North Berwick Branch
Encyclopedia
The North Berwick Branch was promoted by the North British Railway
to connect North Berwick
to its Main Line at .
(NBR) obtained an Act of Parliament (the North Berwick Railway Act) authorising the construction of a branch line from Drem Junction to North Berwick Harbour. The final half mile line of the approved line would have involved substantial embankments carrying the line down to and along the foreshore in order to reach the harbour, and it was soon decided that this expense was not justified. The branch opened as far as a temporary terminus at on 13 August 1849, and the permanent terminus at opened on 17 June 1850. The temporary Williamstown station closed as soon as North Berwick opened, and a small intermediate station at Dirleton
opened on the same day.
When completed the branch line was 4.7 miles long, and although all earthworks and structures were built to accommodate double tracks, only one line of rails was ever laid. Initially the line was not a success, and in 1856 the NBR attempted to cut costs by converting most of the branch passenger trains to horse traction. A small horse-drawn carriage was transferred from the Portobello to Leith line, but this lasted only a year before being withdrawn. The carriage was known as the 'Dandy Car', and was later sold to the Silloth Railway for use on their Port Carlisle branch. It is now preserved at the National Railway Museum
in York
.
from and as part of the North Berwick Line
.
2-6-2T engines were the usual power. Despite there being no turntable, tender engines were also used on both passenger and goods traffic, mainly 4-4-0
s and 0-6-0
s. Excursion traffic very occasionally brought larger engines such as K3 Class 2-6-0
s. LNER steam railcars were tried in the late 1920s and '30s, with limited success. Clayton Type 1
diesel locomotives operated the branch goods service in its final years, but subsequently visits by diesel locomotive have been confined to occasional engineering trains.
Early diesel multiple unit
s (DMUs) used on the line from 1958 onwards were Class 100
and Class 101
. Subsequently, many different types of DMU appeared on the line, including Class 104
, Class 105
, Class 107
, Class 108
and Class 120
. In 1987 new Class 150
Sprinter DMUs took over some services.
Upon electrification in 1991, five thirty-year-old 305
electric multiple unit
s (EMUs) were refurbished for the line, having been made redundant from London Liverpool Street suburban services. In their later years these trains became unreliable, and deputisation by diesel units (including equally elderly Class 117s
) was not uncommon. Prior to privatisation, it was not unknown for InterCity 125
diesel-electric units to operate to North Berwick if no other train was available.
Most services were operated using five Class 322
4-car EMUs. These trains were built in 1990 for use on London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport express services, but were displaced from these services by 2001 when they were leased to ScotRail to allow withdrawal of the elderly Class 305s. Their lease expired in mid-2004 and the 322s returned to England, prompting a search for suitable replacement stock. No modern EMUs were available at the time, and remarkably the line reverted to locomotive haulage for a time, using Class 90
electric locomotives hired from EWS
and former Virgin Trains
Mark 3 coaches
, with each set incorporating a DVT
to allow push-pull operation.
In mid-2005 the Class 322 units became available again, refurbished for permanent use by First ScotRail. Apart from the Class 322s, diesel units of Classes 156
, 158
and 170 also operated some services, mainly on Saturdays when there were not enough EMUs to maintain a half-hour frequency throughout the day.
In June 2011, Class 380s
began operating the North Berwick line, phasing out all Class 322s which were all returned to England.
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
to connect North Berwick
North Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
to its Main Line at .
History
In 1846, the North British RailwayNorth British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
(NBR) obtained an Act of Parliament (the North Berwick Railway Act) authorising the construction of a branch line from Drem Junction to North Berwick Harbour. The final half mile line of the approved line would have involved substantial embankments carrying the line down to and along the foreshore in order to reach the harbour, and it was soon decided that this expense was not justified. The branch opened as far as a temporary terminus at on 13 August 1849, and the permanent terminus at opened on 17 June 1850. The temporary Williamstown station closed as soon as North Berwick opened, and a small intermediate station at Dirleton
Dirleton railway station
Dirleton railway station was a railway station on the North Berwick Branch of the North British Railway in East Lothian, Scotland. It was an intermediate station on the branch line from Drem.-History:...
opened on the same day.
When completed the branch line was 4.7 miles long, and although all earthworks and structures were built to accommodate double tracks, only one line of rails was ever laid. Initially the line was not a success, and in 1856 the NBR attempted to cut costs by converting most of the branch passenger trains to horse traction. A small horse-drawn carriage was transferred from the Portobello to Leith line, but this lasted only a year before being withdrawn. The carriage was known as the 'Dandy Car', and was later sold to the Silloth Railway for use on their Port Carlisle branch. It is now preserved at the National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
Current operations
The two intermediate stations are now closed. However, the line is open to passenger traffic served by First ScotRailFirst ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
from and as part of the North Berwick Line
North Berwick Line
The North Berwick Line is a railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland. The route follows the East Coast Main Line as far as Drem where it then branches to the north....
.
Rolling stock
The North Berwick branch has been served by an interesting variety of rolling stock over its life. Steam locomotives were typically tank engines, North British Railway 4-4-0T, 0-4-4T and 4-4-2T successively being the norm. By the end of regular steam passenger service on the branch in 1958, LNER Class V1/V3LNER Class V1/V3
The London and North Eastern Railway Class V1 and Class V3 were two classes of related 2-6-2T steam locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley....
