During the early hours of Friday 22nd August a major milestone was reached in the construction of Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two extensions with the first movement of a tram over the Karlsruhe Friendship Bridge and on towards Wilford.
Alstom Citadis 222 was the tram trusted with these historic movements running at walking pace across the new iconic bridge over the railway station and then on to the crossover at Wilford. Once 222 reached Wilford it used the crossover to return to Nottingham station. This initial run was for the purpose of gauging – to ensure that everything was as it should have been – and was said to be a success which will now allow further testing to take place over the coming months, initially further nighttime testing will take place but eventually this will be increased to include some during daylight hours.
Cllr Jane Urquhart, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation, was delighted by the gauging run taking place: “This marks another key milestone in the NET Phase Two project to double the size of Nottingham’s tram network. People can now enjoy the sight of the new trams as they pass over Nottingham Station bridge and into The Meadows for the very first time. The 22 ultra-modern Citadis trams which are being added to the NET fleet and our refreshed original Bombardier trams will soon be carrying passengers along this extraordinary new route into and out of the city centre. With the two smaller adjoining bridges carrying tram tracks over Station Street and Queen’s Road, collectively forming the Karlsruhe Friendship Bridge, we have a recurrent reminder of the help and advice which our twin city generously gave us during the formation of Phase Two and Line One.”
There can be no doubt that this is a key milestone in the Phase Two extensions of NET and over the coming weeks and months expect to see more trams on the new lines ahead of a planned opening to the public in 2015.
Tram 222 at Queens Walk tram stop on its outward journey. The building behind in Queens Walk Community Centre, formerly the Great Central Railway Goods Offices.
Tram 222 at Queens Walk tram stop on its outward journey. The building behind in Queens Walk Community Centre, formerly the Great Central Railway Goods Offices. (Photos x 2 by Rod Sladen)
Can’t say I’m a fan of these Citadis trams. They must surely be a candidate for the ugliest vehicles ever built. The Bombardier ones look far better. It will be interesting to see what they ride like. They’re effectiovely three 4-wheelers joined together and the similarly designed flexcity exapmple in Blackpool are attrocious for sideways hunting.
Franklyn, have you actually ever ridden on any modern trams?
If you had surely you would be aware that those Nottingham Bombardiers you approve of were the first trams in the UK, with the arrangement you dislike of 4 wheel trucks under every other section… The Blackpool Flexity is infact a much improved version of the arrangement with much less tendency to hunt…