Edinburgh Transport

Castle Terrace

NOTE:  I had originally captioned this picture: 'Char-a-bancs at Princes Street', a title that I may have taken from the back of the photo.

However, in his reply (below) Alan Brotchie tells me that this photo was in fact taken in Castle Terrace

Char-a-bancs in Castle Terrace

This photograph is  labelled  22 May 1921 on the back.  i.e. the same day as photos below were taken of char-a-bancs beside the National Galleries at the Foot of the Mound.

However, on seeing the photo above, Roger Atkinson, editor of Roads & Road Transport Association's newsletter investigated further and consulted with member Roy Larkin who spoke to Mike Sutcliffe.

Roger wrote:

Castle Terrace Photo

       ©

The Date?

"We looked at the tyres, then the wheels, then at headlights and sidelights, and finally at the hats worn by some, but not all of the ladies.

The tyres are pneumatics, the wheels are discs, not spokes and some, but not all, of the ladies' hats are redolent of dancing the Charlston.

Perhaps 1926-27?

Edinburgh Corporation Vehicles

"Mike Sutcliffe quickly identified the line up in this photo as being 9 Leyland charabancs of Edinburgh Corporation:

-  'Model L's -  built 1919 (27 seats, 6 rows)  and

-  'Model O1's - built 1920 (32 seats, 7 rows).

They were on solid tyres when new.  They received bus bodies in the winter months of 1920-21 and 1921-22, reverting to charas for the summers.

Pneumatic tyres may have been fitted quite early in terms of  any heavy vehicles being fitted with pneumatics, say 1925-26.

The Mound Photos

©        ©

"Turning to the picture of the charabancs at The Mound:

Solid tyres, less sophisticated bodywork on the charas, less sophisticated hats on the ladies.

Let us readily concede 1921 for that photograph.

Roger Atkinson, Chester, Cheshire, England:  May 10, 2007

Question

Can you help to give a more accurate date for the photograph above?

Do you know in which years charabancs departed from Castle Terrace or when Edinburgh charabancs were fist fitted with pneumatic tyres?

If you can help to date this picture, please e-mail me.

Thank you.  -  Peter Stubbs:  May 11, 2007

Reply

Thank you to Alan Brotchie, Kirkcaldy, Fife, author of several books on transport in and around Edinburgh, for sending me the following comment  -  not about the date of this photo, but about its location!

©

Alan wrote:

Castle Terrace

"Your view of 'Charabancs in Princes Street' is not of Princes Street, but of Castle Terrace!  It was possibly taken from Synod Hall.

The road is curved (Princes Street is not) and at that date there were tram lines in Princes Street".

Alan Brotchie, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland:  June 13, 2007

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