The Edinburgh tramway which runs from the Airport to Newhaven via the city centre was built in two stages, the first section from the Airport to York Place in the city centre was opened to the public on the 31st May 2014, the second section from Picardy Place (adjacent to York Place) to Newhaven via Leith opened on the 7th June 2023. The total length of the line is 18.5km (11.5 miles) and there are 23 stops, the intermediate stops are at Igliston Park & Ride, Gogarburn (for the Royal Bank of Scotland HQ), Edinburgh Gateway (opened in December 2016 to connect with a new station on the Fife Circle Line), The Gyle Centre, Edinburgh Park Central, Edinburgh Park Station (connecting with mainline rail), Bankhead, Saughton, Balgreen, Murrayfield (for the rugby stadium), Haymarket (outside the mainline railway station), West End-Pricess Street (now West End), Princes Street, St. Andrew Square (near Waverley station), Picardy Place, McDonald Road and Balfour Street (both on Leith Walk), Foot of the Walk, and The Shore (both on Constitution Street, Leith), Port of Leith, Ocean Terminal, and the terminus at Newhaven.
The service is provided by 27 Urbos 3 trams supplied by Connstruccioned y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, generally known as CAF, built at their factory in Beasain in Northern Spain. The trams are numbered 251-277 and are double ended 7 section articulated vehicles, 42.8 metres long and 2.65 metres wide. The seating capacity is 80 (including 2 wheelchairs) and there is standing room for 170, a total of 250. No. 252 was the first tram to be delivered and between April and November 2010 it was on public display in Princes Street, 269 was the final tram to be delivered on the 24th December 2012.
The depot and workshops are at Gogar which is between Gogarburn and Edinburgh Gateway stops, this proved to be a difficult site to develop but it was ready in time for the opening of the line in 2014. There was a small staff halt at the depot, provided for crew changes etc, this was discontinued when Edinburgh Gateway stop was opened in 2016, crews now change at this stop which is a short walk from the depot.
The Edinburgh tram project had a difficult start with unforeseen construction difficulties and political and funding problems, the final cost of stage 1 was £776 million, which was way over budget. There has been a public enquiry in to what happened which has yet to report and has so far cost about £14 million. On a happier note the extension to Newhaven cost £207 million, which was on budget and pretty much on time, although no extra trams were needed as the original order for 27 trams was for the full line. Despite all these difficulties the Edinburgh tram has been a success, more lines are now being considered and it will be very interesting to see what happens in the future.
The line is owned by Transport for Edinburgh which ultimately means Edinburgh City Council, the operator is Edinburgh Trams Ltd, a company totally owned by Transport for Edinburgh. This DVD consists of film taken during the testing and driver training period in the months up to the opening, plus film taken during the first days of the public service in 2014. The extension to Newhaven was filmed in June 2023. Some of the 2014 film on this DVD has been previously published on Edinburgh Trams DVD.
Produced by - Bob Hodges Transport DVD's
Running time - 74 Minutes
Format - 16:9 Widescreen PAL (UK)
DVD only
Released - August 2023
