Colinton Tunnel Transformed into Scotland's Largest Mural with Stevenson Poem

A disused Victorian railway tunnel in Colinton, Edinburgh has been converted into a major street art destination, featuring Scotland's largest mural at 140 meters. Local artist Chris Rutterford led the project with street artists Craig Robertson and Duncan Peace, painting Robert Louis Stevenson's poem 'From a Railway Carriage' alongside portraits of community members. The initiative began in June 2019 and finished in October 2021, involving around 600 young people from five schools, youth groups, and the Pentlands Art Club, supported by the Colinton Tunnel charity. The mural includes wood cutouts of native Scottish wildlife like foxes, badgers, and deer, and scenes depicting the joy of rail travel through the countryside. Stevenson had personal ties to Colinton, frequently visiting his grandfather, the minister at Colinton Church. The Balerno Branch Line closed on December 4, 1967, after its last freight train, leading to the tunnel being bricked up until its artistic revival. Now a tourist attraction in Edinburgh's south, the tunnel is accessible via Colinton Parish Church or Easter Hailes Gate, with details at www.colintontunnel.org.uk/history. Photos were provided by Buenos Aires Street Art.