Edinburgh Corporation Tramways
Encyclopedia
Edinburgh Corporation Tramways formerly served the City of Edinburgh
, Scotland
. The city used four-wheeled double-decked trams painted dark red (madder
) and white - a livery still used by Lothian Buses
.
s in Edinburgh were horse-drawn and operated by the Edinburgh Street Tramways Company. The inaugural service (Haymarket to Bernard Street) ran on 6 November 1871. These comlemented and partly replaced the pre-existing horse-drawn carriage from Edinburgh to Leith, the only essential difference being the addition of guide rails. In January 1888 the Edinburgh Northern Tramways started the first cable-haul
ed trams. This had its depot and drive-mechanism on Henderson Row, a building partially preserved in the Scottish Life Assurance offices there. Part of the winding gear is preserved on the pavement to the east side of the office. The cable systenm only operated in certain central areas. In 1894 the Edinburgh Street Tramway lines in Edinburgh (but not Leith
or Portobello
) were taken over by the Edinburgh & District Tramways Company. On 1 July 1919 Edinburgh Corporation took over the operation of the city's tramways.
Leith Corporation took over the still horse-drawn Leith tramlines in 1904 and introduced electric traction in 1905 (the first electric system in Scotland). Edinburgh Corporation took over the Leith system in 1920 (see below).
was a separate burgh, with its own municipal tram system. The Leith system was electrified, whereas the Edinburgh system used cable haulage (as still used by the San Francisco cable car system
and the Great Orme Tramway
in Wales). The cable was housed in a shallow trough between the tram rails; breakages could reduce the entire system to a standstill. The main depot was moved to Shrubhill on Leith Walk
. An underground chamber at the main turn into the garages here was permanently manned during operating hours to try to reduce cable-snagging.
Passengers going from Edinburgh to Leith had to change trams (from cable-drawn to electric) at Pilrig
on Leith Walk
at the boundary between Leith and Edinburgh. This confused exchange of passengers was known locally as "the Pilrig muddle", and lasted until the electrification of the Edinburgh system.
In 1922 Edinburgh Corporation decided to convert the entire system to electric traction. This took around three years to implement. The last cable tram operated in June 1923. A short section of original tram rail and cable track can still be seen in Waterloo Place.
Musselburgh
also had its own electrified tram system from 1906. Passengers had to change to the cable-hauled Edinburgh trams at Joppa
until 1923. The Musselburgh system was subsequently incorporated into the Edinburgh system, with the tramway to Port Seton closing east of Levenhall in 1928. Musselburgh continued to be served by Edinburgh trams until 1954.
to Stenhouse
(1930), Braids to Fairmilehead
(1936) and North Gyle to Maybury (1937). Further extensions were curtailed due to the outbreak of World War II
.
Following World War II
, all municipal tramways in the United Kingdom (with the sole exception of the Blackpool tramway
) were progressively closed and replaced by diesel buses.
Initially, Edinburgh Corporation took advantage of the closure of other systems to buy displaced, modern, secondhand trams - notably from Manchester
. Nevertheless, a programme of replacement of trams by buses was introduced in the early 1950s. Edinburgh's last tram operated on 16 November 1956, terminating at the Shrubhill Depot on Leith Walk (archive film footage exists of the event). As a curious feature at Shrubhill an underground chamber exists where the cable did an abrupt turn into the garage. This chamber held a man, who had the unenviable job of sitting inside, ensuring that the cable did not snag.
One tramcar has been preserved - number 35, built in 1948 - which was put on display in a small museum at the Shrubhill Depot for a number of years. The museum eventually closed in the 1980s due to a leaking roof. Tram number 35 operated briefly at the Glasgow Garden Festival
in 1988 and on the Blackpool tramway
, before going into retirement at the National Tramway Museum
in Derbyshire where it remains on display today.
The main reason for the move to buses was the inflexibility of the tram routes should problems occur (one accident could bring the whole system to a halt).
When buses replaced trams they followed the same routes previously taken by the trams and used the same route numbers. This led to some anomalies which still , such as the absence of buses on the Pleasance—a major city artery—which was too steep at its northern end for trams.
He left his post in 1929 to become Tram Manager in Manchester
, England. He subsequently became Chairman of the Traffic Commissioners in the West Midlands of England. In 1921 he was responsible for establishing a trade organisation which eventually became part of the Scottish Council of the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).
Pilcher managed the electrification of Edinburgh's trams in 1922/3. At the luncheon held on 15 January 1929 to mark his departure from Edinburgh and in response to Lord Provost Sir Alexander Stevenson's remarks, he said that "they deliberately planned the changeover so as not to affect public opinion. They were nervous of the effect of the hoardings and a half-finished job."
