Remains of earliest standard gauge railway in Scotland found

"Archaeologists have discovered the remains of Scotland's earliest standard gauge railway in Cockenzie, East Lothian. Believed to have been in use as early as 1775, the 1435mm (4'8.5) wide wooden railway may even predate the Willington Waggonway of Newcastle, previously believed to be the oldest standard gauge railway. That 1435mm track gauge would spread from the gravity-and-horse-powered waggon railways to become the standard for the steam-powered trains of the 19th century."

"It was built in 1722 by the York Buildings Company to carry coal from the pits at Tranent to the industrial saltworks of Cockenzie where salt was produced by evaporating seawater in large vats known as salt pans. The loaded waggons went down the railway powered by gravity with brakemen overseeing. The empty wagons were pulled back up to the coal pits by horses."

"To support these frequent runs of great weight, the waggonway had double height rails to overcome the difficulty of moving heavy wooden carts laden with tons of coal over soggy ground. It featured one sets of rail floated on top of another, the lower rails connected and stabilized by tie beams. The timbers were cut square and joined with wooden dowels called trenails."

Archaeological excavations at Cockenzie, East Lothian, have uncovered sections of a 1435mm (4'8.5") wooden railway possibly in use by about 1775, potentially older than the Willington Waggonway. The Tranent–Cockenzie Waggonway was constructed in 1722 by the York Buildings Company to transport coal to Cockenzie saltworks, where seawater was evaporated in large salt pans. Loaded waggons descended by gravity under brakeman control while empty wagons were drawn back by horses. The operation required about 2,000 tons of coal annually, prompting robust double-height rail construction using trenails. Excavators have exposed 65 feet of preserved rail and ties so far.

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