Rare 19th century engine discovered in Edinburgh to go on display
It was built in 1878 and was used to regulate the temperature of the Edinburgh Police Chambers, and was discovered in the attic of CoDE The Court.
It is now on display at the Lost Close, the underground vaults of the building and it is the second-oldest surviving Crossley four-stroke engine in the world.
Only two other examples exist with the oldest based at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, USA and another in Denmark.
Despite being hidden for decades, it is in near original condition and research has since found a connection to the Royal Family.
The engine has been cleaned up and is on display (Image: Handout)
Balmoral Castle had the same system installed and the rediscovered engine was originally installed in the Royal Aquarium at Waverly, before being moved to the police chambers in 1881.
Andrew Landsburgh, Director and Founder of CoDE Concepts, said 'This is one of the most exciting finds in Scotland. We found it during The Court's renovation, posted a photo online not knowing what we had, and suddenly experts from around the world were contacting us telling us we'd uncovered something incredible.
'What began as a refurbishment turned into the discovery of a vital piece of Edinburgh, and the world's industrial heritage. This engine connects us directly to Scotland's innovative past and the very beginnings of technology which still powers the modern world. We've brought it down from the attic to The Lost Close, the underground vaults of the building, where visitors can experience this historic find firsthand.'
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The story of the discovery is also to feature in an upcoming documentary, entitled 'Potential Energy' airing from May 23 and delves into how the engine was found.
James Armandary, Tourism Development Lead of The Lost Close, said: 'This is an incredibly exciting addition to The Lost Close. It's not every day you uncover a piece of engineering history that bridges the gap between Scotland's past innovations and technology we take for granted today.
'This building continues to surprise us with its storied history and with the launch of the Scottish Innovations Tour, visitors will not only be able to see the engine up close but also explore Edinburgh's long-overlooked role in shaping global industry.'
The Lost Close, hidden for nearly two centuries beneath layers of rubble from the Great Fire, was also rediscovered during renovations in 2019.
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While renovating The Lost Close just off The Royal Mile the owners found an engine in the attic. The rare 19th century Crossley Otto Silent engine is one of only three in existence (the other two are in the US and in Denmark) and it has now been restored and given pride of place by moving it downstairs to the underground vaults. The engine is in near original condition, but whether it was installed in the building or bought second hand Research revealed a royal connection. In the 1800s, Edinburgh Police Chambers and Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family's Scottish residence, had the same system installed; adding to the royal connection, this rediscovered engine had originally been installed in the short lived 'Royal Aquarium' at Waverley, before being moved to the police chambers in 1881 where it was installed for the purpose of ventilation. The story of the engine will be told in May at an event held at The Scottish Storytelling Centre. Details below. Andrew Landsburgh, Director and Founder of CoDE Concepts, said 'This is one of the most exciting finds in Scotland. We found it during The Court's renovation, posted a photo online not knowing what we had, and suddenly experts from around the world were contacting us telling us we'd uncovered something incredible. 'What began as a refurbishment turned into the discovery of a vital piece of Edinburgh, and the world's industrial heritage. This engine connects us directly to Scotland's innovative past and the very beginnings of technology which still powers the modern world. We've brought it down from the attic to The Lost Close, the underground vaults of the building, where visitors can experience this historic find firsthand.' The story of this extraordinary discovery will be featured in an upcoming documentary titled 'Potential Energy' airing from 23rd May, which delves into how the engine was found, its relocation from the attic to The Lost Close, underground vaults of the building and the possibilities of restoring it for modern use. The engine is currently on display at The Lost Close. To mark this discovery, The Lost Close is launching the Scottish Innovations Tour this June, exploring the country's contributions to innovation and industry. Visitors will journey through The Lost Close, now the permanent home of the Crossley 'Otto Silent' engine, and uncover Edinburgh's role in shaping global technological progress. James Armandary, Tourism Development Lead of The Lost Close, said 'This is an incredibly exciting addition to The Lost Close. It's not every day you uncover a piece of engineering history that bridges the gap between Scotland's past innovations and technology we take for granted today. 'This building continues to surprise us with its storied history and with the launch of the Scottish Innovations Tour, visitors will not only be able to see the engine up close but also explore Edinburgh's long-overlooked role in shaping global industry.' The Lost Close, hidden for nearly two centuries beneath layers of rubble from the Great Fire, was also rediscovered during renovations in 2019. Like this: Like Related
