Which tramways have you used?

[1Q18]

Cliff tram: Bridgnorth
Not on list: Manx Elextric, Snaefell

 

[Eyersey468]

Except there are no "grey areas".

There is NO STREET RUNNING on London's DLR.

Not at Stratford, not at Canary Wharf, not at Bank/Tower Gateway, not at Greenwich, not at Lewisham, not at Woolwich, not at Beckton. Nowhere on the system.

There is no street running on the Seaton Tramway either apart from where it crosses roads, it is built on the bed of an old railway line

 

[bluegoblin7]

Not on list: Manx Elextric, Snaefell

I wonder whether @Sunil_P considers these to be tramways or not? Neither are street running, after all…

There is no street running on the Seaton Tramway either apart from where it crosses roads, it is built on the bed of an old railway line

Indeed. When it comes to what terms to use for tramways/light railways/interurbans etc. the terms are extremely interchangeable and hard to define. What constitutes which is the matter of great debate, history and personal choice, and it is impossible to provide a consistent definition. Grey areas all round, where not even the exception will prove the rule.

 

[Pinus contorta]

So the Docklands on the test track Reddish to Debdale Park way back in the day won't count

 

[eoff]

Was in Milan over the last few days so that adds those trams to my list. The No.1 service uses some old vehicles.

 

[py_megapixel]

But not actually running as trams as part of the DLR.

No, maybe not, but that doesn't change the fact that the vehicles are built extremely similarly to trams and indeed are capable of running as trams (with some conversion works, of course), which for some people is enough that they would consider the DLR in the same category as street-running tramways.

That is why OP has included it in the poll. I don't understand what is wrong with this. If you don't think it's a valid answer to the question "which tramways have you used", then don't select it in the poll, it's as simple as that.

 

[stuu]

The new trains aren't remotely trams though, so will that make it no longer light rail?

 

[Sunil_P]

No, maybe not, but that doesn't change the fact that the vehicles are built extremely similarly to trams and indeed are capable of running as trams (with some conversion works, of course), which for some people is enough that they would consider the DLR in the same category as street-running tramways.

That is why OP has included it in the poll. I don't understand what is wrong with this. If you don't think it's a valid answer to the question "which tramways have you used", then don't select it in the poll, it's as simple as that.

DLR stock use bottom contact third rail. How many street running systems use bottom contact third rail?

I wonder whether @Sunil_P considers these to be tramways or not? Neither are street running, after all…


Indeed. When it comes to what terms to use for tramways/light railways/interurbans etc. the terms are extremely interchangeable and hard to define. What constitutes which is the matter of great debate, history and personal choice, and it is impossible to provide a consistent definition. Grey areas all round, where not even the exception will prove the rule.

Surprise, surprise - NO, I wouldn't consider the Manx network OR Seaton as tramways.

 

[bluegoblin7]

DLR stock use bottom contact third rail. How many street running systems use bottom contact third rail?

Bottom contact third rail? None. But top or side contact ‘third rail’? Plenty.

London & Blackpool both used central conduits.

Wolverhampton, Lincoln and Hastings all used slightly different novel (but lethal) systems of top contact studs.

Bordeaux, Seville and Newcastle (Australia) all use modern equivalents of these systems; a central third rail with a modern version of the switching used by the stud systems.

If you’re going to argue Seaton isn’t a tramway (what is it then?) I’d be intrigued where you say the various Museums stand - whilst most have ‘street’ running, none* of them are public highways or accessible to ‘ordinary’ road users.

What about the Grimsby & Immingham Light Railway?

Or, you can accept (like most people have) that it is subjective and just because you don’t think it ticks a box that doesn’t mean that everyone will agree.

 

[py_megapixel]

DLR stock use bottom contact third rail. How many street running systems use bottom contact third rail?

I imagine few to none because of safety concerns. But I don't see the relevance of this, as nobody is trying to argue that the DLR is street running!!

 

[william.martin]

Bridgnorth cliff railway, Lynton and Lynmouth cliff railway.

 

[richw]

On the list:
Manchester
Croydon
Sheffield
Seaton
Lynton and lynmouth.
DLR

Not on the list:

Budapest

 

[MF gorm]

The one I've likely used the most is Glasgow, but as I was only 4 when it closed I can only remember using it once.

