Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Railway - Modernisation

Modernisation

Diesel multiple-units replaced steam trains in 1958, part of the introduction of diesel trains first on North Berwick, Galashiels via Peebles, and then on other local services around Edinburgh – as was happening elsewhere on BR. That did not mean faster journeys. For example, the journey time allowed from Morningside via Haymarket to Waverley was 11-12 minutes in 1958, at the end of steam operation, and normally 13 minutes with diesel operation, as in 1960-61.

When diesel trains were introduced in 1958-59 to the Musselburgh, Corstorphine, Rosewell and Edinburgh south side circle services, BR introduced a wider spread of operation over the day on these lines in a last effort to stimulate some additional traffic, except on the south side circle - which must have reflected an expectation that there was nothing to gain from that. As the 1960-61 timetable illustrates, there was only a moderately increased service within the same limited times of operation: Mondays-Fridays 19 on inner circle (7 morning peak, 6 lunchtime, 6 evening peak), 15 on outer circle (6 morning peak, 4 lunchtime, 3 evening peak) and Saturdays 7 on inner circle (4 morning peak, 3 lunchtime) and 8 on outer circle (6 morning peak, 2 lunchtime).

There was minimal increase, if any, in passenger journeys and revenues on the line as a result of dieselisation.

Part of the justification for dieselisation was the reduction of movement costs. In the event the savings were insufficient and when the services were withdrawn after a few years the diesel units were redeployed on other services.