The pulley wheel shown in the photo here has emerged from recent tramwork excavations on Leith Walk.
Archaeologists will determine its significance, but to Spurtle observers it looks like evidence of the former cable-drawn Edinburgh tram system.
From 1899, it ran as far north as Pilrig Street, whereupon passengers would transfer to the more efficient electrically powered trams operated by Leith Town Council.
Much heavy traffic, including buses, has been diverted along Leopold Pl during Leith Walk tramworks. The resulting damage to the carriageway is causing troublesome vibration for residents.
Living at the border of both community council areas and Council wards, these locals have had trouble gaining the attention of officials.
Their homes are in Leith Walk ward, but the road outside is in the City Centre. Neither the Tram Team nor the Council’s Diversion Team have been keen to tackle the problem.
The condition of East London St seems to be deteriorating fast now that, post-lockdown, more heavy vehicles are using the route to avoid tramworks and northbound closures on Leith Walk.
Associated problems of noise and vibration prompted one resident to contact Lothian Buses, asking whether it had strayed from an agreement reached in November to limit the number of not-in-service vehicles using East London Street to 20 westbound and 5 eastbound between 7am and 7pm.
Spurtle has recently been contacted by Hiyacar. The ‘peer to peer’ car club operator has just introduced 15 vehicles to Edinburgh, five of them in Spurtleshire and one just the other side of Leith Walk.
The idea is that you book a car online, and then go to a private address near you to pick it up. Each one comes with a Quickstart interface, meaning you don’t have to deal with a troublesome or disease-ridden human being.
The regeneration of George Street’s public realm has entered a new phase with the launch of a final Concept Design. The plans are available for scrutiny on the Council website here (use the menu toggle top-right for more detail). There’s a virtual helicopter ride here.
The proposals are budgeted at £32M, with £20M coming from Transport Scotland via Sustrans.
This morning we woke to a third day of miserable damp gloom.
It may seem grim. But Edinburgh has known worse.
The following article is extracted from a longer piece published in the Scotsman on 16 November 1929 – the day after weather conditions had combined with smoke from coal fires to spectacular effect.
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Broughton Street will not feature in the first round of cycle and pedestrian-friendly improvements made as part of the Spaces for People scheme.
The news emerged in a report to the Policy & Sustainability Committee, due to be discussed on Thursday 20 August (see pdf at foot of page).
Broughton resident, former Council Leader, and MP Mark Lazarowicz wrote to Leith Walk and City Centre ward councillors yesterday expressing his disappointment at the omission.
COUNCIL URGES RESIDENTS TO LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
York Place (Conan Doyle–Elder Street) will close to westbound traffic for eight weeks from Monday.
Diversions will be put in place via Broughton Street and the New Town.
The closure is required while Laing O’Rourke carry out new footway, cycleway, and drainage works as part of the Edinburgh St James project. They plan to complete by 11 October.