EdinburghSeasons » St. Andrew’s Square http://www.edinburghseasons.com Everything Edinburgh in every season. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:58:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Edinburgh, other cities and Trams http://www.edinburghseasons.com/2011-12-19/edinburgh-other-cities-and-trams/ http://www.edinburghseasons.com/2011-12-19/edinburgh-other-cities-and-trams/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:31:31 +0000 Karlie MacGregor http://www.edinburghseasons.com/?p=2026 Since the announcement that Edinburgh would be getting a tram line, Residents in the city have not been amused. The Edinburgh trams works are proving to be a bone of contention with most Edinburgh residents who cite the Tram works as an embarrassment to the city. The work, which started in 2008 ,was due to be completed in 2011 but has been set back until 2014 due to grieviences on contractual work. The tramline was originally meant to be running from the Airport to Leith via the city centre but due to costs over running it will now run from the Airport to St Andrew’s Square and potentially York Place.

Tram 2539

While we could ramble on about the trams all day long and probably early into the small hours, when they are eventually finished they will make a great addition to the city. Other cities with successful Tram lines in place include, Manchester, Croydon, Birmingham, London Docklands, Nottingham, Blackpool, Sheffield and Newcastle.
Edinburgh’s city trams will have 27 Trams in action, running at 30mph which will seat 78 people, with room for 178 standing in addition to two wheelchairs spaces.

I recently visited Nottingham and thought the 2004 installed tram system ran extremely well there. Trams are used in place of rail systems as they are able to travel smaller distances at speed meaning more stops can be created closer together.

Blackpool tram - 40

The first of the newer street running tram systems was constructed in Manchester, opened in 1992. The only original first generation Tram line in use is the Blackpool one. Running for 120 years now, the Blackpool tram line has been under consideration for upgrading for several years, but as yet has been left untouched.

while it may be some time away, when they eventually open, the trams will be a great addition to Edinburgh City.
Photo credit and thanks to
]]> http://www.edinburghseasons.com/2011-12-19/edinburgh-other-cities-and-trams/feed/ 0 The Melville Monument http://www.edinburghseasons.com/2009-06-20/the-melville-monument/ http://www.edinburghseasons.com/2009-06-20/the-melville-monument/#comments Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:27:05 +0000 George Burnett http://www.edinburghseasons.com/?p=311 No tour of the architectural beauty of Edinburgh would be complete without a stop by the Melville Monument.

The Melville Monument looks out over Edinburgh

The Melville Monument looks out over Edinburgh

To the uninitiated, this 42.6 meter high column was erected in honor of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, a renowned Scottish lawyer who held a variety of offices during his lifetime including First Lord of the Admiralty under William Pitt the Younger, among many other positions. Dundas also had the notable and somewhat unfortunate distinction of being the last person to have been impeached from public office in the whole of the United Kingdom.

[Image credit: coda]

Edinburgh’s Melville Monument, A Landmark In St. Andrew’s Square

Standing at the center of St. Andrew’s Square, the impressive landmark has an interesting history involving some unique characters and milestones. The story of the Melville Monument begins in 1817, when a private group of prominent Naval officers formed a committee to memorialize Viscount Melville, and succeeded in raising several thousand pounds to fund the project. During his life, Dundas was considered to be the most powerful man in Scotland, and was referred to by contemporaries as “King Henry the Ninth”, such was his influence.

Melville Monument takes pride of place in the centre of St. Andrew's Square, Edinburgh

Melville Monument takes pride of place in the centre of St. Andrew's Square, Edinburgh

[Image credit: FotoFling Scotland]

Melville Monument, Watchful Tower Over Edinburgh’s New Town

The overall structure was designed by William Burn, which he modeled after Trajan’s Column in Rome. The statue that sits atop pillar, meanwhile, was created by Robert Forrest and Francis Chantrey. Weighing in at over 1500 tons, the Melville Monument was so massive that special considerations had to be taken for the foundation to support its mass. Robert Stevenson, a respected lighthouse engineer and also grandfather to the author Robert Louis Stevenson, used the first line balance crane ever built to erect the towering edifice. The column was finished in 1823, while the statue had to wait until 1828 until being put into place.

Edinburgh's Melville Monument watches as the sun goes down over the city

Edinburgh's Melville Monument watches as the sun goes down over the city

While rather drab in appearance, the Melville Monument is still a sight to behold for sheer height and size. In recognition of its landmark status, a plaque in honor of the monument was placed in St. Andrews Square by the Institute of Civil Engineers to commemorate its erection. Once off limits to tourists, the garden surrounding the Melville Monument is now thankfully open to visitors.
[Image credit: Pete98]

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