Trams return to the East Midlands
Nottingham's Phoenix
16 May 2004
Many years ago, Nottingham had trams.
It had coal mines too - the first major
commercial mine in the Nottingham
coalfield was opened at Babbington, to
the north-west of the city, as long ago
as 1841. A victim of the closures
following the '84/5 miners' strike, it
closed in 1987. The site has since been redeveloped as
"Phoenix Park"...
The trams have been reborn too - a new modern tramway
"Nottingham Express Transit" or "NET" opened this year from the
city centre to Hucknall. The first 4km or thereabouts runs
through the streets in time-honoured fashion, before joining,
and running alongside, the "heavy rail" line to Hucknall and
Mansfield - itself "reborn" to passenger traffic in recent years. At
Highbury Vale, a branch tramway turns off, along the trackbed of
the line to - Phoenix Park!
Close by junction 26 on the M1, Phoenix Park tram terminus has
been developed as a "Park and Ride" facility - which is exactly
what we did. The Sunday service on the tramway is effectively
halved from the weekday pattern, with trams from Phoenix Park
and Hucknall every 30 minutes, providing a service every 15
minutes in each direction from Highbury Vale onwards. Curiously,
the service splits between Wilkinson Street and The Forest, with
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
the inward workings crossing the path of the outward to head for
the centre via Radford Road and Hyson Green Market, trams
from the city heading out via Noel Street and Beaconsfield
Street.
We bought a £2 all-day ticket - excellent value - and rode
straight through to Station Street, overlooking Nottingham
(Midland) station, then returned to the city centre at Old Market
Square, where we were able to grab a bite to eat before joining
a return working to Phoenix Park.
The attractive modern trams, in a smart but sober dark blue and
silver livery, are a credit to the city - comfortable, very well
equipped for wheelchairs and buggies, and with quite startling
acceleration and top speed on the off-road sections. They
provide an excellent way of visiting the city without the hassle
(which I well remember from my last visit) of trying to park. The
design is interesting - on three bogies, the method of
articulation creates five-segment sets, presumably ensuring
ample flexibility on some of the tighter curves. On this warm
afternoon the trams were well patronised - let's hope that NET
have "got it right" - and that the scheme will provide impetus
and encouragement for those systems that are still in the
planning stage.
Link:
www.thetram.net
