War Memorial set to return

Work to reinstate the Heart of Midlothian War Memorial to its location at Haymarket junction will begin today.

The city's Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds and the Managing Director of Heart of Midlothian Football Club, David Southern, placed a time capsule in the base of the memorial in commemoration of the club's footballers who lost their lives in World War One.

The memorial was placed in to storage in 2009 for safe-keeping as tram construction works were taking place in the area. It will be carefully rebuilt over the next six weeks in the centre of the Haymarket road junction, opposite the Haymarket Bar.

Councillor Hinds said: "This memorial holds a special place in the hearts of many in Edinburgh and I'm delighted work is now beginning to restore it to its rightful place in the centre of the Haymarket junction.

"Tram work continues to progress well along the length of the route - 2013 has been a very productive year so far for the project and I expect that to continue."

Haymarket memorial

David Southern added: "This memorial is one of the jewels in the crown of Heart of Midlothian Football Club and is naturally something that everyone associated with the club is very proud of.

"We are delighted that it is being reinstated and can once again take its rightful place as one of this great city's prime landmarks.

"We will never forget the sacrifice made by those players, supporters and shareholders of Hearts along with the players and supporters of other teams and that is why it is a privilege to be present at the return of the memorial.

"I'd like to thank the City of Edinburgh Council, the Friends of the Heart of Midlothian War Memorial, TIE, our own club archivists and McCrae's Battalion Trust for their understanding and diligence through this entire process."

The contract completion date for the project remains summer 2014. An update will be provided to Councillors on project timescales in September 2013. Once on-street works and overhead cabling work has been completed, a programme of rigorous testing and commissioning will take place to prepare the system and the service for operation. The tram project team will report to Council in September 2013 with an update on project timescales.

The project remains in line with the revised budget (£776m) approved by the Council in September 2011, with work either ahead of schedule or in line with the revised timescale reported in December 2011.

Hearts World