About me, Kenneth G Williamson
- trainbuff01
- Jul 19, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 4, 2024
I have a Flickr Professional account where you can view my collection of train and tram photos from around the world: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127340508@N05/
My Facebook Page
My books at Amazon
I was born in Elsie Inglis hospital in Edinburgh in 1951 and have lived in the city all my life and have travelled extensively photographing trains and trams both home and abroad.
I have had an interest in all forms of transport since I was a boy.
I lived in Granton where there was an abundance of trains going to and from Granton Harbour as well as Granton Gas Works.
I attended Granton Primary School and Ainslie Park Secondary School.
My father was a tram and bus driver at Leith Depot.
I was a Scottish Law Accountant for 45 years working in a large Edinburgh Legal Office.
I have in the past played first fifteen rugby union for several Edinburgh clubs and still follow rugby as well as football (Hibernian Football Club).
In 2019 I wrote a book called ‘Old Edinburgh Trams’ published by www.amberley-books.com which proved very popular and is still available on Amazon or Kindle.
This was my first venture into book writing although I have previously written several articles on trains and trams which have been published in various journals.
I have since written another book, again published by Amberley, called ‘Edinburgh, Granton and Leith Railways’ giving a brief illustrated history of the railways that once flourished in this particular area as I felt it was important to document the story of the railways and their social impact.
I have another book entitled 'More Edinburgh Trams waiting publication.
I do talks on transport matters which I always enjoy as you never know what questions you will be asked and what items the audience may bring along, be it photographs or artifacts
I recently returned from a trip to Wales and below is a picture of Welsh Highland Railway's former South African Railways 'Baby' Garrat locomotive No. 143 taking on water at Caernarfon on 1 July, 2024.
The best way of researching answers to your questions would be to visit the National Records of Scotland at Register House in Edinburgh. There are also many books available on the history and routes of Edinburgh's suburban railways and tram lines. The answers to your question 'how long did the rides take?' obviously depend on where the passenger was travelling from and to, but timetables for the period are also available at Register House.
Dear Mr. Williamson,
with considerable delight I noticed your expertise in all matters of trams and railways in the Edinburgh area of early 20th century. I am currently attempting to write an adventure/detective story set in Edinburgh of 1910. Obviously, the characters also need to move around, and thus I find myself in need of reliable information concerning this period. E.g.: How expensive were the tickets? How often would the trams and trains run? Could you just jump on like on a London bus, or were there dedicated stations (and, if so, where)? How long did the rides take? What were the passenger railway connections to and from Edinburgh like? And so on.
You have written two books so far.…