“Stop by Stop” continues as we take a journey on the Edinburgh Trams system and we now reach West End.
The tram will leave Princes Street and then continue along the road, sharing with other road traffic and also having to cross a number of road junctions. Princes Street Gardens remains on the left-hand side (with various memorials and statues), with shops on the right and then after another road junction we enter Shandwick Place. We go along there for a little while and then its West End tramstop.
This stop was originally West End – Princes Street but changed its name to avoid confusion for unsuspecting tourists. For the last time until the end of the line this is an island platform and includes everything that almost every other stop we have featured so far has had – shelters, ticket machines, validators, passenger information, etc.
This image shows 257 arriving at West End with a service which will end up at the Airport. There’s a fair crowd of passengers waiting to board and they are in anticipation of being able to get on board the tram as it arrives. In the background is the Charlotte Chapel with its distinctive tower (which was added to the building in 1879-1881). Date is 3rd July 2023.
We also see 273 at the stop on 3rd July 2023. Its on the way to Newhaven and is just approaching the platform with its service from the Airport. Just in front of the tram we see the crossover located here, and often used when services are unable to run onto Princes Street. (Both Photographs by Gareth Prior)