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Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now During renovations, an exceptionally rare Victorian Crossley engine was found tucked away in the attic of CoDE The Court, where it had remained hidden for decades. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... This piece of local history is now on display in The Lost Close, the underground vaults of the building at Barrie's Close, situated off Parliament Square and the Royal Mile in the Old Town of Edinburgh. Built in 1878, this marvel of Victorian engineering, far ahead of its time, used to regulate the temperature of the Edinburgh Police Chambers, and its survival offers a rare glimpse into 19th century innovation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This engine is the second-oldest surviving Crossley four-stroke engine in the world and the oldest in Europe. Only two other examples exist, the oldest is housed at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, USA, and another in Denmark. During renovation work at CoDE The Court, a rare 19th-century Crossley 'Otto Silent' engine, one of only three in existence, was discovered tucked away in the attic. | James Armandary Photography Its discovery, in near original condition, by CoDE founder Andrew Landsburgh, adds a significant chapter to Britain's industrial heritage. See video of the discovery here. Andrew Landsburgh, director and founder of CoDE Concepts, said 'This is one of the most exciting finds in Scotland. We found it during The Court's renovation, posted a photo online not knowing what we had, and suddenly experts from around the world were contacting us telling us we'd uncovered something incredible. 'What began as a refurbishment turned into the discovery of a vital piece of Edinburgh, and the world's industrial heritage. This engine connects us directly to Scotland's innovative past and the very beginnings of technology which still powers the modern world. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We've brought it down from the attic to The Lost Close, the underground vaults of the building, where visitors can experience this historic find firsthand.' The engine was moved out of the attic and placed on display at the Lost Close. | Taste The story of this extraordinary discovery will be featured in an upcoming documentary titled 'Potential Energy' airing from May 23, which delves into how the engine was found, its relocation from the attic to The Lost Close, underground vaults of the building and the possibilities of restoring it for modern use. The engine is currently on display at The Lost Close. To mark this discovery, The Lost Close is launching the Scottish Innovations Tour this June, exploring the country's contributions to innovation and industry. Visitors will journey through The Lost Close, now the permanent home of the Crossley 'Otto Silent' engine, and uncover Edinburgh's role in shaping global technological progress. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad James Armandary, tourism development lead of The Lost Close, said 'This is an incredibly exciting addition to The Lost Close. It's not every day you uncover a piece of engineering history that bridges the gap between Scotland's past innovations and technology we take for granted today. 'This building continues to surprise us with its storied history and with the launch of the Scottish Innovations Tour, visitors will not only be able to see the engine up close but also explore Edinburgh's long-overlooked role in shaping global industry.' Thought lost to time, it's now been restored and installed in The Lost Close, a rediscovered underground vault beneath the former Edinburgh Police Chambers. | Taste Sign up for our Breaking Newsletter and stay up to date on the latest news stories from Edinburgh and the Lothians. It's unclear whether the engine was newly installed in the building or a second-hand acquisition. Adding to the intrigue, research revealed a royal connection. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the 1800s, Edinburgh Police Chambers and Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family's Scottish residence, had the same system installed; adding to the royal connection, this rediscovered engine had originally been installed in the short lived 'Royal Aquarium' at Waverley, before being moved to the police chambers in 1881 where it was installed for the purpose of ventilation. The Lost Close, hidden for nearly two centuries beneath layers of rubble from the Great Fire, was also rediscovered during renovations in 2019.
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A rare Victorian engine once used in an Edinburgh police building has been found in an attic during renovation work. The Crossley engine lay hidden for decades before it was discovered in the attic of CoDE The Court, now a hotel in the city. Researchers said it was originally installed in a 'Royal Aquarium' which was briefly in place at Waverley Market near Waverley station in Edinburgh. It was then moved to the Edinburgh police chambers in 1881 where it was installed for ventilation. The engine is now on display in The Lost Close, the underground vaults of the CoDE Concepts building, and its discovery will feature in a forthcoming documentary. Andrew Landsburgh, director and founder of CoDE Concepts, said: 'This is one of the most exciting finds in Scotland. 'We found it during The Court's renovation, posted a photo online, not knowing what we had, and suddenly experts from around the world were contacting us telling us we'd uncovered something incredible. 'What began as a refurbishment turned into the discovery of a vital piece of Edinburgh, and the world's industrial heritage. 'This engine connects us directly to Scotland's innovative past and the very beginnings of technology which still powers the modern world. 'We've brought it down from the attic to The Lost Close, the underground vaults of the building, where visitors can experience this historic find firsthand.' The engine is thought to be the second-oldest surviving Crossley four-stroke engine in the world and the oldest in Europe. Only two other examples are said to exist, the oldest housed at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, USA, and another in Denmark. The Lost Close was rediscovered during renovations in 2019. James Armandary, tourism development lead of The Lost Close, said: 'This is an incredibly exciting addition to The Lost Close. It's not every day you uncover a piece of engineering history that bridges the gap between Scotland's past innovations and technology we take for granted today. 'This building continues to surprise us with its storied history and with the launch of the Scottish Innovations Tour, visitors will not only be able to see the engine up close but also explore Edinburgh's long-overlooked role in shaping global industry.' The story of the discovery of the engine, which was found in spring 2024, will feature in the documentary Potential Energy which will premiere at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on May 23. The Lost Close is launching the Scottish Innovations Tour this June, which will explore the country's contributions to innovation and industry.
