The Pulley Unit

A stroll along Henderson Row revealed remnants of a Tram Cable Pulley Unit (with accompanying plaque) at Scottish Life Company offices the site of which used to be a tram station.
Background:
"Edinburgh Northern Tramways operated a cable hauled tramway service in Edinburgh between 1888 and 1897.
The service started on 28 January 1888 with a line along Hanover Street and Dundas Street to Ferry Road, Goldenacre. The depot and power station were located on Henderson Row. A second line opened on 17 February 1890 from George Street along Frederick Street and Howe Street through Stockbridge to Comely Bank.  On 1 January 1897 it was taken over by the Edinburgh and District Tramways." [Wikipedia]


"Pulleys for underground cables at the former depot for the Northern Cable Tramway, Henderson Row, Stockbridge, Edinburgh The tram depot, at the east end of Henderson Row, was designed by William Hamilton Beattie in 1886 for the Northern Cable Tramway Company, one of several companies that operated a service of cable tramcars in Edinburgh. These pulleys, part of the extensive system once housed in the depot, operated the underground cables which 'pulled' the tramcars up and down the steep hill to Princes Street. In the 1880s, Edinburgh had a public transport system of tramcars which were operated by a series of underground cables running in tunnels under the middle of the road between the tram rails. In 1922, the tramway system was electrified. " [Canmore.org.uk]