Edinburgh Trams is five years old at the end of May, and the city’s tramway is celebrating by launching a charity children’s book featuring Tilly the Tram and her friends as they go on an adventure around the capital.

Lea Harrison Managing Director of Edinburgh Trams poses with the book third from left and from left to right Kennedy(3) Fiona Thomson Edinburgh Trams,Alastair (5), Amy Ford Corporate Fundraiser with Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and Irene Wadsworth Edinburgh Trams.


The book titled “Tilly the Tram’s Noisy Birthday” was written by the staff of Edinburgh Trams and illustrated by one of their graphic designers, Hannah Rose. The book is on sale from 12 noon today with £3 from each copy sold donated to their charity of the year, The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity. It was printed locally by Advanced Images.

Aimed at under fives it will help keep the littlest tram fans safe by alerting them to the sights and sounds of the tram.

Lea Harrison at the book launch

On 2 June there will also be three exclusive Tram Tales journeys taking place. If you have a ticket (they are very much in demand it seems) then you can listen to the book being read by Forth One’s Micky Gavin. He will also be leading the singing with some Kiddieoke.

The money paid to The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, will help them continue to transform the lives of children and young people in hospital and healthcare settings across Edinburgh. 

Kennedy (3) loves the book

Amy Ford, Corporate Fundraiser from the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity said:“We are delighted to be partnering with Edinburgh Trams as they reach this milestone birthday, and to be benefitting from their generosity as part of the celebrations. A birthday should be a special time for any child, but for those in hospital a fun and exciting day can become sad and stressful. Thanks to the support of Edinburgh Trams, we can continue to transform the lives of children and young people in hospital and healthcare settings so that they can be a child first and a patient second.”

Kennedy loved posing for photos too! (‘cheese!’)
Alastair (5) was in charge of the birthday balloon and his brother Finlay (20 months) while Kennedy held on to the book.

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.