WE TAKE a look at the stories making headlines in East Lothian 25, 50 and 100 years ago.

25 years ago...

“REMARKABLY hideous” homes did not win favour with a town’s community council, told the East Lothian Courier on September 18, 1998.

Plans by Wimpey Homes for 59 houses on Haddington’s West Road field were described as “hideous” and “vulgar” at a meeting of Haddington Community Council.

Members agreed to lodge a formal protest to the scheme with the local authority and are to hold a public meeting on the issue on October 29.

Community councillor and planning liaison officer Norman Lawrie said: “These houses planned for the field are remarkably hideous… and offensively vulgar.”

However, he stressed that no decision would be taken on the application until the public inquiry on the local plan.

“These houses are not just for couples and single people, they are meant for families,” he said.

Treasurer Lorraine Dickson said: “The schools and medical facilities cannot take any more – the schools are at bursting point.”

50 years ago...

A TRAIN derailment was making the headlines in the East Lothian Courier on September 21, 1973.

Seven goods wagons were derailed at Dunbar Station on Tuesday morning and it was several hours before the last one was back on the track.

The wagons were being shunted into sidings about 10.30a.m. when they were derailed.

Breakdown crews worked until 9.30p.m. to get them all back on the lines.

Trains used one side of the main line when passing through Dunbar, and the road leading from Countess Road to the Retreat was closed while it was being used by a heavy crane.

100 years ago...

A BUS driver and conductor were the victims of a serious assault, reported the Haddingtonshire Courier on September 21, 1923.

In the Sheriff Court, on Monday, Andrew Robertson, miner, Prestonpans, and Samuel Scott, brusher, Tranent, pleaded guilty to having on Sunday, while in a motor bus travelling from Haddington to Tranent, and near Spittalrigg, conducted themselves in a disorderly manner and assaulted John Strachan, conductor, and John Anderson, driver.

The fiscal stated that in the course of the disturbance, Roberston attacked the conductor.

On the driver coming to his assistance, Scott joined in to help Robertson.

Scott had a stick in his hand, and with it struck Anderson a blow on the face and seized him by the throat.

In the course of the struggle, both fell off the bus.

Hon. Sheriff Substitute Rose said such conduct could not be allowed.

The accused would be each fined £2, the alternative being 20 days imprisonment. The fines were paid.