Tram Testing 2013

Tram Stop at St Andrew Square for Waverley Station. Harvey Nichol's behind.

Tram Stop at St Andrew Square for Waverley Station. Royal Bank of Scotland behind.

Reply

Liz Miller

St Brelade, Channel Islands

Thank you to Liz Miller, who has previously sent several recollections of Edinburgh to the EdinPhoto web site, for writing, this time about the tram photos above.

Liz wrote:

Trams in Princes Street

"What fantastic shots of the Edinburgh tram. I never thought I would see trams in Princes Street again in my life time! I felt quite emotional! Thanks for posting the photos."

'Leaves on the Line'

"The photos are made all more stunning due to the rain. Did you order it especially? I’m glad to see that ‘leaves on the lines’ didn’t put the trial to a stop!"

Liz Miller, St Brelade, Channel Islands: December 7, 2013 (2 emails)

The Weather

It was a cold and blustery evening for the testing of the trams, and I had to keep my camera well protected from the rain, but I enjoyed the occasion and will remember it.

As you say, the wet weather helped create the atmosphere for the photos.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 7, 2013

Reply

George Smith

Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Thank you to George T Smith for yet another comment. George has already sent messages on almost 90 different topics for the EdinPhoto web site.

Here are his comments on the tram photos above.

George wrote:

Trams in Princes Street

"I had no idea how long these trams were. What is the passenger capacity? They seem to provide an enormous number of seats much greater than my recollection of the trams prior to 1956.

Is the frequency likely to rival the old trams? I wonder if they will cater for strap hangers?"

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: December 6, 2013

Replies

"Hi George.

Yes, the new trams are quite different from those that last ran in 1956.

- The new trams will be 140 ft long.

- They will only have 80 seats in total.

- They will also accommodate 250 standing, so they will have to cater for strap hangers.

- A 'seven and a half minute' frequency is proposed.

Source: Wikipedia: Edinburgh Trams

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 9, 2013

Reply

Edith Caulfield (née Cavanagh)

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Thank you to Edith Caulfield who wrote:

Trams in Princes Street

"Absolutely fabulous pictures of the Trams back on Princes Street and York Place.

When I was living on Castle Street, I used to take the tram on the same route to York Place to go to School at St Mary's, York Lane.

The new trams look great. I never thought I would see them back . Thank you for these great shots."

1956 and 2013

"It's also fantastic that you have the shots of the last old tram in 1956

and now the new one in 2013. Great job!"

Edith Caulfield, Toronto, Ontario, Canada: 8 December 2013 (2 emails)

Update

Message for Edith Caulfield

I received an email today from your great niece, Debbie Wilks, telling me that she would like to get in touch with you.

I tried emailing you today to let you know, using the email address that you used when you last contacted me in 2013, but unfortunately that address seems to be no longer in use.

So, if you read this message, can you please send another email to me, then I'll know your current email address and will be able to give you Debbie's contact details.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 30 December 2016

Reply

Malcolm Finlayson

Arbroath, Angus, Scotland

Thank you to Malcolm Finlayson who wrote:

1956

The Last Tram

"I thought that with the imminent, and eventual, commencement of the trams, it might be opportune to recall some memories of the Last Tram in 1956.

I remember my parents taking my brother and me to see the last tram run along Princes Street.

We were in the front of the crowd. The tram looked quite ghostly as it emerged in the white (or silver?) livery out of the murk of that November evening.

It was preceded by individuals who handed out orange streamers with 'Last Tram' printed thereon, which I kept for many years.

I recall that spectators, including ourselves, placed pennies on the lines, in the hope that the tram wheels would bend them, thereby creating souvenirs.

Malcolm Finlayson, Arbroath, Angus, Scotland: 9 December 2013

Reply to Malcolm

"Hi Malcolm.

Pennies on the Line

Your comment about 'pennies on the tram line' reminds me of the days when I used to go train spotting in Yorkshire, aged about ten, around 1955. That was when all the trains we saw were steam hauled, and long before the days of 'Health & Safety.

Putting pennies on the line was a favourite pastime then. We were near Apperly Bridge station, Bradford. We never went anywhere near the passenger lines. Some of the trains there were fast and the pennies would have flown off and never been seen again when if the trains passed over them.

Branch Line

However, there was a single-track branch that joined the main line there. It came through the woods and had, probably, about one train a day.

- Sometimes it was the 'Esholt Stinker', as it was known. It came from the nearby Esholt Sewage Works.

- Sometimes it was a slow freight trains that came along the line at about 10mph.

Pennies could be put on that line in the hope that they would remain in place while the train that passed over them.

The coins were described according to the number of trains that had passed over them, e.g. 'a sevenner' for one that had been flattened by seven trains. By the time a penny had reached that stage, it had become much larger and thinner, and gave a high-pitched, tinny sound if dropped on the pavement."

Cheap Day Out

"Train spotting locally could be an inexpensive hobby, the total cost of a day out being perhaps one lost penny that could not be found after the freight train had passed by."

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 9 December 2013

Reply

Mal Acton

Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Thank you to Edith Caulfield who wrote:

Progress

"I have just seen the the photos of the trams on night testing on Edinphoto and I had to drop you a wee line."

"When I was back home in September, I never thought that so much would happen in 4 months!

- All the bus diversions are finished.

- The tram works now a fading memory.

- And trams are actually running on the whole length of route for testing purposes.

The New Logo

"Add to that, the new logo on the trams and to be applied to buses on a rolling basis, I think it's a great improvement on 'Lothian.com', but still not as good as the old city coat of arms with the legal lettering of 'City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh!' Mind, as an old Simpsonian, I think you'd expect me to be biased!"

Mal Acton, Liverpool, Lancashire, England