Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Rise and fall of city’s
Death knell for Dundee West station sounded 55 years ago
AT 8pm on May 1 1965, the very last train to run from Dundee West Railway Stat ion depa r ted for Glasgow.
More than 200 people gathered to wave it off, and it’s likely a good few tears were shed.
That’s because the station, one of the most beautiful late Victorian railway buildings in Britain, was due to be demolished to make way for a bypass to the new Tay Road Bridge the following year.
Described by Scottish architectural historian Charles McKean as “overly bombastic”, the station was a showpiece for the city – a veritable cathedral celebrating steam.
Built in deep red sandstone, round corner turrets gave the impression of a castle nestled in the Highlands, while the steep pitched roof was reminiscent of a French chateau.
The clock tower at the south end towered over the area with an authoritative eye.
Its demolition, i n 1966, was described by author John Minnis as “perhaps the most tragic loss” of a piece of railway architecture in Scotland.
Dundee West Station stood opposite where the Malmaison hotel is today, virtually sharing the site with Tay Bridge Station, which operated at the same time.
The station which was demolished was actually the third on that site and was completed in 1889 by the Caledonian Railway.
The first station had been made of wood and was built to serve the new Dundee to Arbroath line in 1840.
The first train was hauled by an engine named The Queen, which hit the heady speed of 45mph.
Seven years later, on May 22 1847, the first train going west set off.
The idea of linking Dundee to Perth was exciting, and indeed, a news report at the time said: “All Dundee, Perth and the Carse of Gowrie turned out to watch.”
Meanwhile, the North British Daily Mail’s report on the first journey said: “As the hour approached for the starting of the train, the bells of St John’s Church run out a merry peal, the union jack was hoisted at the railway station and also at Bellfield House... which stands on the hill of Kinnoull above the railway line. Flags were also flying upon the Court House and other prominent places.”
However, as well as winning cheers from large crowds of spectators assembled in gardens and orchards along the route, the first train was greeted with scowls from stage-coach proprietors and shipping companies fiercely opposed to the railway line.
Others to object included wealthy landowners who didn’t like what they deemed to be noisy, dangerous contraptions going near their properties.
At Kinfauns Castle, for example, Lord Gray would only allow the line to come through his estate for a hefty fee of £12,000.
When the first train arrived at Perth, a banquet was given to 500 guests in a railway shed disguised as a pavilion.
Among the company was Sir Patrick Murray Thriepland of Fingask who remarked that the train had brought Dundee and Perth together in the “shortest possible time”.
He also ventured to prophesy that people would soon, in one day, be able to buy a tartan shawl in Inverness, a gown in Glasgow, lace in Nottingham....or see Jenny Ling sing in London.