EWH help for Scotland Street Tunnels Youth Project

Edinburgh World Heritage has awarded a grant of £5,000 to the Scotland Street Tunnel Youth Project, to help create a new facility for young people.

The tunnel was built in 1842 by the Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven railway, but is now completely disused and the entrance blocked up. The youth project now aims to improve the area and the adjacent King George V park, to help provide better facilities for local young people.

A working group of local councillors, residents, police and council officers has been working on proposals since 2006, and local architect Andrew McRae of Simon Laird Associates has developed some initial design concepts. Consultation with the local community has also taken place, including pupils at nearby Drummond Community and Broughton High Schools.

The project is still at an early stage with detailed plans under development, and it is hoped with the aid of the EWH grant that enabling works could begin later this year.

Andrew Mcrae of the project’s working group said, “We are delighted that EWH are involved with this exciting community project and have committed initial funding to help get the project underway.  We are looking forward to providing a much needed space for young people that will also enhance the historic tunnel mouth structure and surrounding park.”

History of the tunnel
The Scotland Street Tunnel dates to 1842 and was built by the Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway Company to connect the city centre with Newhaven Harbour.
It measures 1000yds in length, 24ft in width, and 24ft in height. It has a very steep gradient, and so cable haulage was required, with a stationary winding engine at Canal Street.

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote of the tunnel, "The tunnel to the Scotland Street Station, the sight of the trains shooting out of its dark maw with the two guards upon the brake, the thought of its length and the many ponderous edifices and open thoroughfares above, were certainly of paramount impressiveness to a young mind.”

In 1868 the railway line was closed, but since then other unusual uses were found for the tunnel. These have included growing mushrooms, air raid shelters, atomic experiments by scientists from Edinburgh University and in more recent times storing cars.

Further history of the Scotland Street Tunnel...Read more