Dundee and Newtyle Railway Company

Dundee and Newtyle Railway Company

The Dundee and Newtyle Railway Company was formed in 1826 and in the following year tenders were invited for contractual engineering works. This was the first railway to be built in the north of Scotland, and was intended to transport commodities both ways between the valley of Strathmore and the port of Dundee. The route crossed the considerable heights of the Sidlaw Hills, and the work was complicated by the decision to construct a tunnel through Dundee Law, which was finally completed in 1829, allowing the 11 mile line to open in 1832. Between 1835 and 1838 the line was extended both to the west and the north-east by the opening of the Newtyle and Coupar Angus Railway and the Newtyle and Glammiss Railway. Both the Newtyle and Coupar Angus Railway Company and the Newtyle and Glammiss Railway Company were absorbed by the Scottish Midland Junction Railway in 1845 which, in turn, was absorbed by the Scottish North Eastern Railway Company in 1856. The Scottish North Eastern was itself absorbed into the Caledonian Railway Company in 1865, ultimately becoming part of the London Midland Scottish Railway Company in 1923. The Dundee and Newtyle Railway Company, however, was leased to the Dundee and Perth Railway Company in 1846, became part of the new Dundee, Perth and Aberdeen Junction Railway Company in 1848, and was also absorbed into the Caledonian Railway Company in 1865. The Harbour Branch of the line was built in 1842 to facilitate traffic to and from Dundee's harbour. The line made a loss from its introduction but the company continued, drawing rent and paying out debt, although it had little influence on policy decisions. In 1923 the Caledonian Railway was itself taken over by the London Midland Scottish Railway Company, and the Dundee and Newtyle Railway Company ceased to exist.