In the list -
Blackpool
Sheffield
Edinburgh
Dublin
Amsterdam
Crich
Great Orme
DLR

Summerlee

Not listed -
Dusseldorf
Lyon
Rome
Oslo
Bergen
Stockholm
Soller
Adelaide
Melbourne
Christchurch
San Francisco
Munich

 

[Western 52]

Just done the Jerusalem light rail a few times. Just one line at the moment but more to come.

 

[rg177]

Edinburgh
Sheffield
Nottingham
Blackpool
Croydon

Dublin
Kusttram
Brussels
Amsterdam
Paris
Besançon
Bordeaux
Grenoble
Toulouse
Malaga (called a Metro but uses trams)
Valencia (ditto)
Lisbon
Porto
Basel
Rome
Köln
Düsseldorf
Kassel
München
Dresden
Berlin
Hanover
Bremen
Dortmund
Essen
Duisburg
Bergen
Oslo
Stockholm
Praha
Brno
Wien
Graz
Budapest
Miskolc
Szeged
Arad
Bucharest
Gdańsk
Krakow
Warsaw
Wrocław
Poznan
Toruń
Riga
Tallinn
Helsinki
Bergamo
Milan
Padua
Toronto
Nagasaki
Hiroshima

Think that's all of them

 

[Amos]

Travelled on the Nice tramway over the weekend.Great value airport transfer at only 1.50 euros into the city centre.

 

[StretfordEnd96]

Manchester Metrolink - I live in Greater Manchester in an area served by heavy rail but have used the Metrolink from time to time to get from another location to another location in and around the city. Only usually Shaw/Oldham-Manchester.

Blackpool Tramway - Who hasn't been on this if you've spent many a time on a trip to Blackpool :P

Sheffield Supertram - used this on a school trip outing late 2000s.

^That's my lot I think!

 

[railfan99]

As I live in Melbourne that in recent years with downsizing of Moscow has seen my home city become the largest worldwide tram network, perhaps I have an unfair advantage. An hour ago I was on a route 72 Camberwell - Melbourne University that on Saturday morning had a good number of Prahran Market and other shoppers on board. This is one of Melbourne's few cross--suburban routes. See yarratrams.com.au

I have also travelled on:

UK:

Blackpool
Croydon Tramlink
Docklands Light Railway (if valid for inclusion?)
Douglas (horse tram and Snaefell etc.)
Manchester Metrolink: Altrincham line to the terminus, returning to London by rail, changing at a Stockport for the then Virgin West Coast train

Australia:
Adelaide plus its museum at St Kilda, South Australia
Melbourne
Sydney (light rail in the city plus Sydney Tramway Museum at Loftus NSW, accessible by Sydney Trains)
Ballarat (museum but Lake Wendouree streetside running)
Bendigo (museum but operates on public roads)
Newcastle NSW (largest coal port worldwide, short line mostly using former rail line)
Victor Harbor (South Australia - horse tram)

Other nations:
Amsterdam
Ascunsion (so long ago I've forgotten the details)
Basel
Boston
Budapest (one of the most enjoyable!)
Calcutta (in December 2019, seemed to only operate one line as I waited a long time on another route but no tram arrived)
Christchurch (museum line on public streets)
Dresden
Frankfurt
Freiburg (im Breisgau)
Helsinki (enjoyable)
Heidelberg (Germany, not in Melbourne, as trams in latter don't serve it)
Hiroshima
Hong Kong New Territories (ironically on Melbourne-manufactured trams)
Krakow (excellent)
Leipzig
Lisbon (single truck trams on the historic 'old town' route)
Los Angeles (whether suitable for inclusion I don't know)
Munich
Moscow (notorious for being stuck at intersections in traffic jams)
New Orleans
Portland (not Victoria, Australia that has a fake cable tram, but the USA west coast city)
Prague
San Francisco (good variety at the time)
San Diego/Tijuana USA/Mexico
Seattle (two unconnected fairly short lines)
St Petersburg
Tallinn
Toronto (2016, before older trams were withdrawn)
Vienna (like Prague, very good)
Zurich
Vienna

Following recent travels I can add:

Crich Tramway Museum (UK)
Edinburgh
Innsbruck
Paris
Rome
Turin
and how could I forget from years ago
London (Croydon)

 

[Western 52]

Just done part of the Budapest system today. Very interesting.

