Edinburgh Corporation Tramways



Owner Edinburgh Corporation
Took over 9th December 1893 (Edinburgh Street Tramways Company [horse]) - lines within the city boundaries, excluding the Waterloo Place to Jocks Lodge section of the Portobello line, along with a significant proportion of the company's trams and horses, which were immediately sold to the lessee
Lessee (operator) Messrs Dick Kerr and Company Limited
Lease transferred July 1894 (to the Edinburgh and District Tramways Company, a subsidiary of DK&Co)
Took over 31st January 1896 (ESTCo [horse]) - Waterloo Place to Jocks Lodge section of the Portobello line
Lessee (operator) E&DTCo
Took over 1st July 1897 (Edinburgh Northern Tramways Company [cable]) - lines, infrastructure and cable trams
Lessee (operator) E&DTCo (worked the line by agreement from 1st January 1897 until the take-over had been formalised, whereupon the cable trams were sold to the E&DTCo)
Took over 30th June 1898 (ESTCo [horse]) - remainder of the Portbello line, along with a number of trams and horses
New lease 1st July 1898 (E&DTCo) - for 21 years ending on the 30th June 1919
Took over (operation) 1st July 1919 (E&DTCo [cable; electric]) - trams, staff and other assets
Took over 20th November 1920 (Leith Corporation Tramways) - following the incorporation of Burgh of Leith into Edinburgh
Last cable tram 23rd June 1923
Joint operation 24th June 1923 (with the Musselburgh and District Electric Light and Traction Company Limited) - Waterloo Place to Port Seton
Named changed early 1928 (to Edinburgh Corporation Transport Department)
Took over (operation) 1st March 1928 (M&DEL&TCo) - Joppa to Levenhall section
Took over (ownership) 25th April 1932 (M&DEL&TCo) - Joppa to Levenhall section
Closed 16th November 1956
Length 47.25 miles
Gauge 4ft 8½ins

Button description (Pattern 1) Title ('TRAMWAYS'), within a raised rim, above the municipal arms (a shield bearing a triple-towered castle upon a rock), with an anchor and cable crest, and maiden and doe supporters, all above the motto: 'NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA'
Materials known Nickel
Button Line reference [113/28]

Button description (Pattern 2) Title ('TRANSPORT'), within a raised rim, above the municipal arms (a shield bearing a triple-towered castle upon a rock), with an anchor and cable crest, and maiden and doe supporters, all above the motto: 'NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA'
Materials known Nickel; chrome
Button Line reference [None]

Comment The doe is closely associated with St Giles, the patron saint of Edinburgh, whilst the maiden alludes to the castle, which was previously called 'The Castle of Maidens'.

All buttons known, with the exception of small chrome size, are of 2-piece, open-backed construction.

The name of the department was changed to 'Edinburgh Corporation Transport' early in 1928, and the title was certainly being applied to newly painted trams in 1929. Tramcar staff would therefore have been issued with uniforms bearing Pattern 2 buttons from the end of the 1920s onwards.