Tramlink visit
 

Apologies for yet another thread about the Croydon tram crash, but I
visited it yesterday and took a few pictures which should probably be
discussed in a different thread:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/reclin...57676976959855

A few observations:

- Not surprisingly, the trams were running quite slowly, always well
below the posted speed limits. They never got near the 80 km/h limit
that normally applies on several track stretches. I assume this is a
deliberate management policy, and not just drivers being extra
careful.

- I've included pictures of the large km/h speedos in both the older
Bombardier and new Stadler trams. They operate in both the front and
rear cabs.

- Journey times will be extended, the gaps between trams seemed
irregular, and some of the trams were quite full at a very much
off-peak time. Turnarounds at the ends were quick.

- There are a lot of lineside speed limit signs, and the limit changes
frequently, and sometimes quite dramatically. The network consists of
many former mainline routes, usually with 80 km/h limits, linked by
tight curves with much lower limits. The lowest route on a passenger
route that I saw was 15 km/h, near Birkbeck Junction; I don't know if
this is a permanent or temporary speed restriction. The route into the
depot has a 10 km/h limit.

- There are new safety notices on all stations and trams. I assume all
the locals had already read them, as I saw no-one looking at them.

- I overheard a few people talking about the crash. Nobody seemed
worried about using the trams now, though someone commented that they
were running more slowly than usual (true).

- There were two blokes with a radar gun at the crash site, checking
for any speeding trams going round the tight 20 km/h curves east of
Sandilands Junction. The trams I went on didn't do much over 15 km/h
on those curves.

- There are a lot of sturdy OHL stantions at the crash site. It's
lucky that the derailed tram didn't crash into one of them, or the
casualties might have been even higher.

- I didn't spot anyone else taking pictures, and the crash site was
unmarked apart from four traffic cones. There was clearly significant
track damage, and there's a lot of new ballast under the re-laid
track.

- As an aside, the touch-in on the platform rule is still catching
people out. At one station, a woman who'd boarded, suddenly jumped off
the tram as she'd forgotten to touch-in. At another, I saw a different
woman touch out; I don't know if that could land her with a second
fare, or is a second touch allowed? Of course, it might even have
been her third touch-in during the allowed 70 mins time, so she might
have been landed with another fare.