Uphall Main Street crossing

A busy level crossing, equipped with a signal box, carrying a single line of standard-gauge rails across West Main St. Uphall. The crossing formed part of a lengthy route between Uphall oil works, Hopetoun oil works, and onwards to the Hopetoun pits, which was built by the Uphall Oil Co. Ltd

Archive records

• 143446 - Minute of Agreement between the Southern District Committee of Road Trustees for the County of Linlithgow and the Uphall Oil Co. Ltd, as to Level Crossing at Uphall. Dated 12th November 1883.
• 143416 - Decision by Bathgate District Committee of Linlithgow County Council on 9th July 1901, to charge wayleave on existing level crossings. "Messrs Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Company have a crossing over tbe main road between Edinburgh, Bathgate and Airdrie at the west entrauce to the village of Uphall where the traffic is very considerable. The right of crossing was granted by the Old Road Trustees before the passing of the Roads and Bridges Act on an agreemeut by which the Company bind themselves to pay £20 per annum, and fulfil certain conditions, some of which have not been fully implemented, and the signal box has unquestionably been built mostly on ground belonging to the road. The gates are worked by levers from the signal box, but are placed inside the footpaths so that when they are closed both foot and wheel traffic is stopped. Were the gate on the south side set back to the line of the signal box it would open the greater part of the south footpath, though there still would be a slight encroachment within the line of the road fence. Your Committee interviewed Mr Bagshaw, Local Manager, on the subject, and he agreed to bring the matter to the notice of his Directors, but requested that in the event of the improvement being carried out his Company should not be required to form the foot path on the north side of the road as conditional in their agreement but which has never been implemented. Your Committee would recommend that these terms be agreed to, the foot traffic being almost entirely on the south side of the road, and the setting back of the gates would serve this."
• 215852 page 6. Note that agreement with road authority was terminated 15/05/1957

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Newspaper references

LEVEL CROSSING AT UPHALL With reference to the minute of 17th September 1901, the Surveyor submitted report from Young's Oil Company with plan and specifications in regard to the work be done in order place this level crossing in a more satisfactory condition, and make it more in accordance than heretofore with the original agreement. The committee agreed to accept the modifications proposed on condition that the footpath and gates be constructed with the least possible delay, in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted. The committee further resolved, as an act of grace, to reduce the payment due by Young’s Oil Coy, for this current the annual sum of £20 to the sum £l0. Approved of.

Linlithgowshire Gazette - 21st March 1902