The station was first opened in 1846 and was rebuilt
between 1892 and 1902. It lies between the old town and modern
Edinburgh, adjacent to Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle and the Princes
Street Gardens.
The North British War Memorial was erected in memory of the members
of the staff of the North British Railway company who gave their lives
for their country in the Great War 1914-1918.
A section of The Physic Garden was removed to make way for the station construction, but the past still survives in the station's elaborate, domed ceiling where wreathed cherubs leap amid a wealth of scrolled ironwork.
Chronology
- North Bridge station was opened by the North British Railway on
18 June 1846.
- General station was opened by Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway on 1
August 1846.
- Canal Street station was opened by Edinburgh, Leith and Granton
Railway on 17 May 1847 and closed on 2 March 1868.
- Edinburgh Waverley station was created in 1854 from these
individual stations on adjacent sites.
- The station was extended between 1869 and 1874 and a new roof
constructed.
- It was rebuilt between 1892 and 1900.
- The North British Hotel (now the Balmoral Hotel) opened on 15
October 1902.
Station design
- The 1847 North Bridge station comprised a transverse ridge and
furrow roof which was 300ft wide by 1100ft long and designed by
engineers, Blyth and Cunningham.
- The 1900 North Bridge station had its roof rebuilt, again in the
transverse ridge and furrow style. It was 375ft wide by 1240ft long and
was designed by engineers, Blyth and Westland.
- The former North British Hotel was designed by architects,
Hamilton and George Beattie.
- The three span iron and steel North Bridge was built between
1896 and 1897 by Blyth and Westland.