After the false start of Thursday 18th May, which was meant to be the first day of timetable testing on the Edinburgh Trams extension to Newhaven but was scuppered by an overhead issue in York Place, timetable testing has now got underway. Sunday 21st May was the first full day of trams running between York Place and Newhaven with the sight of trams every seven minutes on this route now a regular occurrence.
To remind you all what the purpose of timetable testing is, its basically what it says on the tin! It is to test the planned timetable on the entire route to make sure that it is achievable on a regular basis. Instead of trams from the Airport terminating at St Andrew Square and then reversing at York Place all trams are running all the way from the Airport to Newhaven. Although, of course, passengers still have to alight at St Andrew Square for now until the green light is given to a public service commencing.
During observations on the Sunday there was the occasional blip with the odd gap of 10-15 minutes between trams (the frequency should be every 7 minutes) but that is what this testing is for to be able to iron out those discrepancies. Once timetable testing is successfully completed its time for enhanced timetable testing which we presume is trams running at a higher frequency but we don’t know for certain!
All trams from Airport now show Newhaven as their destination as demonstrated by tram 265 disgorging all its passengers at St Andrew Square having arrived from Airport. It will run empty to Newhaven.
The information displays inside the tram also show Newhaven as the destination. Perhaps a little confusing for unwary passengers though the onboard announcements do make it clear that the tram will terminate at St Andrew Square.
A happier shot taken at Picardy Place compared to the one taken in the same position on Friday last and posted in British Trams Online on 19th May. These two trams are operating! The tram on the left heading for Newhaven and on the right for Airport, though it will not pick up any passengers until it gets to St Andrew Square. (Photographs x3 by John Hampton, 21st May 2023)
260 airport bound on Leith Walk at London Rd junction with greenery of Gayfield Square behind.
You can’t board them yet by the passenger information display is fully operational. This is McDonald Road.
McDonald Roadd tramstop without tram. Nearest side is for the Airport.
269 at McDonald Road at Airport bound platform. (Photographs x4 by Roy Calderwood, 22nd May 2023)
267 at the Newhaven terminus with workmen putting the finishing touches to installing the lighting. The platform at this point forms part of a continuous pavement from Ocean Terminal.
259 having left the Newhaven stop ‘wrong road’ is traversing the scissors crossover to regain the ‘right road’ on its journey to the Airport.
253 running along Melrose Drive to its next stop at Ocean Terminal. Most of the track between Newhaven and Ocean Terminal has grass insets. (Photographs x3 by John Hampton, 22nd May 2023)