Edinburgh Buses: Archive photos reveal aftermath of dramatic Edinburgh bus crashes

Generations of Edinburgh citizens have hopped on a bus to zig-zag across the Capital over the last hundred years and more, safely arriving at their destination, but very occasionally their journeys have come to an unexpected end.
By Liam Rudden
Published 3rd Jun 2022, 04:55 GMT
Updated 7th Jun 2022, 10:50 GMT
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Let us know what you think and join the conversation at the bottom of this article

Ding ding! ‘Hold very tight now!’ It may be a while since that refrain was last heard on Edinburgh’s buses but there was very good reason for it as dramatic images from the Evening News archive reveal. They capture the aftermath of bus crashes in the city over the years and make fascinating snapshots of the Capital’s past. From the city centre to Meadowbank, Fountainbridge to Slateford and Granton they are glimpses of a city much changed.

An Eastern Scottish bus rolled backwards, crashing through the railings of a York Place flat in Edinburgh, May 1988 Pic: George SmithAn Eastern Scottish bus rolled backwards, crashing through the railings of a York Place flat in Edinburgh, May 1988 Pic: George Smith
An Eastern Scottish bus rolled backwards, crashing through the railings of a York Place flat in Edinburgh, May 1988 Pic: George Smith

In one, taken in November 1970, an Eastern Scottish No 79 has crashed through railings on the corner of Princes Street and Waverley Bridge.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The accident, caught on film by Hamish Campbell, took place on the site that now houses an open air bar and wasn't the first to happen on that spot.

A No 34 Corporation bus crashed into the canopy of the Palais De Danse at Fountainbridge Edinburgh in July 1971 Pic Ian BrandA No 34 Corporation bus crashed into the canopy of the Palais De Danse at Fountainbridge Edinburgh in July 1971 Pic Ian Brand
A No 34 Corporation bus crashed into the canopy of the Palais De Danse at Fountainbridge Edinburgh in July 1971 Pic Ian Brand

Thankfully the corner has been built up over the decades making such an occurrence impossible today - that and the fact it's no longer possible to turn left onto Waverley Bridge.

There's another Eastern Scottish vehicle, a coach this time involved in a brace of images captured by Stan Warburton in April 1975. On this occasion the coach collided with a Council bus just outside Meadowbank Stadium.

Flashing back four years, and the canopy of the Palais De Danse in Fountainbridge appears to have come off a bit better than the No 34 Corporation bus that decided to engage it in July 1971.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Five years earlier there was no clear winner between the Corporation No 33 and the SMT bus that collided in Slateford, although accompanying description of the photo noting that ‘the platform of the No 33 bus was badly crumpled’ seems a bit of an under-statement looking at the multiple images taken by Denis Straughan in February 1966.

Everything was happening in November 1974 when Bill Stout arrived to snap a Corporation No 9 that had run into a lamppost in Granton – he arrived as police and Corporation employees inspected the damage.

The platform of this No 33 Edinburgh Corporation bus was crumpled in a crash with an SMT bus in Slateford, Edinburgh in February 1966 Pic: Denis StraughanThe platform of this No 33 Edinburgh Corporation bus was crumpled in a crash with an SMT bus in Slateford, Edinburgh in February 1966 Pic: Denis Straughan
The platform of this No 33 Edinburgh Corporation bus was crumpled in a crash with an SMT bus in Slateford, Edinburgh in February 1966 Pic: Denis Straughan

Finally, more recently, George Smith was quickly on the scene in May 1988 when an Eastern Scottish bus on its approach to the bus station rolled backwards, crashing through the railings of a York Place flat.

Not the first time a vehicle has rolled down one of Edinburgh's inclines and probably not the last.​

From another angle, an Eastern Scottish coach and an Edinburgh Council bus collided outside Meadowbank stadium in April 1975 Pic Stan WarburtonFrom another angle, an Eastern Scottish coach and an Edinburgh Council bus collided outside Meadowbank stadium in April 1975 Pic Stan Warburton
From another angle, an Eastern Scottish coach and an Edinburgh Council bus collided outside Meadowbank stadium in April 1975 Pic Stan Warburton
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Looking through the historic shots, Edinburgh public transport historian and writer Richard Walter, who has published numerous titles featuring his images of the Capital’s buses, the latest being Scotland's Buses: The Road to Net Zero, published in hardback by [email protected], £22.50, reflects, “Whilst it’s distressing to remember these incidents, buses have gone through many design improvements since with safety high in design specifications.

From another angle, the platform of a No 33 Edinburgh Corporation bus was crumpled in a crash with this SMT bus in Slateford, Edinburgh in February 1966 Pic Denis StraughanFrom another angle, the platform of a No 33 Edinburgh Corporation bus was crumpled in a crash with this SMT bus in Slateford, Edinburgh in February 1966 Pic Denis Straughan
From another angle, the platform of a No 33 Edinburgh Corporation bus was crumpled in a crash with this SMT bus in Slateford, Edinburgh in February 1966 Pic Denis Straughan

“And we now have alternatives to traditional fuel powered buses with hybrid and electric vehicles starting to replace diesel ones.

“These carry their own risks but are kept monitored and, of course, human mistakes can never be totally eradicated, but serious accidents remain tiny when you add up the number of safe journeys every day.”

Related topics:BusesEdinburgh