The original Edinburgh tram network was dismantled in 1956. They made a return in 2014, although the lengthy construction process proved controversial due to spiralling costs and the paring back of the proposed system to a single line from Leith to Edinburgh Airport. This route was subsequently truncated with the announcement that trams from the airport would not run beyond the city centre, despite huge sums of money having been spent diverting underground utilities on the mile-long Leith Walk in order to clear a pathway for the tracks. The whole project became a convenient political football.
Of course there's nothing remotely new about a massive infrastructure programme running way over budget. It's also often the case that, once operational, these schemes prove beneficial and the old arguments melt away. The trams are now fully integrated with everyday city life and the opening of the extension to Leith is imminent. So how does all this fit in with a city walk? Well, I was tracing the old Corstorphine branch railway on the map and noticed a portion of it now functions as a public footpath. Moreover, the end of this trail links to a path running alongside the modern-day tramlines all the way out to Edinburgh Park Station two and a half miles away. An idea began to form. I could combine old and new rail infrastructure on a single walk. A perfect activity for a late-spring evening prior to my monthly German meet-up. The sun was shining as I took the bus straight from work. I had decided to travel by tram from the city centre out to Edinburgh Park and work my way back on foot. I purchased a single ticket from Princes Street, which cost £2. The fares have been pegged at an affordable level, but there is one glaring anomaly in the system. The city zone consists of all stops, bar the airport, which sits within its own pricing category. A single ride anywhere within the city zone costs the aforementioned two quid, while a day return is priced at £3.80 and a fiver will buy you an all-day ticket. Go all the way to the airport however, and these prices jump to £7.50, £9.50 and £12 respectively, despite the terminal building being just a three quarter mile walk from the final stop in the city zone (Ingliston Park & Ride). Passengers without mobility issues and heavy baggage could easily save a few pounds by alighting short. Nicole and I once walked this stretch when we arrived at Ingliston by bus en route to Germany.
It opens up a whole debate on whether charging significant airport premiums is justified (don't get me started on the £4 drop-off fee!). Those who frequent the terminal will be well aware of the situation but many tourists might be none the wiser. The next time you hear someone bemoan the throng of holidaymakers in our capital city, point out that visitors from far and wide help subside the tram services for locals! Sure to go down a treat. It took just 20 minutes to reach Edinburgh Park, which features a rail interchange and large retail park. I grabbed a snack from Tesco and began following the rails back towards the city. The wide path is part of a cycle network and it was a pleasant stroll with trams gliding by. The parallel railway line to Glasgow was also busy. I passed Bankhead halt, then switched to a grassy short-cut to Saughton. The railway divides here for Fife and Glasgow, while the tram route passes above on a concrete viaduct. I was now skirting Carrick Knowe golf course and the path had sufficient elevation to afford a view of Edinburgh Castle in the distance, Corstorphine Hill to my left and the Pentland range on my right. I quickly reached the next stop, Balgreen, where the tram footpath ends and the old Corstorphine branch railway diverges. This old trackbed is now part of the long-distance John Muir Way, a 134-mile coast-to-coast trail across central Scotland. Nicole and I have completed one stage so far, but I have coincidentally traversed other parts of the route while doing various walks. The Corstorphine Branch opened in 1902 and was less than two miles in length. It featured just three stations: Balgreen, Pinkhill and Corstorphine itself. The line closed to passengers and freight in 1968 and my mum remembers the Corstorphine train often sitting in an adjacent bay at Haymarket when she commuted back home to Fife. Wandering up the gradient, it was easy to see how the trackbed had survived over the decades. Hemmed in between a golf course and residential properties, there wouldn't have been enough clearance to develop the land in any profitable way. I soon reached the impressive remains of Pinkhill Station, where both platforms and the ticket office still stand.
Corstorphine Station has been built over and it was at this point I left the footpath and proceeded along an alleyway leading to the main road (A8). The branch line would have been a useful commuter link and a way for day trippers to reach Edinburgh Zoo. Unfortunately it fell victim to the twin forces of rising car ownership and the increasing promotion of motor buses. The re-introduction of conventional suburban rail to Edinburgh doesn't seem to be on the table but there must surely be hope of the tram network undergoing future expansion. As I type, the extension to Leith is due to start carrying passengers within a couple of weeks and would never have been built if the existing service hadn't met and exceeded targets. The demand is clearly there, plus electric traction ticks all the green boxes. Buses too can be powered in this way but trams shift large volumes of people efficiently and can bypass much of the traffic congestion. Manchester and Birmingham are currently in the process of laying down new tram tracks. Yes, it's expensive but the benefits must be viewed over the longer term. As I crossed Corstorphine Road, a bus approached and I jumped on. The Lothian network has a flat fare of £1.50 for a single journey and a daily cap exists. All very nice, but it would really advance the case for public transport if major cities could integrate the multiple modes into one payment model. London does this brilliantly but does enjoy the advantage of the bus, tram, local rail and underground fleets all being under the umbrella of one transport organisation. This situation isn't replicated across the land, yet needn't be a stumbling block. The vast majority of users now pay using contactless technology which means an exact digital trail is logged. This would surely make it relatively easy to apportion revenue in the correct amounts. Back in the city centre, I made my way to Castle Street where the German meet-up was taking place at Badger & Co. They were offering local Cold Town beers at £4 a pint on Monday to Wednesday evenings - which is cheap for Edinburgh these days. I don't normally opt for lager but, when properly made, it hits the spot after a long walk in the sunshine. Prost!
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