Double Deck Trams - Two Questions

[Mutant Lemming]

Apart from museums.....
are Alexandria, Blackpool and Hong Kong the only places in the world where double deck trams operate in passenger service ?

Are Birkenhead and Fleetwood the only places one can see street running of double deck trams in the UK ?

 

[ChrisCooper]

The only other place that I know that has double decker trams is Alexandria in Egypt. They also used to operate in Australia. Like double deckers buses though they are very much a British thing, and all the places outside Britain that have or still do use them have or had strong British connections.

That said http://www.designlaunches.com/trans...oubledecker_trams_for_stockholm_city_2025.php is an interesting concept for a new fleet of Double Deck trams for Stockholm in 2025.

 

[WatcherZero]

Few in Alexandria and something like 160 odd in Hong Kong.

 

[WestCoast]

Yes, the places are mentioned are the only places and yes they are a British thing.

I always find it funny that when it comes to double-decker trains the reverse is true!!

 

[tbtc]

Yes, the places are mentioned are the only places and yes they are a British thing.

I always find it funny that when it comes to double-decker trains the reverse is true!!

Good point.

Foreigners must think we are strange to have double decker buses, yet no double decker trains.

 

[WatcherZero]

Paris apparantly had doubledecker trams about 80 years ago but they abandoned them because they kept toppling over.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Berlin has double decker buses

 

[WatcherZero]

Most countries have double decker coachs (probably more so than the UK)

 

[MJBryan1979]

There are the likes of Beamich and Crich with recreated streets but the only street running I can think of are the two previously mentioned.

Unless the horse trams on the Isle of man count, there is still a double decker there.

Martin

 

[Mutant Lemming]

I suppose the Douglas horse trams would count and possibly the bit in Blackpool where it runs to the depot, though is that due to go ?

It's a shame none of the new systems are even contemplating a return to double deck trams. I suppose a mixture of buying 'off the shelf' trams from manufacturers, the clearance issues of using old railway lines and modern road layouts make it an unviable proposition. If they did re-open the Swansea & Mumbles though that would be a potential candidate.

 

[ChrisCooper]

I suppose the Douglas horse trams would count and possibly the bit in Blackpool where it runs to the depot, though is that due to go ?

It's a shame none of the new systems are even contemplating a return to double deck trams. I suppose a mixture of buying 'off the shelf' trams from manufacturers, the clearance issues of using old railway lines and modern road layouts make it an unviable proposition. If they did re-open the Swansea & Mumbles though that would be a potential candidate.

Did you see the link on my post about Stockholm where there are plans to introduce double deck trams?

Like you say though I don't think most of the new systems could run double deckers due to clearance issues, particularly on former rail formations. The only exception is Sheffield, I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would prevent double deckers, although I don't know if the wires would need raising on the reserved sections. Edinburgh might be a possibility too, but can't say as I've never been on it since it's not open yet. Manchester is definitely out due to extensive running on old lines, including a few tunnels, and the Piccadilly under-croft. Croyden and Birmingham too have a lot of running on former rail lines, including tunnels. Nottingham shares the formation with the Robin Hood line for quite a distance passing under many bridges which would need raising. It would be the only other one that I would say might be possible with low height double deckers (around 12ft) and bridges raised or the trackbed lowered a few feet.

 

[jopsuk]

The only exception is Sheffield, I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would prevent double deckers,

There's an underpass under a roundabout

 

[tbtc]

There's an underpass under a roundabout

Yes, at Brook Hill - no chance of a double decker tram under there - http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebustocrookes/5606883808/
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It's a shame none of the new systems are even contemplating a return to double deck trams. I suppose a mixture of buying 'off the shelf' trams from manufacturers, the clearance issues of using old railway lines and modern road layouts make it an unviable proposition

You say "off the shelf", but its regrettable that none of the UK systems have compatible units.

It'd be a lot easier if one type of trams worked in Croydon/ Black Country/ Manchester/ Sheffield/ Tyne & Wear - that way you could order additional stock so much easier.

 

[ChrisCooper]

There's an underpass under a roundabout

Ah, forgot that. Not been to Sheffield for years. That said it's one of the routes, so unless there are other problems then double deckers could run on other routes, wheras everywhere else they couldn't run at all.

 

[WestCoast]

It'd be a lot easier if one type of trams worked in Croydon/ Black Country/ Manchester/ Sheffield/ Tyne & Wear - that way you could order additional stock so much easier.

There is the rather important matter of platform heights. Sorry to be pedantic, but Tyne & Wear is a segregated Metro, rather than a tram.

 

[ChrisCooper]

There is the rather important matter of platform heights. Sorry to be pedantic, but Tyne & Wear is a segregated Metro, rather than a tram.

Yes, Manchester and Tyne and Wear are at standard mainline height, the rest are lower and probably at different heights to each other (and with the DDA it's got to be an exact match for the trams). Width is another factor, Nottingham Trams are narrower than the rest (2.4m compared to 2.65m), so a tram designed for the other systems would be too wide for Nottingham but a Nottingham Tram would leave big gaps to the platforms on other systems. Length too varies. Birmingham and Croyden are quite short, Sheffield is longer with Nottingham longest. Manchester trams are fairly short too but can double up.

Just to be really pedantic, they are all classed as Light Rail or Light Rapid Transit, along with the DLR.

 

[tbtc]

Ah, forgot that. Not been to Sheffield for years. That said it's one of the routes, so unless there are other problems then double deckers could run on other routes, wheras everywhere else they couldn't run at all.

The two lines which run through Brook Hill (between the University and Netherthorpe stops) are Yellow one (ten minutes) and the Blue one (ten minutes), leaving only the half hourly Purple route

 

[WestCoast]

Just to be really pedantic, they are all classed as Light Rail or Light Rapid Transit, along with the DLR.

They are, but I would put the DLR and Tyne & Wear Metro separate as they are fully segregated from road traffic, the others resemble a more traditional tram system with sections of on-street/street level running.