He was followed by FA Fitzpayne MIEE, who remained in post until 1934 when Robert McLeod M Inst T took over. He in turn was succeeded by William Morrison Little in 1949.
to St. Andrew Square is expected to open in 2014.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The city used four-wheeled double-decked trams painted dark red (madder
Madder
Rubia is a genus of the madder family Rubiaceae, which contains about 60 species of perennial scrambling or climbing herbs and sub-shrubs native to the Old World, Africa, temperate Asia and America...
) and white - a livery still used by Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses Plc is the only municipal bus company in Scotland and the largest provider of bus services in Edinburgh, Scotland. City of Edinburgh Council own 91.01% of the company with the remainder being owned by East Lothian and Midlothian councils. As well as serving Edinburgh, Lothian Buses...
.
Origins
The first tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s in Edinburgh were horse-drawn and operated by the Edinburgh Street Tramways Company. The inaugural service (Haymarket to Bernard Street) ran on 6 November 1871. These comlemented and partly replaced the pre-existing horse-drawn carriage from Edinburgh to Leith, the only essential difference being the addition of guide rails. In January 1888 the Edinburgh Northern Tramways started the first cable-haul
Cable car (railway)
A cable car or cable railway is a mass transit system using rail cars that are hauled by a continuously moving cable running at a constant speed. Individual cars stop and start by releasing and gripping this cable as required...
ed trams. This had its depot and drive-mechanism on Henderson Row, a building partially preserved in the Scottish Life Assurance offices there. Part of the winding gear is preserved on the pavement to the east side of the office. The cable systenm only operated in certain central areas. In 1894 the Edinburgh Street Tramway lines in Edinburgh (but not Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
or Portobello
Portobello, Edinburgh
Portobello is a beach resort located three miles to the east of the city centre of Edinburgh, along the coast of the Firth of Forth, in Scotland. It is now a suburb of Edinburgh, with a promenade fronting on to the wide sand beach....
) were taken over by the Edinburgh & District Tramways Company. On 1 July 1919 Edinburgh Corporation took over the operation of the city's tramways.
Leith Corporation took over the still horse-drawn Leith tramlines in 1904 and introduced electric traction in 1905 (the first electric system in Scotland). Edinburgh Corporation took over the Leith system in 1920 (see below).
Electrification
Until 1920 LeithLeith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
was a separate burgh, with its own municipal tram system. The Leith system was electrified, whereas the Edinburgh system used cable haulage (as still used by the San Francisco cable car system
San Francisco cable car system
The San Francisco cable car system is the world's last permanently operational manually operated cable car system, in the US sense of a tramway whose cars are pulled along by cables embedded in the street. It is an icon of San Francisco, California...
and the Great Orme Tramway
Great Orme Tramway
The Great Orme Tramway is a cable-hauled gauge tramway in Llandudno in north Wales.This is Great Britain's only remaining cable operated street tramway and one of only three surviving in the world . It takes passengers from Llandudno Victoria Station to just below the summit of the Great Orme...
in Wales). The cable was housed in a shallow trough between the tram rails; breakages could reduce the entire system to a standstill. The main depot was moved to Shrubhill on Leith Walk
Leith Walk
Leith Walk is one of the longest streets in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stretches from The Foot Of Leith Walk at the junction of Great Junction Street and Constitution Street to the junction with London Road, it then links to the east end of Princes Street via Leith Street...
. An underground chamber at the main turn into the garages here was permanently manned during operating hours to try to reduce cable-snagging.
Passengers going from Edinburgh to Leith had to change trams (from cable-drawn to electric) at Pilrig
Pilrig
Pilrig is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The name derives from a tower at the end of a field .Pilrig lies midway between Leith and Edinburgh, west of Leith Walk. It is split by Pilrig Street, which marks the division between the EH6 and EH7 postcode districts...
on Leith Walk
Leith Walk
Leith Walk is one of the longest streets in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stretches from The Foot Of Leith Walk at the junction of Great Junction Street and Constitution Street to the junction with London Road, it then links to the east end of Princes Street via Leith Street...
at the boundary between Leith and Edinburgh. This confused exchange of passengers was known locally as "the Pilrig muddle", and lasted until the electrification of the Edinburgh system.
In 1922 Edinburgh Corporation decided to convert the entire system to electric traction. This took around three years to implement. The last cable tram operated in June 1923. A short section of original tram rail and cable track can still be seen in Waterloo Place.
Musselburgh
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
also had its own electrified tram system from 1906. Passengers had to change to the cable-hauled Edinburgh trams at Joppa
Joppa, Edinburgh
Joppa is the easternmost suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is bounded on the north by the coast of the Firth of Forth, on the west by Portobello, to the south by the open area south of Milton Road and to the east by Musselburgh in East Lothian. The name "Joppa" appears in the late...
until 1923. The Musselburgh system was subsequently incorporated into the Edinburgh system, with the tramway to Port Seton closing east of Levenhall in 1928. Musselburgh continued to be served by Edinburgh trams until 1954.
