yard. This served the new stations at Newcraighall and Brunstane opened in 2003 and allowed passenger trains to reverse and stand clear of the approach to the yard.

This connection was adapted by laying the northernmost portion of the borders line on a curve, replacing the original turnback siding, which was then steadily extended south to become the Borders Railway.