(Pictures courtesy of Thomas Haywood Photography)
For the first time in almost 60 years, trams are running through the streets of Edinburgh, if only as yet on test runs late at night.
No need to ‘mind the gap’
The clearances have all been measured
at the tram stops
The project may be years late and running well over budget, but there’s some relief that finally people will be able to see the trams for themselves, running through the centre of town. The line is now fully powered, all the way from the Airport to York Place.
This trip was intended to give crews and engineers the chance to test the track and all the electronics associated with. They managed to complete the work ahead of schedule, returning to the depot in the early hours of the morning. Officials can now claim that this is another key milestone, one which proves they’re back in control of the project.
The ‘ghost tram’ passing the National Galleries on Princes Street
There will be more these “ghost runs” over the coming weeks in which trams, empty apart from engineering staff, trundling through the city streets in the middle of the night. This exhaustive testing programme must be completed before the service starts carrying passengers next spring.
For the City of Edinburgh Council, this has come as something of a relief. As Councillor Lesley Hinds, the Transport Convener, put it, “We recognise it’s been a long road getting here . . . but at long last, it’s good to know there’s a tram approaching Princes Street.”