regentlad
Replacing the tram
The next stage in Edinburgh's abandonment of trams affected routes west to east with the conversion of tram services 1, 15, 21, 25 and 26 leaving busy areas such as Corstorphine, Portobello and Musselburgh without trams.
The Corporation replaced all except the 21 with buses and were poised to replace this route but Musselburgh Town Council made a clear preference for Scottish Omnibuses (SMT) which meant Corporation buses on services 26 and 44 could not cross the Eastfield boundary. The replacement SMT route 176 worked St Andrew Square to Wallyford deviating from tram route 21 half-way along the racecourse to traverse Ashgrove and Pinkie Braes. Overcrowding resulted in double-deck buses being sent to Musselburgh to cope. Some considerably older than the trams.
Here at The Mall in 1955 we see E22A a Guy Arab II with Weyman body await a crew change-over near the depot. These Guy buses were new in 1945 their spartan like bodies the result of scarce materials during the war. E22 looks to be carrying beyond its capacity for 55 plus 5 standing, note paper sticker for 'Ashgrove' . Football pools were popular in that era and Vernon Sangster owned one of the biggest pools companies and was a regular advertiser on SMT buses. Seen opposite is the then town 'drinking fountain' which is now the war memorial. In 1958 E22 and most of the Guy buses moved to Highland Omnibuses.
Replacing the tram
The next stage in Edinburgh's abandonment of trams affected routes west to east with the conversion of tram services 1, 15, 21, 25 and 26 leaving busy areas such as Corstorphine, Portobello and Musselburgh without trams.
The Corporation replaced all except the 21 with buses and were poised to replace this route but Musselburgh Town Council made a clear preference for Scottish Omnibuses (SMT) which meant Corporation buses on services 26 and 44 could not cross the Eastfield boundary. The replacement SMT route 176 worked St Andrew Square to Wallyford deviating from tram route 21 half-way along the racecourse to traverse Ashgrove and Pinkie Braes. Overcrowding resulted in double-deck buses being sent to Musselburgh to cope. Some considerably older than the trams.
Here at The Mall in 1955 we see E22A a Guy Arab II with Weyman body await a crew change-over near the depot. These Guy buses were new in 1945 their spartan like bodies the result of scarce materials during the war. E22 looks to be carrying beyond its capacity for 55 plus 5 standing, note paper sticker for 'Ashgrove' . Football pools were popular in that era and Vernon Sangster owned one of the biggest pools companies and was a regular advertiser on SMT buses. Seen opposite is the then town 'drinking fountain' which is now the war memorial. In 1958 E22 and most of the Guy buses moved to Highland Omnibuses.