As a schoolboy, which was not yesterday, I undertook work experience at the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh in a building on Queen Street that now functions as serviced apartments
My task was to catalogue pictures relating to an event which, to my shame, I had never heard of – the Quintinhsill Rail Disaster.
Taking place on 22nd May 1915, at the height of the First World War, the event occurred at the Quintinshill signal box near Gretna Green and remains the worst rail disaster in British history. A train packed with nearly 500 members of the Leith Battalion of the Royal Scots travelling from Larbert collided with a local passenger service at Quintinshill.
Straight afterwards, a Glasgow-bound express train smashed into the wreckage at Quintinshill, setting off a devastating fire which engulfed the troop train. In total, around 226 people were killed (215 of whom were soldiers) and a further 246 people were injured.
Some bodies were never recovered, having been wholly consumed by the fire, and when the bodies of the men of the Royal Scots were returned to Leith, where they were buried together in a mass grave in Rosebank Cemetery.
As we mark the 110th anniversary of this disaster, it is heartening to see continued recognition of this event, including a new exhibition at the Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street, Leith.
The Royal Scots Regimental Museum will host its annual week-long community outreach exhibition, this year entitled GRETNA 110, at Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh EH6 8RG between 1000 – 1630 from Monday 19 to Saturday 24 May 2025.
GRETNA 110 commemorates the 110th anniversary of Britain’s worst rail disaster at Quintinshill, near Gretna, on 22 May 1915. The exhibition raises awareness of the 227 people killed in the crash, including the 216 Royal Scots officers and soldiers of the 1st/7th (Leith) Battalion who were on the first leg of their journey to fight at Gallipoli, and the impact it had on Leith and the wider Lothians community.
The exhibition, being staged at what was the Battalion’s Drill Hall in 1915, will be officially opened at 10:00, Monday 19 May, by Scottish Veterans Commissioner, Susie Hamilton, and Depute Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Councillor Lezley Cameron. There will be a media preview immediately prior to the opening, between 09:30 – 10:00.
The terrible disaster left an indelible scar on the close-knit Leith and Musselburgh communities, with several families losing both fathers and sons. Many of the dead were taken to a temporary mortuary that had been established in the Battalion’s Drill Hall on Dalmeny Street before the majority were buried in the nearby Rosebank Cemetery, Pilrig Street.
A Memorial Service will take place at the cemetery on 24 May. A separate Service will take place at Gretna on the anniversary of the crash.
The GRETNA 110 exhibition includes:
· A short film, ‘Leith’s Darkest Dawn’, explaining the Crash and the aftermath, including a 1983 interview with a survivor and two direct descendants
· Displays, including artefacts recovered from the crash (a molten rifle and bugle) and a paper knife made from the wood of one of the carriages
· A dedicated Research Room with access to The Royal Scots records with genealogy and medals experts
· Moving illustrated stories from some of the soldiers involved and their families
· The important role played by the people of Gretna and Carlise after the Crash
· Long lasting sporting connections including football, boxing and swimming
· Leith Academy’s GRETNA 110 researched creative exhibits display
Brigadier George Lowder MBE, Chair The Royal Scots Trust said: “We should never forget those who lost their lives, and the impact on their families, who were at the beginning of their journey to fight for their country”
Robin Bell: “My father Ian was a platoon commander, of 45 men.
“He survived the Crash, but at the sad roll call afterwards only four of his platoon answered their names.”
Susie Hamilton, Scottish Veterans Commissioner, said: “This exhibition, commemorating the country’s worst-ever rail disaster 110 years ago, honours the young men who lost their lives while on their way to serve their country.
“It speaks to the heartbreak endured by local families and preserves the memory of a deeply poignant chapter in our nation’s history – one that must never be forgotten.”
On the morning of May 22nd 1915, Quintinshill near Gretna witnessed the biggest train disaster in British railway history.
Three trains had collided resulting in 226 fatalities. Most of the dead were soldiers who had trained at the Drill Hall in Leith, on their way to Gallipoli.
Those who had waved their young sons, brothers, sweethearts and friends off only days earlier were soon to be faced with the solemn task of identifying their loved one’s body in the Drill Hall on Dalmeny Street in Leith.
Back in 2015 thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust, who now own and manage the Drill Hall as an arts centre and much loved resource for the community, marked the centenary of this disaster, with an exhibition and theatre performance.
What’s happening
On Thursday 22nd May 2025, 110 years to the day of the tragic crash will assemble many of the 2015 participants for a special reunion screening of Ray Bird’s short film, Gretna 100. The film illustrates how a participatory arts project can have a long lasting impact for participants and audience alike.
