For over 15 years the Transport Trust have been recognising the transport history of the UK with their “Red Wheel” scheme. Similar to the familiar blue plaques seen on buildings across the country, the idea of the “Red Wheel” scheme is to commemorate Britain’s rich and globally important legacy in the development of transport. All aspects of transport are covered and some more recent plaques are helping to celebrate the history of trams and light rail.
One of the most recent new “Red Wheels” has been placed on Leith Tramways Depot in Edinburgh. It has been put on the old office building which is still standing today and was built in 1938, situated in front of the now demolished tram depot which housed a fleet of trams until the original Edinburgh Trams system closed in 1956.
Another “Red Wheel” which has recently been unveiled (29th March 2024) has been at the Volk’s Electric Railway. This commemorates the fact that the railway is the oldest operational electric railway in the world having been opened way back in 1883.
Back in August 2023 and Shrubill Tram Depot was recognised whilst earlier the same year both Blackpool’s Rigby Road Depot and the Kingsway Tram Subway in London received their own “Red Wheel”.
The “Red Wheel” at Leith Tramways Depot. (Photograph by Roy Calderwood, 1st May 2024)