 

[alex397]

Just done part of the Budapest system today. Very interesting.

I will be visiting myself soon! What particularly did you find interesting about it?

 

[jonesy3001]

Metrolink, old and new trams,
Blackpool trams old and new trams,
Edinburgh trams.

 

[Western 52]

I will be visiting myself soon! What particularly did you find interesting about it?

Lovely old trams and line 2 is very scenic!

 

[richw]

Just done part of the Budapest system today. Very interesting.

One of my favourite cities I’ve visited, and the 72 hour ticket was exceptional value I thought

 

[Western 52]

One of my favourite cities I’ve visited, and the 72 hour ticket was exceptional value I thought

About £56 now, but also gives entry to many attractions.

 

[richw]

About £56 now, but also gives entry to many attractions.

No not that one.
The one that is just for transport and doesn’t give entry to attractions is approx £10 for 72 hours. It’s 5500huf on the Budapest transport app. (£12.58 at current banking rate)

 

[GardenRail]

Prague, Brno, Nordhausen, Rotterdam, Soller, Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Budapest, Oostende, Ghent, Antwerp, Innsbruck, Statfold Barn.

 

[Western 52]

Just done some of the metre gauge system in Bratislava.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In Istanbul and have used that one. A mix of Alstom and what look like AnsaldoBreda trams (similar to Brum) all in double sets. Most curiously the stops have ticket barriers.

 

[Gaelan]

Not many, but some obscure ones from a UK perspective:

Edinburgh (a nice enough line, but I'll always be more than a bit annoyed about the £9.50 return to go two stops from Edinburgh Gateway to the airport)
Paris (T7, the "Piccadilly line to Heathrow" of Orly Airport)
Portland, OR, US - MAX & Streetcar (a lovely system, hugely extensive for an American city of its size)
Milwaukee, WI, US (2-mile line, brand new as of 2018)
Tacoma, WA, US (officially a line of the Seattle system, but separated by 15 miles and completely unrelated rolling stock)

And some systems probably best described as light rail:
DLR
Seattle, WA, US (no street running beyond some level crossings, though I'll note I did catch it once while it still shared the downtown tunnel with busses)

 

[delticdave]

Hi everyone.
Just wondering which tramways, existing and lost, at home and abroad, you have used.
Trams are wonderful in my opinion, and sharing knowledge about any trip on any tramway would be interesting.
If in doubt about whether steam trams or "tram-trains" count, it always does as far as this thread is concerned.
Feel free to say which are your favourites trams.
Many thanks

Personally I used both cliff trams in Scarborough, the one in Saltburn, and in Lynton.
Used traditional trams in Blackpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Great Orme, and also the DLR.

I'm old enough to have ridden the trams in the last tram week in London.
Apart from that, many, many years later I've ridden the street cars (& cable cars) in San Fransisco, Light Rail in San Diego,
the electric commuter trains, the subways, light rail & trams in Philadelphia. Boston light rail / street cars, L A light rails, + the Seashore museum in Maine. In Canada, only the TTC streetcars in Toronto & the newish Light Rail in Calgary.
Europe, not so much, all the 4 systems in Nederland + the EMA museum line from the old Harlemmermeer station to Bovenkerk, near Amstelveen. In Belgium, Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi, & the coastal Light Rail / Tramway.
In Germany, Bonn, Koln, Dusseldorf, & Saarbrucken, in Mallorca the Soller Raiway & Tram line down to the port. Mainland Spain, the newish "U" shape lin in Murcia, trams in Alacant & the light rail to Benidorm, & a larger but similar system in Valencia.
In the UK, ridden Croydon, Blackpool, West Midland, Nottingham & Manchester, + Crich & the Black Country Museums.
I've seen the new trams in Edinburgh, but we didn't have enough time to ride them.

I don't know if the Seaton Tramway is acceptable, (& it's previous location in a park Eastbourne....) but I've ridden & driven the current route....


Cheers, DC.