Trivia: Less obvious settlements, small towns and villages that could have trams/light rail.

[PTR 444]

With the ongoing thread on large towns and cities that should have a tram/light rail system, there seems to be an false implication that a settlement above x number of inhabitants MUST immediately be considered for a tram system. The fact is, not everywhere with a large population is compatible for a tram system. Take Milton Keynes for example, where the vast amount of urban sprawl makes it impractical to serve efficiently at a reasonable cost. Besides, there are several small villages with trams, such as Colyford in Devon and Crich in Derbyshire, although these are a heritage operation rather than part of a mass-transit network. What will be interesting to find out if there are any smaller towns or even villages which could be eligible for a tram line or network due to their geography, demographics or density. These could be brand new networks, extensions of an existing network or even light rail conversion of NR branch lines.

 

[Eskimo]

Great Yarmouth and/or Lowestoft - based entirely upon the length and breadth of the ‘sea front’ area, the opportunity to make it a ‘touristy’ thing in the summer, and that it would link the two towns which eeeeventually might be one continuous sprawl.

All shamelessly copied from the Blackpool network of course.

 

[Ken H]

Great Yarmouth and/or Lowestoft - based entirely upon the length and breadth of the ‘sea front’ area, the opportunity to make it a ‘touristy’ thing in the summer, and that it would link the two towns which eeeeventually might be one continuous sprawl.

All shamelessly copied from the Blackpool network of course.

Long sea fronts are obvious. Like blackpool, as you say. And also Kusttram on the Belgian coast. But most linear seaside areas have existing heavy rail close by so maybe not.
A coast tram centered on Brighton might work.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

If Holmfirth and the surrounding villages had a network of guided bathtubs on wheels, I'm sure it would do a roaring trade in the summer months!

 

[Eskimo]

A coast tram centered on Brighton might work.

An extension of the one that’s already there?

Seafronts are perfect though.


Give us 10 new seafront double-deck / open-deck tramways and watch the tourists flock.

 

[zwk500]

A coast tram centered on Brighton might work.

A tram in Brighton would be somewhat superfluous to the West Coastway line. Brighton's topography probably makes electric buses a better option as they can get up onto the downs and serve areas trams would struggle to get to. There are 1 or 2 corridors where a tram might make sense but it'd be a struggle to justify the infrastructure and stock costs over an additional fleet of electric buses and some fast-charge bus stands.

 

[EllieAquitrain]

A tram in Brighton would be somewhat superfluous to the West Coastway line. Brighton's topography probably makes electric buses a better option as they can get up onto the downs and serve areas trams would struggle to get to. There are 1 or 2 corridors where a tram might make sense but it'd be a struggle to justify the infrastructure and stock costs over an additional fleet of electric buses and some fast-charge bus stands.

Although isn't West Coastway capacity restricted, suppressing demand, because of the need to serve lots of local stops? A tram might go some way to help with this.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I could see some sense in a Lancaster tram. The northern route could do a loop round from the A6 via Scotforth or a figure 8 towards the uni, then cross the centre, then head over Greyhound Bridge onto the old EMU route to Morecambe, then on the seafront down to Heysham. That single route would bring well over 50% of the population within reach of it, helping reduce road traffic which causes quite bad pollution, and could allow closure to passengers of the rail route via Bare Lane which clogs up WCML paths a bit.

The classic line can't be lifted completely, though, as it is used for nuclear traffic.

 

[casual onion]

Wath in South Yorkshire. You could extend the tram train from Parkgate, through Swinton and have it terminate at a station just off the big Manvers Roundabout. Or even run alongside Manvers Way to the Old Moor site? There's some fairly big verges alongside the road that surely are big enough. In terms of what it would serve, there's hundreds of new houses, an industrial estate, country park and a college.

 

[Ken H]

Wath in South Yorkshire. You could extend the tram train from Parkgate, through Swinton and have it terminate at a station just off the big Manvers Roundabout. Or even run alongside Manvers Way to the Old Moor site? There's some fairly big verges alongside the road that surely are big enough. In terms of what it would serve, there's hundreds of new houses, an industrial estate, country park and a college.

call it the Mexborough & Swinton Traction Company Limited

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

If a tramway was to be built cheaply in Grimsby, it could utilise part of the virtually abandoned track from near to Immingham, past Europarc, and onto Gilbey Road and Corporation road and then down Alexander Road near Asda and Sainsbury's, and into the town centre. The route would be faster than the 5 bus and commuters from Immingham to Europarc are in need at shift hours.

Any big town with it's station away from the centre will have a tram load of travellers regularly.
Stoke on Trent to Hanley, Derby Midland to Eagle Centre, Great Yarmouth to the beach, Bradford, Scunthorpe station to Ashby.

For smaller or poorer towns, the Very Light Rail concept from Coventry, or the Parry People Movers carpet track, are the only things that can be considered.
Ofcourse someone will come and say all tramways are unrealistic anywhere they aren't already in place.

 

[EastisECML]

Maybe the Darlington-Bishop Auckland line extended to Durham Station and into the city centre? Perhaps even Durham to Sunderland on reopened alignments and Tyne & Wear metro South Hylton branch?

 

[Irascible]

With the ongoing thread on large towns and cities that should have a tram/light rail system, there seems to be an false implication that a settlement above x number of inhabitants MUST immediately be considered for a tram system. The fact is, not everywhere with a large population is compatible for a tram system. Take Milton Keynes for example, where the vast amount of urban sprawl makes it impractical to serve efficiently at a reasonable cost. Besides, there are several small villages with trams, such as Colyford in Devon and Crich in Derbyshire, although these are a heritage operation rather than part of a mass-transit network. What will be interesting to find out if there are any smaller towns or even villages which could be eligible for a tram line or network due to their geography, demographics or density. These could be brand new networks, extensions of an existing network or even light rail conversion of NR branch lines.

There are still occasional ideas about extending the Seaton Tramway ( which goes through Colyford ) to Seaton Jct or even all the way to Axminster. I have absolutely no idea who'd use it as public transport, the bus is bad enough...

I occasionally think the Exe Valley could do with light rail but it's probably more practical to let everyone move out of Tiverton to the Culm valley where the main line is instead, if road access to Exeter gets even more impractical.

 

[SeanG]

Maybe the Darlington-Bishop Auckland line extended to Durham Station and into the city centre? Perhaps even Durham to Sunderland on reopened alignments and Tyne & Wear metro South Hylton branch?

Wow that would be some gradient!