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Granton Square
and Granton Eastern Harbour
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Looking
down on Granton Square and across to Granton Harbour
Around 1958
©
Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Robert Grieves Collection and to
Argyll Publishing
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Granton Square
and Granton Eastern Harbour
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Transport
This photo includes a
wealth of information for anybody interested in transport in
Edinburgh in the mid-20th century.
Perhaps somebody will
e-mail me with a few comments about the vehicles and ships in
this picture.
-
Peter Stubbs: November 22, 2006 |
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Answer 1 |
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It didn't take long
for the first comments to arrive! Within a few hours, Walter
Lyle Hume, Cowes, Isle of Wight, sent the following comments.
Walter wrote:
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The Closest Ship
©
"The closest vessel in the
picture is at Lighthouse Pier. It is
the twin
screw motor ship 'Pharos VIII', built at Dundee by Caledon
Shipyard:
[1712 gross
tons, 257-ft length, 39-ft beam, 13-ft deep.]
Pharos was used:
-
as a relief tender for North Carr Lightship,
Bell Rock, May Island, Bass Rock and Fidra Island
- for servicing
beacons and buoys on the East Coast.
- for conducting the annual
Inspection Commissioners
cruise around all the Scottish coast.
Pharos was sold to Windjammer
Cruises, Bahamas in 1988, renamed 'Amazing Grace', and is still in
service." |
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The Distant Ship
"The ship berthed at the steam
crane on east side of middle pier would have been loading coal, or
possibly laid up. The coal conveyor clearly visible at end
of middle pier, with trawlers on the west side." |
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Drilling Rig
"The drilling rig was moored in
Granton late 50's, having been used by the National Coal Board in
the area between Portobello and Port Seton." |
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Taxi Office
"The taxi office and kiosk can be
seen on the left, in the middle of the picture" |
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Walter Lyle
Hume, Cowes, Isle of Wight, England: November 23, 2006. |
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Answer 2 |
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Thank you to Patrick
Hutton, Edinburgh, who wrote: |
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The Railway
"An
excellent photo. The tramlines have gone, so I'd guess the photo
was taken in the late-'50s.
I think the locomotive is a J35 or J37.:
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The J35 locos were withdrawn by the end
of 1962.
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The J37 locos lasted right until the end of Scottish steam in 1966-67.
If
the engine has two windows in the cab side (which is not possible
to tell from the web photo), it would be either a J38 (more
likely) or a J39 (almost indistinguishable). I've seen a
photo of one shedded at Seafield in the early '60s."
I've checked the
original photo that I scanned, and it's still not possible to
tell how many windows are on the cab side. - Peter
Stubbs December 2, 2006 |
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Patrick
Hutton, Edinburgh: November 27 + 30, 2006, and also
March 7, 2010 (including comments from John Wilson) |
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Answer 3 |
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I was also pleased to
receive this reply, from Grant King, Aberdeenshire: |
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The Two Boys
"The
two children coming up the steps are:
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on the right, Paul Lorimer and
- on the left, John Harkness.
This I got from a good source -
Paul, who I grew up with."
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Grant King, Aberdeenshire, now working in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil:: December 13, 2006. |
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Answer 4 |
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Thank you to Hughie
Grey, Australia, who wrote: |
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Post Office and
Police Box
"On Granton Square there used to be the
Post Office, good for sweeties. We used to buy cinnamon sticks to smoke.
Yikes!
I wonder if the old police box is still
there. I've been in it a couple of times. I
even remember the Policeman's
name. It was 'Big Archie' and he had a big 'back hand'.
Many of the old police boxes can still be found in the
streets of Edinburgh, some now converted to coffee kiosks, but the one in
Granton Square (above the road sign at the left-hand side of this picture)
has been removed. - Peter Stubbs.
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The Railway
We were always
getting caught in the railway yards jumping on the wagons. I lived
in Granton Medway, top stair. We had great fun as kids.
Oor Wullie
couldnae dae better, eh!" |
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Hughie Grey, Australia:: March 5, 2007 |
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Answer 5 |
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Thank you to Denis
Kelly, Edinburgh, who started his working life on Edinburgh buses, for writing: |
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1958
"Just looking at the Granton Square picture.
I'd date it 1958. The bus is an Edinburgh Corporation Transport
Bristol L6B with Brockhouse body, probably fleet no 764, which was a
regular on route 17 between Granton Road and West End."
©
"The Bristol was new in 1950 and
placed in service at McDonald Road. It was taken off mainline
duties around 1959 and withdrawn in 1960. By 1959
double-deckers had taken over on route 17. Tram rails were
lifted in 1957, so a good guess would be 1958
!"
Denis Kelly,
Edinburgh, August 1+7, 2009 |
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Answer 6 |
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Thank you to Kim
Traynor, Tollcross who wrote |
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HMS Claverhouse
©
"The building on the far right with
the flag flying was H.M.S. Claverhouse where Sea Cadets were
trained until, at least, the late-1960s.
My eldest brother served for many
years in the Navy and this is what probably encouraged my other
older brother to join the Cadets at Granton. The
Cadets were taken out on the Forth to learn basic seafaring
skills."
Kim Traynor:
Tollcross, Edinburgh: September 21, 2009 |
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This building was originally built as a hotel for passengers
travelling from Granton Harbour.
Peter Stubbs:
September 21, 2009 |
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Answer 7 |
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Thank you to Jim
Woolard, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia who wrote |
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Distant Ship at Middle Pier
©
"The ship in the distance, on the east
side of Middle Pier is a Liberian tramp steamer registered in
Monrovia.
It was laid up there for a number of
months"
Jim Woolard,
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: June 26, 2010 |
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