of Bathgate. The section beyond Bathgate was reopened in 2011, connecting with the Glasgow suburban network at Airdrie and opening up a fourth railway link to Glasgow. History Edinburgh once had a well-developed rail network. It started with the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway, whose terminus was at St Leonards on the east of the Old Town, and the Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway (later the Edinburgh, Leith and Granton Railway), whose terminus was at Canal Street (on the site of today's Waverley Station). The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway opened in 1842. By the mid-20th century, competition between the North British Railway and the Caledonian Railway, together with the conservatism of the city's local government, combined to make the network very inefficient, with much duplication of routes. Most stations closed down and, following the Beeching Axe in the late 1960s, the city was left with only three passenger railway stations: Waverley, Haymarket and Slateford. The South Suburban line was left in place, mainly as a bypass for freight services to avoid the city centre. New stations have since opened since the Beeching Axe: , , , Edinburgh Gateway station and in recent years. There are currently 12 stations within the City of Edinburgh Council area. Other stations and services Edinburgh itself has a small suburban rail network (the backbone of which is the Edinburgh Crossrail). The network started in 2002 and runs in an east-west axis across the city, linking the stations of Edinburgh Park in the west with Haymarket, Waverley (in the city centre) and Brunstane and Newcraighall, to the east. The other stations in the city are South Gyle, Dalmeny (for South Queensferry), Slateford, Edinburgh Gateway, Kingsknowe, Wester Hailes and Curriehill. Haymarket railway station is the second major station in Edinburgh and is located in the heart of the west end of the city, an area of many offices and businesses; so the station is popular with commuters and busy at peak periods. The complete redevelopment of Haymarket is currently under way, partly in response to the need to improve access for disabled passengers. A new concourse and access bridge is being constructed to the west of the existing bridge, which will feature better facilities and step-free access to all platforms. Edinburgh Gateway has an interchange with Edinburgh Trams in Gogar to provide a link to Edinburgh Airport. Trams The Edinburgh Trams is a new tram line which opened