Speakers: Ed Bethune, FSA Scot, and Dr Aaron Allen

In May 1722, William Dickson was employed by the York Buildings Company to construct a wooden waggonway between Tranent and Cockenzie in East Lothian. It marked the start of railway history in Scotland.

William Dickson's journals record the construction and maintenance of Scotland's first railway. They are a wonderful resource for the nation to celebrate, and Dickson deserves greater recognition in Scottish industrial history.

Join Ed Bethune FSA Scot and Dr Aaron Allen of the 1722 Waggonway Project to discuss Dickson’s Journals. The talk will shine a unique spotlight onto, not only a seminal moment in Scottish transport history, but also more than 25 years of industrial working practice.

For those with accessibility requirements, please contact education@nrscotland.gov.uk in advance of your visit.

Ed Bethune and Dr Aaron Allen:

Ed Bethune is an early railway historian and heritage consultant, and founded the 1722 Waggonway Project in 2017. His latest book, Early Railways of Scotland is due for release in August 2025.

Dr Aaron Allen is an Academic Developer with the University of Edinburgh. His research and published material focuses on craft guilds and the history of work. Both Ed and Aaron contributed to the Saltire Award nominated 'SALT: Scotland’s newest oldest industry', the celebrated collection of research into Scotland’s saltmaking history.

The 1722 Waggonway Project is a community heritage project run by the 1722 Waggonway Heritage Group. It aims to interpret, preserve and enhance engagement with Scotland’s first railway. To learn more, visit the website.

The story of Scotland’s first railway: the journals of William Dickson