Edinburgh’s trams reach Newhaven tomorrow

Tuesday 6th June 2023

The long awaited 4.7km extension of Edinburgh’s trams from the city centre via Leith to Ocean Terminal and Newhaven begins carrying passengers from midday tomorrow.

It’s only 24 years since first proposed and ten years since Newhaven would have got its trams had the original project not gone pear shaped in terms of cost and time overruns leading to the Newhaven leg being abandoned in 2014 when the system initially opened, even though a substantial amount of utility works had been completed.

Now the £207 million extension has been finished including eight new tram stops and those expensive trams which have been sitting in the sidings for years can finally enter service.

Well, not quite all of them as the new extension means an extra five will be out on the tracks each day making for 17 in service instead of 12 but there are 27 in the fleet which were all purchased in those pre pear-shaped halcyon days of expectations of a more extensive tram network for the city.

While in Edinburgh recently I took the opportunity to have a wander along the extension and came across a tram at the new Newhaven terminus being used to sort out a problem that had arisen in pre service trials with the points.

This had necessitated Siemens’ engineers flying over to ensure everything was sorted for the opening which could only happen once five days of continuous problem free shadow timetable running had been completed.

I learnt all about the extensive preparations during a visit kindly hosted by marketing manager Jamie Swift who along with managing director Lea Harrison gave a fascinating insight into the complexities of arranging everything to be ready for day 1, not least increasing the number of drivers by 40 to just over 100 and ensuring they were all fully trained and ready for service.

To help with this and ensure all existing drivers are familiar with the new extension the training programme includes time spent on a bank of simulators including one very large set up that makes you feel as though you really are in a tram cab with all the surrounds exactly from a real cab.

Looking ahead and to the left and right as you “drive” the tram it really does feel lifelike and a great way to get to know the controls and how to provide for smooth acceleration and braking as well as remembering to open and close doors, indicate to stop or pull off, keep rigidly to speed limits which vary along the track and keep your right foot moving up and down to let the tram know you are still conscious and attentive. Oh, and to clang the bell to warn other road users and pedestrians of your presence when appropriate.

I had the benefit of being instructed by Pete who was extremely patient, demonstrating his excellent approach to training a novice like myself, leading to also having a drive of a tram up and down the depot sidings which was a great experience.

Meanwhile back out on the extension, here are some photographs to give an idea of what’s involved.

End of the line. The new terminus at Newhaven has two platforms and the tracks end a few yards further on where there is the ability to outstation trams overnight in the event of the system having to be operated in two halves due to Princes Street being closed.

First stop after Newhaven towards the city centre is Ocean Terminal – with its vast facilities for cruise liners and rather ugly architecture…

,… as well as a popular shopping and retail destination.

After Ocean Terminal the route takes in the back of the marine area…

… with a tram stop at Port of Leith.

Lea and Jamie explained that great care has been taken to make the new tram stops look the same as on the existing line so people see the extension and existing as one and the same. In normal ciurcumstances trams will run right through from the Aiport to Newhaven and it will only be during very special events when Princes Street is closed as explained above that a contingency plan is in place to run the system in two halves with trams from the Airport turning at the West End stop and from Newhaven in Leith Walk by the new Picardy Place stop.

To assist with routing the new extension Constitution Street in Leith has been closed to all traffic northbound except trams ,,,,

…. but access for the Parish Church in the southbound/westbound direction is maintained

Below is a tram in the newly traffic free Constitution Street. It’s one of many taken by blog reader and Edinburgh resident Roy Calderwood who I had the pleasure of bumping into on my recent visit and who kindly let me have access to his vast photographic collection of the extension under construction and the more recent testing.

After Constitution Street it’s on to Leith Walk and the 1km access into Edinburgh city centre where trams mix with all traffic using the centre of the road and where three tram stops have been constructed.

Along Leith Walk is Shrubhill and Roy explains his photo below shows “a Newhaven bound tram at Shrubhill on Leith Walk (between the new tram stops at McDonald Road and Balfour Street). The modern flats on the left are built on the site of the historic former Shrubhill tram works and sometime depot (1871 -2000 approx). In the distance is Pilrig Church on the one time boundary between Edinburgh and Leith (1833-1920). Pilrig was the location of the ‘Pilrig Muddle’ where the different traction systems and operators caused chaos for passengers.”

At the western end of Leith Walk is the Picardy Place tram stop which has replaced the old terminal stop of York Place captured in the photo below by Roy with a tram in place.

During the test running some problems arose with other road users either not realising trams were now on the tracks or just being bloody minded in how they park as captured on social media last week.

Let’s hope such instances remain isolated.

Finally, here are a three photos from Roy’s collection showing the extensive construction works underway at Ocean Terminal…

… and on Leith Walk …

…. and at Picardy Place.

As you can see the construction has caused a huge amount of disruption to everyone going about their business in this part of Edinburgh for some years, not least Lothian Buses.

There’ll be a huge collective sigh of relief tomorrow as trams begin to run and businesses look forward to the bounce effect systems of this kind undoubtedly bring. Lea explained the £207 million construction cost is all going to be paid for from passenger revenue over the next ten years.

Very few people now talk about the delay and cost overruns of the original line and it’s interesting to note the Inquiry set up into what went wrong has yet to report – in fact the delay to that Inquiry report being published (with no explanation as to why) is famously now longer than the delay to the original tram project which the report was looking into.

Fortunately there’ll be no need for reports into the Newhaven extension where everything has gone relatively smoothly. Provided that expected passenger revenue comes in of course.

I think it will.

There’s the small matter of £207 million to pay back.

Roger French

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