NET Extension

[duffield]

As far as the works at styring street goes, they are just removing the temporary pedestrian route which was placed between the tracks whilst both pavements were closed. It is likely that the final surfacing will be taking place here soon.

That's only part of it. They were definitely breaking up one section which had previously been *properly* finished, I had a very close (and loud) view.

 

[LTJ87]

It looks like the feasibility study into extending the tram to Kimberley could get the go ahead next week:

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Tram-extension-Kimberley-discussed/story-25706032-detail/story.html

 

[brianthegiant]

Bad: Just past Beeston tram stop towards Chilwell, very close to the Wetherspoons/Church, they were breaking up and digging out a section of concrete between the tracks on the outbound line. This section was previous properly laid and finished, so it looks like something is wrong here...

there have been cracks in the high friction concrete surface next to the tracks in a number of places, we haven't had much frost if any, my guess is that too much accelerator was used and it set too fast.

it has been discussed here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/306949329473033/

 

[duffield]

there have been cracks in the high friction concrete surface next to the tracks in a number of places, we haven't had much frost if any, my guess is that too much accelerator was used and it set too fast.

it has been discussed here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/306949329473033/

Looked at this but was none the wiser. As someone who just has a 'placeholder' account but doesn't actually use Facebook, can you be more specific? All I see is a list of members and a huge number of options on the left which don't obviously relate to this discussion.
It says it is a closed group, does that mean I can't see what you are referring to?

 

[Mitch in Notts]

You would need to apply to join the group to be able to see what is being posted - I went to have a look but met the same obstacle.

 

[duffield]

First tram walk since before Xmas yesterday. Quite a lot of various progress over the Xmas period - most notably both conductor wires now up all the way to Beeston (Tesco), although not all sections properly 'hung' or tensioned yet.
Also the 'Tesco junction' is now fully open, Science road has been resurfaced, various work site fencing has been removed, and the University Boulevard tram stop has been just about completed (it's been 'opened up' so you can access all of it).

 

[Mitch in Notts]

If you read the article in todays' 'Nottingham Post' correctly it states that trams should be in public service by the middle of NEXT year

 

[LTJ87]

Funding for a feasibility study into extending the team to Kimberley has now been approved:

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30709676

 

[duffield]

Latest Evening Post article about concrete cracking, including pictures:
http://www.nottinghampost.com/Beest...earing-roads/story-25812192-detail/story.html

I'll take a close look at Lower Road tonight on my regular tram walk...

Hopefully just a minor issue (as claimed by the NET consortium)!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Had a look yesterday. Some of the cracks on Lower Road have been fenced off presumably pending remedial work; to my non-expert eye they look probably superficial.

Also noticed at NG2 business park a pile of debris from a car which must have taken the wrong route down the tram-only section. Best guess is that when they tried to get back onto the road section they nearly hit another car and swerved into a no entry sign. The sign suffered minimal damage; the car seemed to have come off considerably worse given the part of it that was left behind!
This section does not have any 'conventional rail' sections (i.e. with sleepers or equivalent and no road surface) so cars *won't* get 'stranded' - I think instead there will be frequent car/car collisions as they come off the tram only sections as per above (the layout allows cars to drive 'straight through' a roundabout and then collide with legitimate traffic going round that roundabout).

 

[edwin_m]

A car hitting a sign pole wouldn't damage the car much - was it just something like a bumper pulled off? Even lighting columns are designed to deform on impact. Hitting an OLE pole would be much more serious, as these have to be extremely rigid to withstand the forces in the OLE.

In Manchester I spend a while going through all the plans and making a list of sites that should have a yellow "tram only" reflective bollard between the tracks where they left a highway, because there was a risk of other vehicle drivers thinking it was a road. Judging by posts elsewhere on here it hasn't been entirely successful...

 

[duffield]

A car hitting a sign pole wouldn't damage the car much - was it just something like a bumper pulled off?

I maybe gave the impression above that the damage was worse than it actually was.
I saw a neat little pile of assorted debris, probably swept up, it seemed to include various bits of bumper, plastic trim, headlamp, glass etc.
Not saying it made the car a write-off or undriveable but probably quite expensive to replace several of these often overpriced plastic bits and fix the paintwork and any dents. The no-entry sign pole that it apparently hit (from 'behind') had its access cover slightly twisted. Probably quite a low-speed collision.

