During the construction of the Edinburgh Trams extension to Newhaven many historical artefacts were discovered. City archaeologists were called in to undertaken further investigations of bodies which had been untouched for hundreds of years along with the usual pots, coins and other day to day items. But there was also something else discovered which has interest to this website – two pulley wheels which were once used in the operational of the Edinburgh Cable Tramway. After restoration these have now been placed on public display on Leith Walk at the junction with Iona Street.
Before Edinburgh committed to overhead electric power the city had an extensive network of cable operated tramways. These first started to run in 1888 and it wasn’t until 1922 that the last line had been eradicated and replaced by overhead.
This had led to the so-called “Pilrig Muddle” when passengers had to transfer between trams operated by Leith Corporation and those in Edinburgh. Leith had gone with overhead power as early as 1905 which meant through running between the two wasn’t possible and so it was off one tram and not the other for 17 years.
As with many tramway artefacts some of the cable tramway infrastructure was not removed just left in situ and covered and that was the case with these pulley wheels. Rediscovered at Pilrig during excavations for the new tramway they were taken away for restoration with a view to putting them back on public display.
This has happened on the opposite site of the road from where they were found on Leith Walk at the junction of Iona Street and they were unveiled shortly before the Newhaven tram extension was opened. Currently they don’t have any interpretation to explain what they are but information panels are due to appear in the future.
The size of the pulley wheels is probably what will surprise most with the large diameter seen here.
A close-up view of some of the detail of the wheels. (Both Photographs by William Brown, 8th June 2023)