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Thursday 26 Sep 2013

Waverley tours mark book launch

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Edinburgh’s Waverley Station will open its doors to the public this weekend, with tours of the historic railway terminal timed to correspond with the launch of a new book about the station

The free tours, hosted by historian and author Dr Ann Glen, will give station visitors a rare insight into the inner workings of the station and glimpse into the station’s eventful past. Taking place this Saturday and Sunday (28 & 29 Sept), the tours will reflect the content of Dr Glen’s meticulously researched book ‘Edinburgh Waverley: A Novel Railway Station’.

The book is the first stand alone publication to look solely at the history of Waverley. It tracks the evolution of the station from inception through to the major enhancement works carried out over the last three years.

Among its many insights, the book explains the reason for the station’s unconventional layout and it’s location in the valley between the New and Old Towns. It introduces the characters who defined the station and pioneered the new railways which it served. What emerges is a story of a station which has never stopped adapting to the demands of passengers and industry.

David Simpson, Network Rail route managing director for Scotland, said: “I’m very pleased that Dr Glen has finally managed to capture the rich history of Waverley in the pages of one book. What fascinates me most is the stories of the individuals who are brought to life – both those have had such a profound influence on the appearance and operation of the station and those who are simply passing through. The stories of courage and sacrifice demonstrated by railway workers in both world wars are also incredibly touching.

“The book content is fascinating and I’m sure it will translate well to the station tours taking place this weekend. I’d like to thank Ann for the huge amount of time she has devoted to the book and the tours and for the contribution she has made to celebrating the role Waverley has played in creating a vibrant capital city,”

The free station tours will take place at 10am on Saturday 28 September and Sunday 29 September. Anyone interested can sign up by emailing Darren.gallagher@networkrail.co.uk. The first five people to sign up for each tour will receive a free copy of Edinburgh Waverley: A Novel Railway Station.

The book, Edinburgh Waverley: A Novel Railway Station, is available now from WH Smith in Waverley Station or from Lily publications www.lilypublications.co.uk.