Ideally all these tram-only sections would have automatic bollards popping up and down as necessary to keep the cars out. But unfortunately these have a tendency to be unreliable (jamming, rising at the wrong time etc.) which could be disastrous for the tram.
But they could at least put some sort of kerb in on each side of and between the tracks when the tram goes 'off-road' to give a driver a good warning 'jolt' if they drive over it - it's pretty close to flat as it is. I wonder what the clearance would be under the tram skirt for this?

 

[edwin_m]

But they could at least put some sort of kerb in on each side of and between the tracks when the tram goes 'off-road' to give a driver a good warning 'jolt' if they drive over it - it's pretty close to flat as it is. I wonder what the clearance would be under the tram skirt for this?

Things like that can and have been done and there would be enough clearance for a shallow feature, at least if there is not a sag vertical curve in the same place. There is however a risk that if the tram hits a pedestrian who is pushed along by the lifeguards, their injuries would be more serious if the surface was non-flat.

Usually when the section is grooved rail they rely on visual deterrents. Normally drivers will realise they've gone somewhere they shouldn't, and be extra-cautious when re-joining the road (though apparently not in this case). If it's where I think it is, deterrents at the access to the tramway might have prompted the driver to reverse out into the busy A453 instead of driving through to the much quieter and slower NG2 roundabout.

 

[WatcherZero]

Latest Evening Post article about concrete cracking, including pictures:
http://www.nottinghampost.com/Beest...earing-roads/story-25812192-detail/story.html

I'll take a close look at Lower Road tonight on my regular tram walk...
.

The woman in that article is letting her little kid play on a scooter in the middle of the road (a road carrying grooved rails and soon trams) and is worried about her child hitting a crack?

 

[brianthegiant]

With regards cars driving onto tram only sections, for various reasons the solution is that they are monitored with ANPR cameras & drivers will get a ticket as a deterrent. Doesn't obviously stop someone unfamiliar with the layout but would stop repeat offenders.
Tram drivers are trained to be on the lookout for pedestrians, cyclists etc on these sections.

Sorry about the FB groups being a closed group, its a controversial subject here at the moment so there had to be a means of removing people making offensive posts. There's nothing to stop anyone joining out of interest & afaik request to join are never refused.

 

[mikestone1952]

Is there a diagram of the track layout anywhere - trying to establish where the first crossover after Nottingham station is. Streetview appears to be relatively up to date but google earth doesn't even have the Friendship bridge, despite an image date of 2015!

 

[edwin_m]

Is there a diagram of the track layout anywhere - trying to establish where the first crossover after Nottingham station is. Streetview appears to be relatively up to date but google earth doesn't even have the Friendship bridge, despite an image date of 2015!

There's one in the NG2 Business Park, visible in the photo of the test run on the NET website. On the Clifton line I think there's one at Wilford Lane.

 

[CallySleeper]

With regards cars driving onto tram only sections, for various reasons the solution is that they are monitored with ANPR cameras & drivers will get a ticket as a deterrent.

NCC if you're reading this, Market Square please?!?

 

[duffield]

Is there a diagram of the track layout anywhere - trying to establish where the first crossover after Nottingham station is. Streetview appears to be relatively up to date but google earth doesn't even have the Friendship bridge, despite an image date of 2015!

There's a crossover on Queens Walk, here's a picture:
http://www.thetram.net/local-work-updates/meadows/
and here's the design document including the track layout, showing this crossover.
http://www.thetram.net/images/construction-site/Documents/queens walk.pdf

You can access all the design documents by going to this page:
http://www.thetram.net/tram-expansion/
and selecting the area required from the drop down on the right titled "Community Updates & Maps"
This will take to a page with links to all the relevant pdf docs down the righthand side so you can see all the crossovers and other features.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

My Mum has got back from a visit to Beeston today.
She thinks it is unlikely the tramway will be finished this year and a massive amount of work still hasn't been done.
She couldn't get pictures but said it was chaos. The only bus on Queens Road is the Skylink bus now she said.

Is it likely to be finished by Summer?
I was under the impression there was a minor delay to openning in December but now that's been pushed back so I'm a bit sceptical.

 

[Deerfold]

My Mum has got back from a visit to Beeston today.
She thinks it is unlikely the tramway will be finished this year and a massive amount of work still hasn't been done.
She couldn't get pictures but said it was chaos. The only bus on Queens Road is the Skylink bus now she said.

