Our holdings are a major source for 19th century transport architecture in Scotland. There is a wealth of photographic material relating to railway stations and to a lesser extent railway hotels, some dating back to the 1890s or even earlier, but the majority is 20th century and includes not only snapshots taken by railway enthusiasts but officially commissioned views for publicity purposes.
The most important and voluminous source however, is the large collection of architectural drawing dating back to the 1830s. Their subject matter ranges from minor structures such as platelayers' huts, stationmasters' desks and kitchen equipment to major termini, golf courses and hotels. The drawings, now part of the Register House Plans series (NRS reference RHP), can be consulted in the Historical Search Room. You can search for railway plans using our online catalogue.
Civil engineering
Railway construction dramatically altered the landscape of 19th and early 20th century Scotland. Photographs, drawings and calculations exist for the Forth Bridge and date from the 1880s. There are photographs and records (but not drawings) relating to the Tay Bridge - the longest rail bridge over water in Europe.
The large collection of bridge and survey plans (including parliamentary plans) dates from the 1830s to the 1970s and includes drawings of stone bridges on the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr railway, the Scottish Central and other early railways.
An important but neglected source of information are the minutes of evidence (often containing very detailed engineering minutiae) on Railway Bills before parliamentary committees (NRS reference BR/PYB(S)/1-747). Interesting engineering specifications and schedules survive in the records of the Glasgow and South Western, the North British and Caledonian Railways.
