There was major disruption to Edinburgh Trams services on Thursday 10th May after a construction vehicle collided with an overhead support pole close to the stop at York Place causing the overhead wires to come down. An immediate suspension of the full service was put in place before a limited service was able to run from the Airport to Murrayfield Stadium and then extended to West End Princes Street.
The collision happened at approximately 1620 on Thursday 10th May with the damage to the pole severe enough to cause the overhead wire to lose tension which in turn meant that the pantograph on the trams were unable to gain contact. The below photos show the immediate aftermath of the incident with 268’s pantograph high in the air and not on the wire.
When the incident originally happened, all trams were brought to a standstill whilst the initial investigation took place. A reduced service was then introduced from the Airport through to Murrayfield Station before later in the evening this was extended into the city at West End Princes Street. Despite initial concerns in the local media that repairs may take some time a full service was able to resume from the start of service on Friday 11th May.
No sign of the problems ahead as 268 departs from St Andrew Square for York Place at 1617.
268 waits at York Place to depart but the overhead has now lost tension at 1630.
A closer up version of the previous photo zoomed in on the sagging wire just above the tram.
The problem with the wires is seen here.
With no wire for the pantograph to rest upon it is at full height. (All Photographs by Roy Calderwood)