2-6-2T engines were the usual power. Despite there being no turntable, tender engines were also used on both passenger and goods traffic, mainly 4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
s and 0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
s. Excursion traffic very occasionally brought larger engines such as K3 Class 2-6-0
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
s. LNER steam railcars were tried in the late 1920s and '30s, with limited success. Clayton Type 1
British Rail Class 17
The British Rail Class 17 was a class of 117 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives built 1962–1965 by Clayton Equipment Company and their sub-contractor Beyer, Peacock & Co., for British Railways ....
diesel locomotives operated the branch goods service in its final years, but subsequently visits by diesel locomotive have been confined to occasional engineering trains.
Early diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s (DMUs) used on the line from 1958 onwards were Class 100
British Rail Class 100
The British Rail Class 100 diesel multiple units were built by Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited from 1956 to 1958, designed and built in collaboration with the Transport Sales Dept. of T.I. Ltd.-Introduction:...
and Class 101
British Rail Class 101
The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five...
. Subsequently, many different types of DMU appeared on the line, including Class 104
British Rail Class 104
The British Rail Class 104 diesel multiple units were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company from 1957 to 1959.The first units ordered were for the London Midland Region, with the majority of the class for use in North West of England with sets also in Tyneside...
, Class 105
British Rail Class 105
The British Rail Class 105 diesel multiple units were built by Cravens Ltd. of Sheffield from 1956 to 1959. The class were built with a side profile identical to British Railways Mark 1 carriage stock, using the same doors and windows. None were selected for refurbishment...
, Class 107
British Rail Class 107
The British Rail Class 107 diesel multiple units were built by the Derby Works of British Railways and were introduced in 1960. The class looked similar to the later Class 108 units, but were heavier - having been built out of steel.-Usage:...
, Class 108
British Rail Class 108
The British Rail Class 108 diesel multiple units were built by BR Derby from 1958 to 1961, with a final production quantity of 333 vehicles....
and Class 120
British Rail Class 120
The Class 120, were a cross-country DMU in three-car formation, built at the British Rail Swindon Works.Totalling 194 cars, three batches were built:*1958 - 49 sets for the Western Region*1959 - 7 sets for the Scottish Region...
. In 1987 new Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
Sprinter DMUs took over some services.
Upon electrification in 1991, five thirty-year-old 305
British Rail Class 305
The British Rail Class 305 was an alternating current electric multiple unit . Under the pre-1973 British Rail numbering system, the class was known as AM5...
electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s (EMUs) were refurbished for the line, having been made redundant from London Liverpool Street suburban services. In their later years these trains became unreliable, and deputisation by diesel units (including equally elderly Class 117s
British Rail Class 117
The British Rail Class 117 diesel multiple units were built by Pressed Steel from 1959 to 1961.When first introduced, these three-car units were all based with the similar Class 121 single carriage units on British Railway's Western Region for suburban work out of London Paddington, as well as...
) was not uncommon. Prior to privatisation, it was not unknown for InterCity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
diesel-electric units to operate to North Berwick if no other train was available.
Most services were operated using five Class 322
British Rail Class 322
The British Rail Class 322 electric multiple units were built by BREL in 1990. Five 4-car units were built for the dedicated Stansted Express service from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport. The units were then used by First ScotRail, operating on the North Berwick Branch Line, between /...
4-car EMUs. These trains were built in 1990 for use on London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport express services, but were displaced from these services by 2001 when they were leased to ScotRail to allow withdrawal of the elderly Class 305s. Their lease expired in mid-2004 and the 322s returned to England, prompting a search for suitable replacement stock. No modern EMUs were available at the time, and remarkably the line reverted to locomotive haulage for a time, using Class 90
British Rail Class 90
The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by BREL at Crewe from 1987-1990. Each locomotive weighs 84.5 tonnes and has a top speed of . They operate from 25 kV AC overhead wires and produce...
electric locomotives hired from EWS
EWS
DB Schenker Rail , before 2009 known as English, Welsh and Scottish Railway is a British rail freight company. EWS was established by a consortium led by Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation in 1996 by acquisition of five of the six freight companies created by the privatisation of British...
and former Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
Mark 3 coaches
British Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
, with each set incorporating a DVT
Driving Van Trailer
A Driving Van Trailer is a purpose-built railway vehicle that allows the driver to operate a locomotive at the opposite end of a train. Trains operating with a DVT therefore do not require the locomotive to be moved around to the other end of the train at terminal stations...
to allow push-pull operation.
In mid-2005 the Class 322 units became available again, refurbished for permanent use by First ScotRail. Apart from the Class 322s, diesel units of Classes 156
British Rail Class 156
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
, 158
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
and 170 also operated some services, mainly on Saturdays when there were not enough EMUs to maintain a half-hour frequency throughout the day.
In June 2011, Class 380s
British Rail Class 380
Class 380 is the designation given to a class of electric multiple unit trains which operate on the national railway network in Scotland.- Description :...
began operating the North Berwick line, phasing out all Class 322s which were all returned to England.
Connections to other lines
- North British Railway Main Line at DremDrem railway stationDrem railway station serves the village of Drem in East Lothian, from the seaside town of North Berwick in Scotland. It is located on the East Coast Main Line east of Edinburgh Waverley...
- Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick RailwayAberlady, Gullane and North Berwick RailwayThe Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick Railway was incorporated on 24 August 1893 as a route to promote North Berwick as a resort. It was connected to the Main Line at Longniddry.-History:...
connection at North Berwick was planned, but never constructed