A former Dundee horse tram has been discovered in the City Road Allotments

The former tram in the City Allotments (Picture: Dundee Museum of Transport)

An incredible piece of Dundee’s transport history has been uncovered – and it’s been hiding in plain sight for decades.

Staff from Dundee Museum of Transport recently made a remarkable discovery with the help of volunteers from City Road Allotments: a former Dundee horse tram, long believed to be one of the last of its kind.

From the outside, it appears to be nothing more than a modest garden shed. But a closer look inside reveals its true identity – the preserved frame of an original horse tram, complete with carved wooden details, window frames, and even cucumbers growing through its structure.

It’s thought that the tram was moved to the allotments in the 1960s, where it has since served the local community in an entirely new way.

While Dundee’s trams stopped running 69 years ago, this one has continued its service – as a humble garden shed with a rich story to tell.

The discovery forms part of the museum’s ongoing ‘Hunt for Dundee’s Tram Relics and Memories’, which aims to trace the city’s tram heritage and locate surviving vehicles or fragments ahead of its future move to the historic Maryfield Tram Depot.

Museum staff are now appealing to the public to share any stories, photos, or artefacts linked to Dundee’s trams, in hopes of unearthing more hidden relics.

The museum has extended its thanks to the volunteers and allotment users at City Road for helping uncover the tram, and for their enthusiasm in preserving a unique part of Dundee’s past.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Hannah at hcrookes@dmoft.co.uk to help shape the upcoming tram exhibition and potentially reveal more hidden treasures from the city’s transport story.