Me and Saigon_Ob were invited to the grand launch of Derby's revolutionary light rail system, unfortunately we wasn't very impressed!
The tram in particular is a US Standard Light Rail Vehicle which was part of the San Francisco 'Muni Metro' system, and was sent to the UK in 2002 along with a identical vehicle for evaluation for use on the Manchester Metrolink Tram System ahead of the Commonwealth games. One went to Manchester Metrolink, and sits in storage while the other went to the Railway safety testing facilities in Derby and sits rotting away besides the Mainline railway...
There is a disused gantry crane on site, which I believe Saigon_Ob climbed and photographed (I was too much of a wuss )
More information about this vehicle here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Standard_Light_Rail_Vehicle
Inside team shot, I wasn't getting very far sitting there...
Controls at one end
And Saigon playing with the controls at the other end, looking towards Derby Midland Station
American Twix wrapper
Signage inside the train
The tram in particular is a US Standard Light Rail Vehicle which was part of the San Francisco 'Muni Metro' system, and was sent to the UK in 2002 along with a identical vehicle for evaluation for use on the Manchester Metrolink Tram System ahead of the Commonwealth games. One went to Manchester Metrolink, and sits in storage while the other went to the Railway safety testing facilities in Derby and sits rotting away besides the Mainline railway...
There is a disused gantry crane on site, which I believe Saigon_Ob climbed and photographed (I was too much of a wuss )
More information about this vehicle here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Standard_Light_Rail_Vehicle
Inside team shot, I wasn't getting very far sitting there...
Controls at one end
And Saigon playing with the controls at the other end, looking towards Derby Midland Station
American Twix wrapper
Signage inside the train