Permanent shops and services in the area were scarce, so the estates were serviced by a variety of people, carts and vans in the early 1950s.
The following are fondly remembered:-
Slights Veg. Van
Haliburtons Fish Van
Bon Accord Pop Van
Messer the Coalman
Simpson Bros Fruit and Veg Van
Grieves General Stores Van
Marandola’s, Tommy’s and Boni’s Ice Cream Vans
St Cuthbert’s and Dumfriesshire’s Electric and Horse-drawn Milk Carts
Edinburgh Mobile Library
Onion Johnnies on bicycles
Mr Acetola the Barber
POWS selling Wooden toys
Hawkers selling dishcloths and handkerchiefs
Gypsies selling Wooden clothes pegs and Lucky White Heather.
As permanent shops were built, many of these disappeared.