The Edinburgh and Dalkieth Railway received the royal assent on 26 May 1826 as a horse-drawn tramway to the Scotch gauge, of 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm), to link various coal mines to the south east of Edinburgh.

Formation

The main line
The Leith branch was partially opened in March 1835 and fully brought into use in July 1838.

Leith branch
To be added

Dalkeith branch
To be added

Expansion

Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Railway at Duddingston Junction
North British Railway at Niddrie South Junction
Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway at Millerhill
Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (including Marquis of Lothian's waggonway) at Dalhousie Connections to other Lines
Further information is provided in the article Innocent Railway
The line acquired the name Innocent Railway because of its safety record, despite carrying up to 400,000 passengers per year, no-one was ever killed.

Future