To mark the centenary of the disaster in 2015, a group of community actors from Active Inquiry and Strange Town Young Company researched and devised a piece of promenade theatre, Persevere, which guided the audience around the Drill Hall enabling them to catch glimpses of stories of Leithers 100 years ago.
There was also a separate research group which included descendants of those who were involved in the tragedy, an exhibition group and the production of the Tree of Life, with a glass artist and Pilmeny Youth Centre. Ray Bird (Drill Hall based filmmaker) made a great film of the project, which will be screened on Thursday 22nd May 2025.
Comments on the project
‘The Out of the Blue Drill Hall is historically associated with a hugely significant tragedy for the Leith community. Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund we were able to explore the impact on individuals and families by people undertaking their own research, uncovering stories and presenting them to the people of Leith – and beyond! Ray Bird’s film documented the process of the community’s involvement in the context of exploring the impact of the 1915 tragedy to powerful effect’- Out of the Blue CEO Rob Hoon
“difficult not to be moved and shaken by the profound sense of place, time and continuity conjured up by this fine 24-strong community company” – Joyce McMillan – The Scotsman – ‘Persevere’ review 5th June 2015
“It was a great experience to be part of a project which engaged with the history of our local area, whilst simultaneously engaging with the community that lives here now” – Gretna 100 participant
Part of the ‘Out of the Blue is 30’ events series.
Activity to be held in Leith, Gretna, Stirling and Dundee this year
Leith, Gretna, Stirling and Dundee will host national events in 2015 to mark the centenary of First World War dates with particular resonance for Scotland and the Scots, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop announced yesterday.
The focus of the Scottish Commemorations Programme in its second year will extend from the capital to include other areas of Scotland whose communities are closely associated with the anniversaries being marked.
On May 22 and 23, Gretna and Leith in Edinburgh will mark the centenary of the Quintinshill Rail Disaster (pictured above), a train crash on the Caledonian Railway Mainline just outside the Border town that claimed the lives of 216 of the Leith-based 7th Battalion TheRoyal Scots, Territorial Force as they journeyed to Liverpool prior to sailing for Gallipoli. To this day Quintinshill remains the worst rail crash to have ever happened in the UK in terms of loss of life.
On June 4 and 6, Stirling will host a national commemoration to mark the 100-year anniversary of the date the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division arrived in Gallipoli after training in Stirling. The division, including many Scottish battalions, left from Larbert on 21 and 22 May and landed on the Gallipoli peninsula on June 4 to take part in the allied naval and military operation to force the Dardanelles which aimed to secure entry to the Black Sea and to the then capital of Turkey, Istanbul.
On September 26, Dundee will host a national event to commemorate the centenary of the start of the Battle of Loos, in which around 30,000 Scots fought. Battalions from every Scottish regiment fought in the Battle of Loos and suffered huge numbers of casualties. Of the 21,000 killed, over 7,000 were Scottish soldiers. Almost every town and village in Scotland was affected by the losses at Loos. Six Battalions of the Black Watch, mostly drawn from Dundee and its surrounding counties, took part. The 4th Black Watch, “Dundee’s Own”, suffered huge losses with 57% of men killed or wounded on the first day of battle. The beacon on top of the Dundee Law War Memorial is lit annually to remember the fallen.
Through the Scottish Commemorations Panel, Ministers are liaising with Stirling Council, Dundee City Council, City of Edinburgh Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council and the Royal Scots Regimental Association on arrangements for each event. Further details will be announced later in the year.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “Throughout 2015 – the busiest year in Scotland’s five-year commemorations programme – we will continue to encourage people in all parts of Scotland to join with us to consider the impact of the First World War, which claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Scots and left many more injured or disabled.
“The Quintinshill Rail Disaster, Gallipoli campaign and Battle of Loos each had a profound and long-lasting impact on Scotland and it is right that we pause to remember each event, and the Scottish communities who were affected.
“The First World War had a significant and broad impact on our nation. Through our national commemorations the people of Scotland will have opportunities to reflect on its lasting social and civic legacy.”
Norman Drummond, Chair of the Scottish Commemorations Panel, said:
“This year commemorations will again be taking place all over Scotland to mark the centenary of events which had such a huge impact on the people of Scotland in the communities which were most affected.
“2015 will be the busiest year in Scotland’s five-year commemorations programme, and we will further pause to reflect on the horror of war, the service and sacrifice of our servicemen and women and of those at home, and the lessons we continue to learn from World War One.”
