The departure of the first passenger train to leave Perth, on the 15 th May 1848, was the culmination of numerous railway projects whose predecessors, starting as early as 1804, had failed.

The initial scheme of 1804, had in fact, no intention of carrying passengers at all, its aim was to connect the Fife coalfields to the Perth area to transport coal for domestic heating and industrial use. The originator of this scheme, an entrepreneur by the name of J. Syme, from Edinburgh, was only prepared to put up 50% of the capital. He failed to convince Perth Council of the day to provide the remainder of the capital and the scheme was abandoned. A similar plan in 1808 was also rejected.

The first plans for the railways in the shape nearest to today's network were first formulated in the 1830'5, and inspired by producers and merchants desire for a speedy and efficient transport system to Glasgow, the rapidly expanding "second city" of the Empire. Perth, an already thriving community, had, as its main transport links, a road system and busy harbour facilities. The first half of the nineteenth century saw Perth, with stage coach operators plying to the major cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness, plus some sixty six freight carriers. Perth’s busy harbour had some seventy plus vessels registered as Perth based. Opposition by these powerful vested interests ensured that early attempts to bring rail transport to Perth were thwarted. However, to enable shipping companies to compete more effectively against the perceived (and inevitable?) railway threat, dredging operations were carried out in the Tay between 1835 and 1847 to allow larger vessels to trade from the city.

Scottish Central Railway locomotive No 7 (circa 1862) (Photograph courtesy of Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Perth & Kinross Council, Scotland.  Use of this image by third parties and end users is strictly prohibited except for private studies)

By the end of the 1830'5 however, "railway mania" had a firm grip on England and was rapidly spreading in Scotland.

The Town Council was, by 1840, well aware of the economic and social advantages railways could bring and were actually supporting a Perth - Dundee line. Other proposals were, however, causing them considerable alarm. Their main cause for concern was a proposed Forth - Tay railway, linking Dundee with Edinburgh by ferry and railway line across Fife, avoiding Perth. They launched an offensive in favour of an alternative "West Fife" route via Perth, accurately foreseeing that the eastern route, (using ferries to cross the two Firths) "... would exclude Perth from present or prospective advantage …" and the Town Council "… must take measures to secure the interests of Perth City and County therewith as far as possible".

The seriousness with which the city fathers deemed a railway necessary is demonstrated by the fact that, by the end of February 1841, a "Town and Counties Committee was formed to examine prospective rail developments in Scotland, and promote Perth's interests in projected railway lines to and from the city. The committee’s brief included the establishment of vigorous opposition to alternative routes by-passing Perth. Attempts were even made, in those days of rampant capitalism and free enterprise, to coerce the government into setting up a commission to dictate the route of potential railways, this move was also supported by Aberdeen. It was, however, firmly rejected by the government of the day in a response stating, "… the government does not have the power to intervene and competing lines (merits) can only be decided by Parliament".

A further proposal suggested a line from Edinburgh, via Stirling to Perth and Dundee, should be considered, and a further committee was set up to support this route. The Council were determined to ensure that Perth was on the railway map, and their efforts, plus the lack of technology in bridge building, undoubtedly ensured their ultimate success.

In a press report of 1st. April 1841 the committee reported that the line from Edinburgh via Stirling to Perth linking with the proposed Edinburgh - Glasgow line was the most favoured. The sum of £105 of the £300 - £500 required for "... Messrs Locke and Errington, eminent railway engineers, to survey the route, had been raised" and the Committee "thought the people of Perth would support the line as part of a grand trunk route … linking to London".

By 1842 the Glasgow to Edinburgh trunk line was under construction with several small companies operating networks at either end, and over the succeeding two years up nine companies were to bring forward suggestions for proposed railway construction to and from Perth.

By 1844 however, four main contenders had emerged and were as follows:- Scottish Central Railway, Perth - Stirling - Greenhill, (to connect with the Edinburgh - Glasgow line and the Perth Dundee Railway). Scottish Midland Junction Railway planning a line from Perth to Forfar, and the Edinburgh - Perth and Great North of Scotland Railway who were planning to join forces with the Perth Dundee Railway and progress via Dundee to Aberdeen.

The newly constructed bridge over the River Tay to the north of Perth General Station replaced the original wooden structure which is reported to have swayed as trains crossed it.   A 5 mph speed limit was also placed on the original structure.  (circa 1862) (Photograph courtesy of Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Perth & Kinross Council, Scotland.  Use of this image by third parties and end users is strictly prohibited except for private studies)

The various acts of Parliament required prior to the commencement of the schemes were passed in. 1846 together with Act of Parliament to allow the construction of the Perth General Station. The explosion of activity to build the railways commenced with the import of large numbers of Irish and English labourers, required to carry out earthworks on and unprecedented scale, and described by one Perth citizen as "gangers and gandrels".

The perceived benefits of bringing the rail networks to Perth were not. however without their traumas. By 1845 it was reported that at least half of the well to do families in Perth had lost money, and a few bankrupted by investing in failed railway schemes. Stagecoach, shipping and haulage interests were fiercely opposed to the coming of railways, but to no apparent detriment to the progress of the various railway schemes.

The only effective opposition from these sources delayed the bridging of the Tay for one year, and the Perth - Dundee Railway were initially forced to set up their terminus at Barnhill, on the east bank of the Tay, one mile from the city centre and convey passengers by "buses" to the town centre.

The only major natural obstacle was to the south of the city in the shape of Moncrieffe Hill. This was overcome by the boring of a tunnel one and a half miles long, creating employment for even larger numbers of "navvies, and presumably gun powder manufacturers, as 250,000 lbs of their products were used in the blasting operations.

Construction would appear to have proceeded as planned, with the exception of a Friday night early in August 1847. At that time some 100 - 200 of the men employed on the Scottish Central line were in a public house in St. John Street, awaiting the arrival of their pay from the contractor. On hearing the contractor had "gone away" they "assumed a threatening aspect". Initial intervention and the issuing of bread by the authorities placated the men at the time but" ... during the night the men got very riotous ... police were assaulted in a body and their batons broken …". The riots continued over the weekend and "… some 20 -30 men were arrested and suffered fines and imprisonment"

Another dispute, although more peaceful, arose over the siting of the Scottish Central Joint Railway Station. Initially plans were put forward for its construction on the South Inch. Fortunately for succeeding generations, this plan was firmly rejected and, after much negotiation, the present site for the "General Station was chosen.

All the trials and tribulations of preceding years appear to have been forgotten, when, on the 15th May 1848, the first train of 13 carriages and approximately 200 passengers set off from the temporary station on the first official one and three quarter hour journey to Stirling.

The regular services for fare paying passengers commenced the following week with six trains a day commencing at 6 30 a.m.

Return to Home Page or Return to the History Index Page