Confirmed that test testing will start during the evening of Monday 13th March.
Its been reported on Edinburgh Live that test running on the Trams to Newhaven extension is set to get underway from Monday 13th March. There has been no confirmation from either the City of Edinburgh Council or Edinburgh Trams that this will be happening but the strong rumours are that the first tram will travel onto the extension in just a couple of days time.
The article on the Edinburgh Live website says that trams will be running empty on the route as part of the testing process but exact details are not known at this stage.
What we have seen elsewhere in the UK on new extensions is that the first gauging runs will take place overnight when there are fewer people out and about. Whether that is what will happen in this instance isn’t known but presumably these slow speed gauging runs will be required whenever they take place.
When the final sections of overhead were connected last month it was stated that the first tram movements would take place within a matter of weeks so this timeline of testing does seem to fit with that.
Testing and commissioning of the line is an important part of it opening to the public. It won’t be cleared for passenger operation until this has been done with the official word still being that it is on target to open in the spring. It had previously been said it would be by 21 June but, probably sensibly, no official date has been mentioned so far.
The Trams to Newhaven project have confirmed that testing will start during the evening/night of Monday 13th March. Lothian Buses will be diverted from 2000 on Monday 13th to 0400 on Tuesday 14th March on Leith Walk. As expected this will be the slow speed run to ensure everything works as it should. A controlled zone will be managed around the tram as it runs along the line by traffic marshals and staff will vbecarrying out specialised tests. Testing is due to continue throughout the week.