We brought you news earlier this week of the start of the installation of the final sections of overhead wire which will connect the current Edinburgh Trams as far as York Place with the Trams to Newhaven extension and now we bring more photos as the two sections become one.
The work to put the overhead up started on Monday 13th February with services from the Airport being terminated at York Place. With the work completed ahead of schedule normal service is due to resume from Sunday 19th February – a day earlier than planned. Once completed it will mean that 4,600 metres of overhead cabling has been installed along with 228 OLE poles! The overhead was switched on from Friday 17th February and it is hoped that the first tram may run on the extension by the end of February. Progress indeed!
Old meets new in York Place. Shiny new copper overhead wire to the right of the traction pole meets the old copper wire to the left.
A similar view but taken from the other side of the road.
At the top of Leith Walk the final connection remained to put in place. The curve of new copper wire which is hanging down has to be trimmed and fixed to the traction pole. This will complete the overhead wiring link between the existing tram route and the extension to Newhaven. (All Photographs by John Hampton, 16th February 2023)