Is it likely to be finished by Summer?
I was under the impression there was a minor delay to openning in December but now that's been pushed back so I'm a bit sceptical.

Most of Queens Road has the 36 along it - but only Westbound (until the end of today).

 

[Chris125]

My Mum has got back from a visit to Beeston today.
She thinks it is unlikely the tramway will be finished this year and a massive amount of work still hasn't been done.
She couldn't get pictures but said it was chaos. The only bus on Queens Road is the Skylink bus now she said.

Is it likely to be finished by Summer?
I was under the impression there was a minor delay to openning in December but now that's been pushed back so I'm a bit sceptical.

As is often the case with tramway construction it can look worse than it actually is, after all paving and tarmac can be completed quite quickly once everything else is done - crucially all the track is down and the latest updates on the facebook group show good progress with various sections looking complete or well on the way. It's taken way too long of course but they appear to be making real headway now.

Chris

 

[Robertj21a]

My Mum has got back from a visit to Beeston today.
She thinks it is unlikely the tramway will be finished this year and a massive amount of work still hasn't been done.
She couldn't get pictures but said it was chaos. The only bus on Queens Road is the Skylink bus now she said.

Is it likely to be finished by Summer?
I was under the impression there was a minor delay to openning in December but now that's been pushed back so I'm a bit sceptical.

Well, I was in Beeston yesterday and it looked not too far off being completed. Just a bit of building work and clearance of the whole area.

 

[CallySleeper]

In related news, tram PA announcements have got a new voice. No complaints with her (local) voice just need to get used to it. Many of the lines unfortunately remain the same with the addition of 'please remember to validate your smartcard or buy a ticket before boarding' or to that effect at larger stops.

One small gripe which continues though. Announcements are made not only at stops but also repeated on departure from the stop. If the announcement is interrupted by the stop bell, it is repeated again! NET have claimed in the past that this is DDA related; now I am no expert on the regulations but I am pretty sure the current arrangement (which can get annoying and repetitive, especially the longer winded announcements) isn't necessary. The best they could do is avoid repeating the announcement until approaching the next stop (similar to LUL)

 

[brianthegiant]

I've heard that testing of the lines would take about 3 months and then a period of training the drivers on the route befoe they run a restricted timetable (No passengers) and then a full timetable (No passengers), once all that is done they can start running the service for fare paying passengers. In all from the start of testing to fare paying passengers being carried is in the region of 6 months.

Anyone know if this can be reduced (if TWA are up against penalty payments etc). For example by running multiple shifts or if drivers have had some training on other lines in network with same stock for example? What have been the experiences on other lines?

 

[MCR247]

How does driving the new trams on different lines train them for the new lines? The new trams are out and about now so the problem will be route knowledge, not tram knowledge

 

[Techniquest]

I take it this means we're not even yet close to getting the new routes covered yet then? I'm only interested as I'm planning on popping up later in the year, and it won't be much longer until I have to book time off and get things organised properly. Hence the starting of planning now, as I'm expecting to need at least 5 days in the area (2 on NET and 3 on EMT).

 

[Jordeh]

I take it this means we're not even yet close to getting the new routes covered yet then? I'm only interested as I'm planning on popping up later in the year, and it won't be much longer until I have to book time off and get things organised properly. Hence the starting of planning now, as I'm expecting to need at least 5 days in the area (2 on NET and 3 on EMT).

According to the Facebook Group, testing has gone as far as Clifton town centre on Line 2. However testing on Line 3 isn't expected to reach QMC/University till February 23rd.

 

[CallySleeper]

I take it this means we're not even yet close to getting the new routes covered yet then? I'm only interested as I'm planning on popping up later in the year, and it won't be much longer until I have to book time off and get things organised properly. Hence the starting of planning now, as I'm expecting to need at least 5 days in the area (2 on NET and 3 on EMT).

You won't need/want two days on NET...

 

[MCR247]

1 will be plenty!

 

[Techniquest]

You won't need/want two days on NET...

There's no way I'll manage to get all of the stations and trams done in just 1 day (annoyingly I didn't note any of the trams I travelled on in 2004 on my only ever visit to the NET system!), certainly if you include the new lines and trams!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

According to the Facebook Group, testing has gone as far as Clifton town centre on Line 2. However testing on Line 3 isn't expected to reach QMC/University till February 23rd.

Cheers for the gen, I won't be getting anywhere near Nottingham until either summer or autumn by the looks of it, so it should all hopefully be open by then!