Scotland's First Railway: The 1722Waggonway

[@PowerTrain611]

Fascinating. It's amazing how well something can be preserved just by being buried for 300 years!

[@nicholaskelly1958]

Most interesting. Glad you mentioned the situation that coal miners and salters faced under the terms of the 1606 Act that placed them into permanent bondage to the coal and salt Masters. This form of slavery was introduced to stop people from leaving the industries and to provide a long term work force as children of the workers were automatically enslaved. Also there was provision in the 1606 Act to place anyone who fitted certain criteria (ie the able bodied poor, tramps/vagabonds and even ship wrecked mariners etc etc) into those industries against their own will. Whilst the 1775 Colliers & Salters (Scotland) Act attempted to change the situation in the Scottish coal and salt industries. It was to prove largely ineffectual as by & large nothing actually changed. It would take a further parliamentary action to resolve the issue. This was the 1799 Colliers (Scotland) Act. Even then the Act allowed for a ten year period until 1809 before the 1606 Act was finally abolished. Also it should be noted that despite the fine ideals of both the 1775 and 1799 Acts both of them contained draconian clauses and consequences to prevent the workers from forming any "Combination" (Union). It is often forgotten that Scotland was the last country in Western Europe to abolish internal slavery!

[@Job781]

Very cool

[@ajaxengineco]

I think much of the general public is unaware there were (primitive, often wooden) railways before locomotives - something that needs to be wider broadcast

[@theenigmaticst7572]

YAY!!! I'm so glad you've mentioned the Tranent and Prestonpans Waggonway - thanks Anthony!!!

[@catapultking8861]

It’s crazy, you never would’ve thought archeology would be important to find a old railway! That’s amazing, I’m sure eventually there will be a field of study on studying old railways in an archeological sense! There’s old railways everywhere so I can see a field like this being a super niche and interesting field of study!!

[@Figulus]

I thought that the on-site explanation by Alan Braby was particularly well done. It would be nice to see similar such interviews in future every now and again when the opportunity to do so presents itself. Cheers, and take care.

[@1722waggonway]

Check out the Waggonway Project KZbin channel for loads more from Alan and the waggonway team - you can get all our dig diary videos going back to 2017!

[@richardbradley961]

thank you , very intersting. regards r .

[@TheMarcinoff]

Stellar video. And the part on the archeology site was a real treat

[@mr_Mmph]

First video after subscribing and it's on something old, obscure and quite interesting, a good sign if ever I saw one

[@foowashere]

Welcome!

[@richardswiderski4985]

Thank you Anthony very nicely done.

[@CraigLYoung]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Thanks for watching

[@peterjohncooper]

A fascinating story. Excellently told and narrated with the usual clarity. Thank you.

[@ThomasTrue]

A wonderful video, thank you. The 1722 Waggonway Project are doing sterling work and as one who has cycled and walked the waggonway for decades, it's wonderful to see it being given its due place in history.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Thankyou. It's a privelege to be involved with the project and be part of the archaeological team.

[@Weesel71]

Excellent! I never heard of this before. Thank you.

[@davidflett2723]

Thank you, well done, excellent presentation. I'd really love to see similar videos of other early railways.

[@mycroft1905]

Fascinating! Peerless presentation of railway history. Thanks for posting.

[@Samstrainsofficially]

Was there ever a similar set up the other side water in fife? Mind the history teacher touching on the early history of mining in the area by explaining different types of pits and shafts and where to go to see the remains of examples but he didn't do much on getting the coal down to the coast.

[@eliotreader8220]

I am guessing the coal that was transported was house coal rather than steam coal?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

There was just 'coal', sold in different grades and sizes (doubles, trebles, cobbles). The Tranent Cockenzie Waggonway opened at a time when there were hardly any steam engines, so Steam Coal wasn't really a consideration. ANd the type of steam engine in use then were low pressure (no more than 10psi) would burn pretty much anything. 'Steam Coal' only really refers to coal from South Wales, a high carbon content, low volatile coal, its quite dry and porous. It's hot and doesnt make much smoke, which made it ideal for steam locomotives and steam ships. Pretty much all coal can be used to raised steam in a boiler. Each part of the country designed its locomotive boiler and firebox to suit the local coal, so with Welsh coal you need a wide firebox like GWR locos have, other types you need a different shape.

[@1722waggonway]

The primary purpose of the coal was to fire the salt pans - the poor quality coal (with many impurities) was used for this purpose and any better quality coal was shipped out via the harbour. This superior coal was shipped all over Northern Europe to ports such as Stettin, St Petersburg and Bordeaux.

[@GustavSvard]

Thank you for this video, well told and well edited. And a very interesting content as well. The pre-history of railways, as it were, is something I think is missing when the story of railways is usually told. Might get one or two sentences, but then it's all 1800s with steam locos etc. Which is interesting to be sure, but this period before that with waggonways of different types, that is a story I find needs more telling.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Many thanks! There should be a new video dropping about the 1722 Waggonway this autumn.

[@Nastyswimmer]

The "z" in Cockenzie is derived from the mediaeval letter Ʒ ("yogh") which was later replaced in the alphabet by "y", but continued in use in Scotland into the 17th century. Consequently, Cockenzie is pronounced "Cockennie".

[@vsvnrg3263]

aha! so thats why some people still draw a z with a tail. does this mean that mackenzie should be "mackennie"?

[@Nastyswimmer]

@@vsvnrg3263 Yes. It's the Scots rendering of the Gaelic Mac Coinneach - son of Kenneth. Also Menzies should be pronounced Menyes (not Mingus) as it's the Scots rendering of the French name Menieres.

[@garryferrington811]

How railways started.

[@JonatanGronoset]

Very cool, primitive engineerng is a fashinating subject.

[@bwilesuk]

Who knew.

[@robnewman6101]

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