20 FEATURE

A specially painted and illuminated

car, no. 172, had been touring the

network for the previous week in

an odd celebration of the future

The

Inside

Edinburgh Corporation Transport Collection

Edinburgh history enthusiast, Andy Arthur, takes us

on a journey back in time to the last days of the

old Edinburgh and Leith tramway network

O

n the 16th November 1956, at

around 7.20pm, the last of the old

electric trams in Edinburgh and

Leith set off on their final journey.

A specially painted and

illuminated car – no. 172 – had

been touring the network for the

previous week in an odd celebration of the future.

Edinburgh, Leith and Musselburgh’s tramway

networks had grown steadily since the first line in 1871.

Right up until the outbreak of war in 1939, the

Corporation was still planning for its expansion.

However, after the war, the network had very quickly

gone through a politically-motivated crash course in

running down in the three years from 1953-56. The last

service to run was no. 23, from the Braids to Shrubhill

depot via. Morningside Station.

In the three years to 1956, Edinburgh’s tram network

was cut back from 28 routes to just 2 after the Council’s

decision in 1951 to abandon the trams. The peak year

was 1948, when 330 cars worked from five depots. The

system was deliberately run into the ground and shut

down at the peak of its efficiency and popularity.

Contrary to popular narrative, it wasn’t clapped out;

maintenance during the war was good, new rolling stock

had been built and 1948 was a record year for passengers.

The Corporation shut down tram routes by

“busification”; it had bought in large numbers of new

buses, and they replaced the trams routes as they were

withdrawn, running the same routes and numbers. Buses

initially enjoyed a surge in use; but they were never as

popular or convenient and people quickly abandoned

them for personal cars. Despite the heroic efforts of

Lothian Buses to run a quality bus service over the last 30

or so years since deregulation, they have never recovered

their share of the market.

Over that short three year period, hundreds of trams

were driven unceremoniously over the rails to Maybury

to be hauled onto low loaders and taken by road to

Connel’s in Coatbridge to be cut up.

After the line to Corstorphine was lifted, cars were

loaded in north Leith, and when that too was cut back

they directly left the gates of Shrubhill depot on the lorry.

In the ultimate indignity, the tram cars bodies were

first set on fire to burn out the wooden components prior

to salvaging the metalwork.

As soon as the services over a section of route were

cancelled, the cutters came in to pull down the overhead

wires for scrap. Shortly after they would come and lift the

rails, or even just tarmac directly over them in some

cases. One of the issues facing the tramway network was

that it had the liability for repairs and maintenance of the

carriageway on which the tram tracks were laid; this

meant it not only had to do its own maintenance but was

also facing a greater burden as a result of the increasing

weight and volume of private motor vehicle traffic using

the roads.

The trams very nearly got a temporary stay of

execution due to the Suez Crisis (Glasgow did get a

deferral in their run down for this reason), but the

Council’s mind was set and not for changing. 16th

November 1956 was to be the day. Here is a gloomily

atmospheric photo of one of the last scheduled services

on route 23, leaving Granton Square in the chilly murk of

a cold November evening. The car looks bright and

warm in contrast.

Special yellow ticket rolls were used in the final week

with “LAST TRAM” printed on the back. The trams flew

pennants from their current poles. Everyone and their

dog took a final ride and requests were taken for invites

on the last run.

Vintage Edinburgh tram

map shows the extent

of the capital’s

original network

Tram 172, built

by Edinburgh

Corporation

Transport

Department

Portobello Library