A harbour engineered in 1849–51 received railway wagons ferried across the Tay while also serving fishing and military activity.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1849–51; later pier extension
- Architect / designer
- Thomas Bouch and Thomas Grainger, engineers
- Type
- Tidal former railway harbour
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB25828)
- OS grid reference
- NO 46373 30531
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Ashlar quays form a U-shaped tidal basin with paved margins, buttresses and heavy mooring fittings. A later pier projects from the castle battery and partly screens the seaward entrance.
Its story
Railway companies built the basin to transfer rolling stock between Broughty Ferry and Tayport before a fixed rail crossing. Fishing boats and the Volunteer Submarine Miners also used the strategically placed harbour.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises an unusually direct survival of the Tay train-ferry system and a waterfront shared by commercial, fishing and defensive users.
What to notice
- Heavy ashlar blocks lining the tidal basin.
- Mooring fittings set into the quay.
- The visual connection with Tayport across the water.
Reading the surroundings
Keep back from unguarded edges and respect boats, equipment and any temporary restrictions. Do not enter the water, climb piers or block rescue and harbour access; check tides and weather.
Timeline
- 1849–51 Railway companies created a purpose-built transfer point on the Tay.
- 1850s Wagons moved by ferry between complementary basins at Broughty and Tayport.
- 1878 The first Tay Rail Bridge began changing the estuary’s transport pattern.
- 1990 Three reused gun barrels were removed from bollard duty and conserved at the castle.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Current berth management and safe public areas may change; submerged fabric cannot be assessed from the quay.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Broughty Ferry Harbour, LB25828 — Current designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB25828 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Dundee City Council: Broughty Ferry conservation area appraisal — Local-authority context for the harbour, railway and waterfront development.
Location
OS grid reference NO 46373 30531 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; the public text separately states access and any current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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