John Moore of the Dundee & Arbroath Railway
I refer to the above article (November) and wish to make several comments. The photographic view from Dundee West (p698) is not from a central island platform, this being one of two lengthy platforms with four faces accordingly numbered 1 to 4. Nos.1 and 4 were the short ones at the end of the station wall and buildings and were used for local services such as Blairgowrie and Alyth with Nos.2 and 3 from the station concourse for longer-distance services and having a centre release road as can be seen in the view shown. The somewhat unique ‘back to back’ semaphore arms are evidence of this indicating both departure and arrival at the respective platforms.
Magdalen Green station, as noted, was a later addition on the Dundee & Perth line opening in June 1878, co-incidentally within a month of the opening of the first Tay Bridge. Intentions to do so are not exactly clear but there would be a desire to ‘upstage’ the similar opening of Esplanade station with the well-heeled residents of the west end of Dundee obviously targeted for custom.
Initially named Magdalene after the remains of a nearby
