It is believed to date from around 1888, when the city’s original horse-drawn tram system was switched to being powered by cables running under the rails to pull the trams along.
The find on Leith Walk near its junction with Pilrig Street is believed to be close to the so-called “Pilrig muddle” where passengers were forced to change from Edinburgh’s trams to Leith’s separate electrically-powered system.
The wheel, which was uncovered in the last few days, is thought to have been decommissioned when the city’s trams were electrified in 1922.
City archaeologist John Lawson told The Scotsman: “This is a very important and interesting discovery.
“It is part of the original cable winding mechanism.”
Mr Lawson said experts from Guard Archaeology would be investigating and recording the find over the next week.
He said: “We will then try to remove it for safekeeping.”
However, no decision has taken about whether it will put on public display.
Tram fan ACamerumer, who posted pictures of the find on Twitter, said: “I’m hoping that they could be dug up, re-built and put somewhere along the route, or reinforced glass put on top so people could look down and see some historical engineering.”
Paul Tetlaw, a rail expert at sustainable transport campaign body Transform Scotland, said: “It’s a wonderful find so let’s hope it can be preserved as part of future tram works.”
A similar wheel was discovered during non-tram excavation work around ten years ago at nearby Shrubhill but left in place and re-covered.
Source: Scotsman
