Tramlink is a light rail network in Croydon and across South London which is part of Transport for London. It commenced operations in 2000 along former heavy rail lines (the six and a quarter mile route from Wimbledon to West Croydon for example is nearly all ex-railway apart from a few diversions [1]) and new street lines. Bombardier's
Flexity Swift tram was chosen for the initial rolling stock of the network. Twenty four articulated cars were produced ready for the start of operations.
| Information |
| Number built: |
24 |
| Built: |
1998-2000 |
| Builder: |
Bombardier |
| Engine: |
4 Bombardier Three-Phase traction motors (750v DC OHLE) |
| Power: |
644 hp (480 kW) |
The
CR4000 tram is similar to the
K4000 tram built for Cologne. It has a "seventy six percent" low floor design with a cab at each end. The tram has six axles with the articulated section being on an unpowered bogie. The fleet received a refurbishment in 2008-9 which included new seats and LED lights.
In November 2016 a CR4000 overturned at speed (later found to be travelling too fast for the junction it was travelling over). Seven people died and fifty-eight others were injured. Following the incident a number of extra safety features have been rolled out to the fleet including a reduction in the top speed to forty five mp/h [2].
 |
| 2543 at Wimbledon |
 |
| 2531 at Mitcham Junction |
 |
| Behind the cab |
 |
| 2543 departs Mitcham Junction |
 |
| Some sections of the network are single track |
[1] John C. Gillham, Wimbledon to Beckenham before Tramlink (Middleton Press, 2001) p. 3
[2] Colin J. Marsden, Light Rail (Key Publishing, 2018) p. 32
