SAW026338 SCOTLAND (1949). Springfield, general view, showing Old Blacksmith's Shop, Bensmoor Road and Gretna Loaning. An oblique aerial photograph taken facing north.

Main line railway. Part of the West Coast Route from London (Euston) To Glasgow (Central). Originally Caledonian Railway, them London Midland Scottish, and at the time of this photograph the newley nationalised British Railways.

Quintishill signal Box. On a bright sunny morning in May 1915,due to inappropriate practices by Caledonian Railway staff, occurred here Britain's worst rail disaster. At 06.38 on 22nd May 1915 A troop train heading to Liverpool crashed into a local train that had been shunted into it's path. Minutes later the overnight sleeper train from London Euston to Glasgow ran into the wreakage. Hot coals from the locomotives ignited gas eascaping from the ruptured tanks of the gas lit carriages and turned the whole area into an inferno. The result of all this mayhem was 226 persons killed and another 246 injured. Most of the victims were soldiers of the 1/7th (Leith)Battalion Royal Scots who were on their way to Gallipoli. Two signalmen were held accountable for this tragic event. One went to prison for 3 years, the other served 18 months.