Events making the headlines in 1986 included the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the Space Shuttle Challenger breaking apart 73 seconds after liftoff, Halley’s Comet appearing in the night sky, and the start of the mad cow disease outbreak in the UK.
On television viewers were tuning into the first episodes of ‘Lovejoy’, ‘Every Second Counts’ and ‘The Singing Detective’, while at the cinema ‘Crocodile’, ‘Top Gun’, ‘Rocky IV’ and ‘Aliens’ saw film fans queue around the block.
In the music charts The Communards had the best-selling single of the year with ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’, followed by ‘Every Loser Wins’ by Nick Berry, Boris Gardiner’s ‘I Want To Wake Up With You’, ‘Living Doll’ by The Young Ones and Ciff Richard, and Diana Ross’s ‘Chain Reaction’.
And there was plenty going on in Edinburgh, including that year’s Commonwealth Games and plenty of celebrity visits.
Here are 27 pictures to take you back to Scotland’s Capital in 1986.
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In the music charts The Communards had the best-selling single of the year with ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’, followed by ‘Every Loser Wins’ by Nick Berry, Boris Gardiner’s ‘I Want To Wake Up With You’, ‘Living Doll’ by The Young Ones and Ciff Richard, and Diana Ross’s ‘Chain Reaction’.
![Harry Tranter, a well known Edinburgh character, selling postcards at the junction of Princes Street and Waverley Bridge in Edinburgh in June 1986.](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjIzNWEzNTU4LWU3ZGMtNDZlOC1iZjBhLTgxNThiMGU0NTkzYTpiNzgyZmU4ZC0zNGE4LTQ1NzEtOTVkNS00NDU2YTQ2NzMxODQ=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
17. Card shark
Harry Tranter, a well known Edinburgh character, selling postcards at the junction of Princes Street and Waverley Bridge in Edinburgh in June 1986. Photo: Albert Jordan
![The Duke of Edinburgh is driven round the track at the opening ceremony of the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games.](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjJiYTUyOThlLTBhOGMtNDFhNS1iYzRiLWEwZTVjNjY3Y2Q5MjozMzJmNzE2YS1lYjdhLTRlZGEtOTBhNS00Y2ZkZDgwMWMxZmE=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
18. Royal blessing
The Duke of Edinburgh is driven round the track at the opening ceremony of the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. Photo: Joe Steele
![Terry Waite, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Special Envoy, visiting Edinburgh in April 1986. In January 1987 Mr Waite was kidnapped during a diplomatic mission to Beirut and was released in November 1991.](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOmNkNzc0YzVlLWYyZjQtNDNkNi1hNGI5LTVlMGNmNTA4MGM0NzpmNjljODUxNC02ZTY4LTQ1MTEtYjljZS1kMGY1MDlmZWQ5YzM=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
19. Survivor
Terry Waite, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Special Envoy, visiting Edinburgh in April 1986. In January 1987 Mr Waite was kidnapped during a diplomatic mission to Beirut and was released in November 1991. Photo: Ian Brand
![Left-wing singer/songwriter Billy Bragg promotes the Red Wedge pro-Labour party campaign at a press conference in the Assembly Rooms in January 1986.](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjdhODI4OGMzLWYxZjctNDRlNy1iZTYyLTkyNTRmMTk2YTZiZTplZjdjZjViNy0xZWQ4LTRlNzEtOGVkOS1jMzhjZWE3ZjBlMDM=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
20. Campaigner
Left-wing singer/songwriter Billy Bragg promotes the Red Wedge pro-Labour party campaign at a press conference in the Assembly Rooms in January 1986. Photo: Hamish Campbell