h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is the Forum for Croydon.

I've never been on the trams in Croydon, which I'd love to do. You see them running next to IKEA.

No, nor have I, but they look quite cool...

I go on the trams regularly and yes they are pretty !!

You can get from Croydon to Wimbledon in about 17 minutes! And its brilliant for parking my car out of town and popping in to do some shopping!

No traffic, cheaper than parking rates very regular tramms (between 3 and 10 minutes apart) and very quick!

Should we have more trams in London do you think?

Actually I think I tram system in London would be a gross misuse of money raised to improve transport.

We have a very good tube service and despite people complaining about delays and overcrowding it still remains to be a fantastic feat of engineering and one of the most reliable forms of transport. I think most people should ask themselves what on earth would they do without it??We also have fantastic coverage by London buses.


The disruption that would be caused by the development,construction and ultimately implementation of a tram system would be phenomenol.


A tram system would however be of use linking outer London towns to a tube/mainline rail link, which is pretty much what they did for Croydon. We have a mainline to London, tube link via Wimbledon and access to the Kent mainline via Beckenham.

Yay for Croydon!!

What are your thoughts?

Hmm, I don't know. Part of me likes the idea of trams running around everywhere. The Croydon ones do look fantastic. Trams have a few key adantages over tubes in that you can look though the windows, it's easier to get on and off and they're cleaner. The disruption caused by building them is suppossed to be pretty bad though.

I can well remember the old ex.LCC trams in Dulwich. Quite different from the modern ones in Croydon but they certainly moved the rush hour passengers! I do not think the modern ones would be able to cope with the steep hills which are in some areas. They are too light in weight and the wheels would slip. Also,in Dulwich there are VERY sharp corners to negotiate. The short double deckers managed it very well, if a bit noisily!
I think there is a case for trams on long straight runs like the proposed Sreatham to Purley route which would follow the former 16/18 route which had the best of the former North London double deckers on it. Very fast and smooth running. (They were afterwards sold to Leeds where they were a great success.)There would not be so much disturbance to re install this route as the infra structure is still in place beneath the tarmac.
GINGE.

I have been on the trams, although they arn't that useful really. They do go to Lloyd Park, which is handy for next weeks festival, although it was fine when we had to walk there!

Anyone going to the street entertainment on Sat afternoon?

Must confess, I live in Beddington, I have a croydon postcode but am in Sutton. However croydon is only 1/2 hour walk for me, whereas sutton is 1 hour walk. I always go to croydon, don't really like sutton, so a croydonian I am!