European Railroad Discussion > Trams in London????

One does not immediately think of trams as part of the rail transit environment in the greater London area but TfL does have a small tram network in the southern outer part of the greater London area. It's centered around the East Croydon Rail station, and I headed there today to take my first look at London's trams. Many thanks to TO member 86235 for recommending East Croydon.

So here is a series of photos showing the trams as well a bit of the surroundings at and near East Croydon.
#1: One of my better roster shots of a tram (Bombardier model)
#2: Easbound tram at East Croydon
#3: Westbound tram approaching the East Croydon stop



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/22 12:29 by WP17.

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Given the tight shooting angles and unfavorable sun angle at East Croydon, I rode a tram around the "Croydon Loop" and found a much better location for photography at the corner of George and Wellesley Road.
#4. An eastbound Bombardier tram approaching George St.
#5 An easbound Stadler model also approaching George St.
#6 A westbound tram on George St with a very bright wrap

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I then explored a bit of the line immediately east of the station and found the neighbourhood changed rapidly from commercial to residential within the first two stops.
These shots were taken at the Sandilands stop where the line leaves street running to enter a private right of way visible in the last shot in this sequence.
 

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Next a shot near the Lebanon Road stop showing the residential character of the area. I found this area reminded me of my shots of CLRVs in Toronto neighborhoods.
And finally to wrap this up, a shot of another "brightly wrapped" tram at Sandilands.

Again many thanks to 86235

WP17



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/22 12:29 by WP17.

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Very nice shots, thanks for sharing!

Excellent, glad you found it.

WP17 Wrote:
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> So here is a series of photos showing the trams as
> well a bit of the surroundings at and near East
> Croydon.
> #1: One of my better roster shots of a tram
> (Bombardier model)
> #2: Easbound tram at East Croydon
> #3: Westbound tram approaching the East Croydon
> stop

Tram 2530 in photo #3 was the first of 24 Bombardier-built units made for Croydon Tramlink for its launch in 2000, based on the K4000 type already in use in Cologne (from 1995 on).  The new system's managers had a sense of history -- the number 2530 followed on directly from the previous highest numbered tram in the London Transport system that had closed in 1952.

As a further historical flourish, Croydon Tramlink used a red and white livery based on that worn by the London Transport trams.  That's illustrated here on June 14, 2002, with 2530 going away from the camera westbound at Fieldway, near the eastern end of the branch to New Addington. The current livery was introduced in 2008 and the system's name was changed to simply Tramlink at that time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/22 06:41 by railsmith.

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