Tay Bridge & Dundee Union Railway, 1864
The first proposals to get as far as Parliamentary plans for a bridge over the Tay.
Blog article in course of preparation
Original proposal (no plans), October 1864:
Tay Bridge & Dundee Union Railway.
At the Dundee end, the bridge was to run to Craig Pier and the line would then turn west.
Final proposal (with plans), end of November 1864:
Tay Bridge & Dundee Union Railway.
At the Dundee end, the line was to turn east and run into the town (shown dotted).
Originally the result of suggestions for a bridge from Tayport across to Hare Craig (at West Ferry), the Tay Bridge & Dundee Union Railway was presented by Thomas Bouch, its engineer, to the Dundee public on 26 October 1864. He proposed a bridge to run from Newport (exact location unknown but from the number of spans, 64, probably Craighead) to Craig Pier (now Discovery Point) where the line would turn west to run to a station. It was envisaged that it would be complemented by a railway on the Fife side from Tayport to Newport, where it would have sufficient height to enable the bridge to cross the river, and another direct line from Newport to Leuchars1. A central station in Dundee was proposed with links to the other railways coming into the town.
There was considerable discussion and argument locally, eventually leading to many changes.
The proposed Bill to go before Parliament was published on 22 November 18642. It was for a railway to run from the station at Ferryport-on-Craig (Tayport) and terminate just west of the Craig Pier.
But the detailed plans3 which had to be submitted to the Sheriff Clerk before the proposals could go to Parliament show the Dundee landfall of the bridge to be just to the east of Magdalen Point (near where the present railway bridge has its landfall). The plans were described in detail in the local press4. They show a line from the station at Tayport running along near the coast to Newport, then round to Woodhaven, from where a bridge, now with 80 spans, would be built directly across the river towards Magdalen Point, but turning eastwards at the north end continuing to a station opposite the foundry of the Scottish Central Railway. These plans were deposited on 30 November - change had been rapid.
Although confusing to many, the plans do not contradict the proposed Parliamentary Bill since the proposed Bill only mentions the end point of the railway (west of Craig Pier) and does not detail its route.
The line was never built - killed off by too many vested interests (Dundee Harbour Trust, Dundee Town Council, Perth Town Council & competing railway companies). Officially postponed in Parliament May 18655. The planned route from Tayport station to Castle Brae in Newport was used for the first planned Newport Railway.
References:
1. Dundee Advertiser, 18 October 1864, p2 & 27 October 1864, p3 (all newspapers available at British Newspaper Archive)
2. Edinburgh Gazette, 22 November 1864, p1559
3. Plans - at National Records of Scotland, ref. RHP24551
4. Dundee Advertiser, 1 December 1864, p2
5. Dundee Advertiser, 11 May 1865, p3
Additional reading:
Battle for the North, Charles McKean, 2007
Return to: Railway Plans
These are the entries in the Books of Reference which accompany the various railway plans, RHP24551, held at the National Records of Scotland, but not online. The full plans are not on this site.
