Edinburgh, Rutland Street, Princes Street Station, Screen Entrance, Category A listed railway entrance in Edinburgh, Scotland
The Screen Entrance of Princes Street Station is a stone entrance on Rutland Street that survives as the only above-ground remnant of the former Edinburgh Princes Street Station. The approach shows a stone facade with classical elements and remains protected as a Category A listed building even though the station behind it disappeared decades ago.
The station opened in 1870 and connected Edinburgh with Glasgow through the Caledonian Railway, with this entrance providing city access to the terminal. The station closed in September 1965 as part of the nationwide reduction of rail networks and was demolished, leaving only the Rutland Street facade standing.
The screen once formed the main approach for travelers moving between the station and the adjoining hotel, showing how large terminals connected closely with hospitality. Today this facade keeps its original position and shows how Victorian architects designed entrances as visible transitions between city space and rail traffic.
The stone structure is clearly visible from the street and can be viewed during a walk through Edinburgh's West End without needing access to the building itself. Visitors find the details of the Victorian construction easiest to read in daylight when the stone carvings and window arches stand out clearly.
The building now stands alone at a street corner marking an underground space that once held busy platforms and tracks beneath the city surface. This visible remnant reminds that parts of central Edinburgh sit above vanished transport infrastructure.
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