The first Scottish tram-trains could be on the horizon following the news that Transport Scotland and Network Rail Scotland will be carrying a feasibility study on their potential use on the South Suburban line in Edinburgh.
In a brief post on their Facebook page Transport Scotland said: “We’re working with Network Rail Scotland to carry out a high-level feasibility study for the potential use of tram-trains on the South Suburban line in Edinburgh. The study will identify practical challenges and opportunities of reintroducing passenger services.”
The South Suburban line (“South Sub”) originally opened in 1884 but hasn’t been used by regular passenger trains since 1962. It has often come up in re-opening discussions with the most recent being centred on the possible use of tram-trains which would connect into the wider Edinburgh Trams network.
A conceptual representation of a future multimodal transport network in Edinburgh released earlier this year put the “South Sub” as part of the transport offering in the city. The 12.3km line runs between Murrayfield Stadium and Portobello, and the plan to integrate it into Edinburgh’s tram system would see a loop line constructed.
The map shows trams leaving the current Edinburgh Trams network between Murrayfield and Haymarket and then going to stops at Gorgie East (for Tynecastle), Craiglockhart (for Napier University), Morningside Road, Blackford Hill (for King’s Buildings), Newington, Cameron Toll (links to the North-South line), Duddington & Craigmillar, Fort Kinnaird, Brunstane and Portobello.
From there two routes are proposed. One continues along the South Sub route with no additional stops before joining the Newhaven extension between The Shore and Port of Leith with the other having stops at Abbeyhill (for Easter Road), and Hillside and then joining the Newhaven line between Picardy Place and McDonald Road.
Rob Falcon, Chair of campaign group Tram Trains for Edinburgh, said: “This month TTfE passes its first anniversary campaigning to return public transport to the South Sub – although of course many other groups have argued for this over the decades. The ‘game changer’ is the use of tram-trains that can run onto the existing tram line and into the city centre – avoiding the Waverley bottleneck; and with much of the infrastructure already in place, we believe this is a hugely practical project.
“We welcome this great news for TTfE, as will all our members, supporters and thousands of people across Edinburgh – and indeed many of our political representatives – who have called for the project. Thanks to Transport Scotland.”