There are 247 records.| Co. | Year | Plan | Ref | Description | Owner or reputed owner | Occupier | [Comments] | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 150 | Occupation road | John Berry, owners of 138 to 156 inclusive, and of 159 to 187 inclusive, Alex. Rhind | Owners; occupiers of 138 to 156 inclusive, and of 159 to 187 inclusive, John Hampton | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 151 | Garden ground | Misses Ann, Catherine, Elizabeth & Margaret Wilson | Owners | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 152 | Bleaching green | Misses Ann, Catherine, Elizabeth & Margaret Wilson | Owners | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 153 | Arable field | Misses Ann, Catherine, Elizabeth & Margaret Wilson | Owners | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 154 | Garden ground and bleaching green with appurtenances, including well and piggery | Thomas Landsman | Thomas Landsman | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 155 | Stripe of ground for footpath | John Berry, James Butchart and Mrs Agnes Butchart his wife | John Berry, James Butchart | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 156 | Dwelling house with garden ground before and behind and outhouses | James Butchart and Mrs Agnes Butchart his wife | James Butchart | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 157 | Plantation | John Berry | John Berry | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 158 | Occupation road | John Berry, owners of 151, 152, 153 and of 159 to 179 inclusive | The owners; the occupiers of 150 | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 159 | Dwelling house with coal house attached and small garden or entry | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Helen Thomson (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 160 | Dwelling house with coal house attached and small garden or entry | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | David Galbraith (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 161 | Dwelling house with passage and small garden in front and pigstye and lumber house behind | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Mrs Elspeth Haig (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 162 | Dwelling house with passage and garden in front | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | William Scott (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 163 | Dwelling house with passage and garden in front and coal house | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Mrs Elspeth Paterson & Mrs Isabel Scott (lessees & occupiers) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 164 | Dwelling house with small garden in front | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | William Walker (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 165 | Dwelling house with passage and small garden in front | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Mrs Irvine (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 166 | Dwelling house with small garden in front and behind | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Robert Kidd (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 167 | Dwelling house with small garden in front | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | William Landsman (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 168 | Washing house with small plot in front and entry and small garden on east end | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Robert Kidd (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 169 | Well & bleaching green | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Occupiers of 159 to 168 inclusive | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 170 | Triangular piece of garden ground | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Mrs Haig, Helen Thomson & David Galbraith (lessees & occupiers) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 171 | Piece of garden ground and piggery | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | David Galbraith (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 172 | Piece of garden ground | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Mrs Elspeth Haig (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 173 | Piece of garden ground | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Helen Thomson (lessee); David Galbraith (occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 174 | Piece of garden ground | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | William Scott (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 175 | Piece of garden ground | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | William Landsman (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 176 | Piece of garden ground | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Mrs Scott & Mrs Paterson (lessees & occupiers) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 177 | Piece of garden ground with washing house & pigstye | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Robert Kidd (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 178 | Piece of garden ground & pigstye | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | William Walker (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 179 | Piece of garden ground & pigstye & washing house & privy | Mrs Catherine Meldrum, only surviving trustee of Alexander Meldrum (Robert Kidd, factor) | Mrs Irvine (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 180 | Dwelling houses & toofalls | Charles Jackson | Charles Jackson | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 180/1 | Old quarry and ground with footpath, well and piggeries | John Berry | Charles Jackson, John Jackson, Mrs Ferrier, Mrs Hislop (lessees & occupiers) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 180/2 | Coal house | John Berry | Charles Jackson, John Jackson, Mrs Ferrier, Mrs Hislop (lessees & occupiers) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 180/3 | Washing house | John Berry | Charles Jackson, John Jackson, Mrs Ferrier, Mrs Hislop (lessees & occupiers) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 181 | Garden ground with coal shed at corner | Charles Jackson | Charles Jackson | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 182 | Footpath | Charles Jackson | Charles & John Jackson | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 183 | Dwelling house and court and outhouses | John Jackson | Mrs Charlotte A Ferrier, Mrs Hislop (lessees & occupiers) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 184 | Garden ground | Charles Jackson | John Jackson (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 185 | Garden ground | Charles Jackson | John Jackson & Mrs Hislop (lessees); Mrs Hislop (occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 186 | Arable field | John Berry | James Scott (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 187 | Toofal or dwelling house, with small stripe in front | John Jackson | John Jackson | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 188 | Occupation road | John Berry | John Berry, James Scott | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 189 | Arable field | John Berry | James Scott (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 190 | Clump of trees partially enclosed | John Berry | John Berry | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 191 | Garden ground enclosed with hedge and paling | John Berry | James Scott (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 192 | Arable field | John Berry | James Scott (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 193 | Bleaching green | John Berry | James Scott (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 194 | Washing house and dairy and patch of ground on south and west end | John Berry | James Scott (lessee & occupier) | ||
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 195 | Farm dwelling house with coal house, privy and ashpit attached at south end | John Berry | James Scott (lessee & occupier) | Location | |
| TB & DU | 1864 | RHP24551 | 196 | Private road and court | John Berry | James Scott (lessee & occupier) |
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