A new red Transport Wheel was unveiled in Edinburgh on Wednesday afternoon, adding to the city’s collection.
This 201st wheel designates Powderhall Stables as a site of transport heritage.
Despite the baronial appearance of the building created in 1893 by City Engineer, John Cooper, this was home for the horses which pulled the rubbish carts in the capital.
John Cameron, CBE, Vice-president of the National Transport Trust said to the assembled group at Powderhall: “Just to the northwest of us were the weighing office and dung pit, while the protruding wing to the northeast housed the smith, saddlery, and cartwright. The incinerator which stood nearby rejoiced in the name of The Destructor.
“Only in Edinburgh would premises fulfilling such a humble, but essential function, have been designed to resemble a public school. Once this site had its own passenger station that closed as long ago as 1917, and another nearby reminder of the Great War’s impact is the memorial in Rosebank Cemetery to the Royal Scots from Leith who died in Britain’s worst rail disaster at Gretna.
“Later, after the world of horse and cart had given way to a more modern Waste Transfer Station or compactor opened in 1970, the now disused railway would convey compacted waste to Dunbar for landfill. Today waste that cannot be recycled is incinerated in the Recycling and Energy Recovery Centre out at Millerhill, and other historical features including the greyhound racing stadium have also gone.”
But Mr Cameron also commented that this area has a bright future as a mixed-tenure residential neighbourhood. He said: “The old railway is aimed to become an active travel corridor, and the stables will be a mix of artist studio space, workspace and café/events space operated by the local charity Out of the Blue. This is the second such transformation in North Edinburgh following Granton Gasworks Station which was awarded a Red Wheel, and Granton Lighthouse, which is another Red Wheel location where a similar transformation will begin later this year.
Mr Cameron hopes that there might be a trail around the various Red Wheels in Edinburgh at some point in the future.
National Transport Trust’s Red Wheel (RW) heritage plaque scheme highlights the most important sites of transport heritage and bring them to the attention of a wider and younger audience. Each site has a bespoke commemorative plaque backed up with a comprehensive website.
The Red Wheel sites are listed here.