Extensions
The system continued to expand during the 1930s. New routes included GorgieGorgie
Gorgie is an area of west Edinburgh, Scotland, located near Murrayfield, Ardmillan and Dalry. It is home to Tynecastle Stadium, home of Scottish Premier League side Heart of Midlothian Football Club, and the North British Distillery, which creates a distinctive odour in parts of the area.The area...
to Stenhouse
Stenhouse
Stenhouse is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It lies to the West of the City Centre, adjacent to Whitson and Saughton Mains and close to Broomhouse and Sighthill...
(1930), Braids to Fairmilehead
Fairmilehead
Fairmilehead is a district of South Edinburgh. It lies approximately 3 miles due south of the city centre and borders Midlothian. The area comprises the districts of Buckstone, Caiystane, Swanston, Frogston and Winton....
(1936) and North Gyle to Maybury (1937). Further extensions were curtailed due to the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Closure
Edinburgh Corporation introduced its first motor bus in 1914. In 1928, given the increasing importance of buses, the Edinburgh Corporation Tramways Department was renamed the Edinburgh Corporation Transport Department.Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, all municipal tramways in the United Kingdom (with the sole exception of the Blackpool tramway
Blackpool tramway
The Blackpool tramway runs from Blackpool to Fleetwood on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, England, and is the only surviving first-generation tramway in the United Kingdom. The tramway dates back to 1885 and is one of the oldest electric tramways in the world. It is run by Blackpool Transport as...
) were progressively closed and replaced by diesel buses.
Initially, Edinburgh Corporation took advantage of the closure of other systems to buy displaced, modern, secondhand trams - notably from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Nevertheless, a programme of replacement of trams by buses was introduced in the early 1950s. Edinburgh's last tram operated on 16 November 1956, terminating at the Shrubhill Depot on Leith Walk (archive film footage exists of the event). As a curious feature at Shrubhill an underground chamber exists where the cable did an abrupt turn into the garage. This chamber held a man, who had the unenviable job of sitting inside, ensuring that the cable did not snag.
One tramcar has been preserved - number 35, built in 1948 - which was put on display in a small museum at the Shrubhill Depot for a number of years. The museum eventually closed in the 1980s due to a leaking roof. Tram number 35 operated briefly at the Glasgow Garden Festival
Glasgow Garden Festival
The Glasgow Garden Festival was the third of the United Kingdom's five National Garden Festivals, and the only one to take place in Scotland.It was held in Glasgow between 26 April and 26 September 1988...
in 1988 and on the Blackpool tramway
Blackpool tramway
The Blackpool tramway runs from Blackpool to Fleetwood on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, England, and is the only surviving first-generation tramway in the United Kingdom. The tramway dates back to 1885 and is one of the oldest electric tramways in the world. It is run by Blackpool Transport as...
, before going into retirement at the National Tramway Museum
National Tramway Museum
The National Tramway Museum, at Crich, in Derbyshire, England, is situated within Crich Tramway Village, a period village containing a pub, cafe, old-style sweetshop, including the tram depots. The village is also home to the Eagle Press, a small museum dedicated to Letterpress Printing including...
in Derbyshire where it remains on display today.
The main reason for the move to buses was the inflexibility of the tram routes should problems occur (one accident could bring the whole system to a halt).
When buses replaced trams they followed the same routes previously taken by the trams and used the same route numbers. This led to some anomalies which still , such as the absence of buses on the Pleasance—a major city artery—which was too steep at its northern end for trams.
Tram Managers
The first Edinburgh Corporation Tram Manager was R Stuart Pilcher who was appointed at the early age of 24 in 1919 having previously worked in Aberdeen.He left his post in 1929 to become Tram Manager in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England. He subsequently became Chairman of the Traffic Commissioners in the West Midlands of England. In 1921 he was responsible for establishing a trade organisation which eventually became part of the Scottish Council of the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).
Pilcher managed the electrification of Edinburgh's trams in 1922/3. At the luncheon held on 15 January 1929 to mark his departure from Edinburgh and in response to Lord Provost Sir Alexander Stevenson's remarks, he said that "they deliberately planned the changeover so as not to affect public opinion. They were nervous of the effect of the hoardings and a half-finished job."
He was followed by FA Fitzpayne MIEE, who remained in post until 1934 when Robert McLeod M Inst T took over. He in turn was succeeded by William Morrison Little in 1949.
New line
A new tram line from Edinburgh AirportEdinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
to St. Andrew Square is expected to open in 2014.