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Description

This was a junction station. To the north the line, opened in 1866, ran to Monktonhall Junction (east of Edinburgh) and to the south the line continued through Dalkeith to Hardengreen Junction on the Waverley Route. To the south of the station was the branch to Macmerry (opened as far as Ormiston for goods in 1867). This was continued to Macmerry (goods 1868, passengers 1872) and Gifford (from Ormiston in 1901).

The station (opened 1872) had a very broad island platform. There was a rudimentary brick built station building. Pedestrian approach to the platform was by a stair from the road bridges at the north end (there were two bridges, one over the line to each platform face). There were several loops down either side of the island platform. There was a large water tank at the south end of the platform.

At the north end, on the east side of the line south of the road bridge, was Smeaton Junction signal box. It opened in 1867 when the location became a junction. This was located at the top of the cutting with the point rodding and wires running down the embankment to the trackbed. The box had a rather ungainly extension at its east end probably added in 1912 when the line north to Monktonhall Junction was doubled, a southbound line being laid on the east side of the existing track.

Older OS maps suggest the west platform face served the Hardengreen Junction route, as did the east, but that the Macmerry route was only served by the east. Certainly later maps, following the doubling, show both faces serving both lines with the Macmerry northbound line crossing the Hardengreen Junction southbound line on the level south of the large platform.

To the north, at Carberry Colliery Junction, was the mineral line to Deans Pit and Carberry Colliery Pits Nos 2 and 3. This was on the east side of the line. After the doubling the connection was moved south and the lines ran parallel to the station, prior to this there was a reversing spur reached from the north.

The station closed to passengers in 1930 along with Crossgatehall Halt. In 1933 the whole line from Monktonhall Junction to Gifford closed. The [Macmerry]] branch had closed to passengers in 1925.

The route to Hardengreen Junction closed officially in 1934. It was cut back to the south end of the loops on the west side, so that a locomotive could still round a train.

Lines serving the new Dalkeith Pits Nos 5 and 9 (better known as Dalkeith Colliery) were laid out south of the station around 1953. These were relaid on the northern part of the Hardengreen Junction route and were approached by both platform faces.

The line east to Saltoun closed in 1965 (a short portion survived as a siding until the 1970s). The signal box closed in 1966. The line north was singled around 1973.

The line remained open for the Dalkeith Colliery washery until 1978. The track was lifted around 1981.

The trackbed is now a footpath.

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