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Tram derailed in Croydon



Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
50,206
Goldstone
I hope you report this, just in case it is the same driver
It might be worth reporting even if it's not the same driver - it could be that more than one of the drivers are driving too fast, and it was just one that had the accident.
 




SAC

Well-known member
May 21, 2014
2,550
It's a tragedy and awful for all concerned. I'm amazed that there isn't something that automatically stops a tram from speeding to prevent just such an incident occurring.
 


Danny-Boy

Banned
Apr 21, 2009
5,579
The Coast
I was in Brighton on Saturday for The Raincoats gig, and only got back to East Croydon just in time to get the last tram to Beckenham Junction. The splitting of the track where the accident happened is really sharp, almost a right angle, whether you're heading to Beckenham Junction and Elmer's End, or New Addington.

View attachment 79304

On Saturday night's tram, on several occasions, I thought to myself that the driver seemed to keen to get home, and going round that bend, we really screeched on the tracks, far more so than usual. And when we were out of the bend, the tram accelerated away way faster than I ever thought was possible. At a stop further on from there, we barely stopped - the doors opened for a split second and instantly closed before we sped off again.
When I got home, I actually commented to my fiancee that the tram driver was 'a bit of a boy racer'.

I was born and brought up in the area. My grandmother lived 200 yards down the road towards Shirley.

When the original plans for Tramlink were announced in the early 1990's the key factor was the old Woodside- Sanderstead line which forms the part of the tram route both towards New Addington and in the other direction towards Beckenham. It is level and straight but with tunnels. In order to get the line into East Croydon a ramp had to be built up to street level with curves both Southe and North.

Subsequently a knife or more like a hatchet was taken to the original route plan to reduce the budget. In particular money was saved in three areas, the bridge over the railway lines at West Croydon was singled (causing a bottleneck at that point), a tunnel due to be built at the top at Shirley was taken out, and the line made to cross the road on the level at the top of Gravel Hill, and also in the case of Sandilands (I think) the initial plan to demolish more properties to ease the curve at that point was abandoned and I think only one house was in fact taken out and its site used for the junction. This made the curvature at that point extremely sharp reminiscent to those of a certain age as like laying Triang Series 3 model train track .

Drivers would regularly wind up the trams on the old straight railway sections and then have to slow to almost walking pace for the curve into Sandilands. In this case either the driver lost control or was disabled in some way. The interiors of the trams are full of metal stanchions and padding is at a minimum (in my view). If the tram decelerated suddenly as it flew off the track fatalities would have been all too inevitable. Sadly a lot of buses are now built in the same way.
 


BlockDpete

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2005
1,143
Tragic and thoughts for anyone involved. Especially for the family of the young Palace fan who lost his life.

I used to travel on the Croydon trams quite regularly some year ago, from East Croydon to Therapia Lane for work, can't remember feeling anything other than completely safe on them.
 






ozzygull

Well-known member
Oct 6, 2003
3,841
Reading
See that one of the victims from this tragic event was a keen Palace supporter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-37932744

Massive condolences to his family and loved ones

Wonder whether NSC can pull together for an appropriate gesture (wreath etc..) ??

That is really sad, it is amazing how trivial a rivalry can seem at times like this. RIP young man and as you said, condolences to his family and friends.
 








Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,974
Living In a Box
See that one of the victims from this tragic event was a keen Palace supporter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-37932744

Massive condolences to his family and loved ones

Wonder whether NSC can pull together for an appropriate gesture (wreath etc..) ??

Perhaps we could have a minutes applause at some point during the Villa game, such a dreadful thing to happen to people who were just doing what many of us did that morning, go to work
 


spence

British and Proud
Oct 15, 2014
9,814
Crawley
Give it a rest with all these minute applause's.
 










spence

British and Proud
Oct 15, 2014
9,814
Crawley
Solidarity amongst fans

We are going to a football match. Do we need to do one of these clappy thingy's everytime there's a tragedy ?

Shoreham air disaster is different because it affected Sussex badly and a two BHA fans died. It's right for BHA to do a tribute. I'm sure Palace FC will do a tribute. That's enough.

Why not donate money or go up there and lay a wreath at the crash site if you feel the need to do something
 
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Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
50,169
Faversham














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