Street Views - Tram Poles and Fittings

Comment

Terry Cox

Swanston, Edinburgh

Thank you to Terry Cox for sending the two photos above.

Terry wrote:

Tram Pole and Tram Rosette

"Being now of the tender age of 63, the trams were a bit before my time. I only vaguely remember being on them when I was wee. (My dad was a tram conductor at one time. So, it's not my area of expertise. But I'm sure there are lots of your readers who know plenty.

Attached are a couple of photos, that I took on my travels.

Photo 1: I spotted at Bruntsfield (I must have passed there thousands of times and never noticed it before. It seems to be one of the old 'rosettes' for supporting the tram wires. I've never seen one of these before - I thought they'd all been removed.

Photo 2: I spotted this the same day, believe it or not, but have only got round to taking a picture. It's at the end of Dryden Street, just off Pilrig Street.

From looking at old photos, it seems to be a pole for supporting the tram wires. Only one problem - as far as I'm aware, trams never ran down there.

However, Dryden Street does lead to the back of the old Shrubhill tram depot from Pilrig Street, where trams did run, so was there a tram track into the back of the depot?

I have seen a couple of these poles doubled up for use as tram poles and lamp posts, but I can't find any of these poles being used solely as a lamp post.

Anyway, I'm sure one of your correspondents will have the answer."

Terry Cox, Swanston, Edinburgh: 6 April, 2016

I was not familiar with the term 'rosette' (the attachment on a side of a building to which lines were attached to hold up the tram lines) until I read the email from Terry.

However, a quick browse of the internet came up with this page which has lots of links to click on for further information:

The Aberdeen Tramway Rosette Appreciation Society.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 6 September, 2016

Comment

Terry Cox

Swanston, Edinburgh

Thank you to Terry Cox for writing again.

Terry wrote:

Tram Track

"I did actually find the answer to my own question above. There was a single tram track along Dryden Street, which I found on an Ordnance Survey map from the 1930s, I think."

Terry Cox, Swanston, Edinburgh: 6 September, 2016

Comment

Alastair Murray

Colinton, Edinburgh

Thank you to Alastair Murray who wrote:

Tram Poles and Rosettes

"Some more information about tram poles and rosettes is available on the Edinburgh Trams Club web site. Only six original rosettes are known to exist, as listed.

Perhaps you could ask if anyone knows of any other tram rosettes still in place in Edinburgh."

Alastair Murray, Colinton, Edinburgh: 4 Jan 2016

Thank you to Alastair for also sending me a photo of a tram in Dryden Street and telling me that two of the old tram poles are still in place there.

Reply to Alastair?

Rosettes

If you know of any tram rosettes still in place in Edinburgh (apart from the six mentioned above) and would like to send a message to Alastair about them, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on Alastair's email address to you.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 5 January 2017

Comment

Bill Brown

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Thank you to Bill Brown, a member of A.T.R.A.S. (Aberdeen Tramway Rosette Appreciation Society) who read Comment 3 above and replied:

Bill wrote:

Rosettes

"I'd just like to point out that members of our Edinburgh Trams Club are presently going round all the old (original) tram routes looking for any rosettes of any kind still in situ.

Maybe some of your correspondents would like to help in their search.

Living in Aberdeen, it's not convenient for me, but I have given them some tips on finding and renovating/ repainting rosettes.

I have also seen the Dryden St. Collection. There are undoubtedly more in that area."

Bill Brown, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland: 6 January 2017

Further Information

If you'd like to learn more about the subjects that Bill mentions above, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on Bill's email address to you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 6 January 2017

Comment

Bill Brown

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Thank you to Bill Brown for writing again, this time giving a summary of the results , so far, of his group's 'Tram Rosettes' survey

Tram Rosettes Survey Results

as at December 2016

(A) Undertakings

GB 57

Germany 152

Other Europe 248

Not Europe 16

Without Rosettes 64

Together = 537 Cities

(B) Shapes

Peg-Tetragones 73

Q-Tetragones 5

R-Circular 54

S-Clasps 19

T-Trigones 17

Together = 168 Shapes

Bill Brown, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland: 6 January 2017