Or is there? No there are going to be pretend broken down trams in the next few days. So before you all take to social media to report that the trams have not even carried passengers yet and they are already out of commission, we thought we had better warn you.
Edinburgh Trams will run a series of simulated ‘tram recovery’ tests over the coming days as part of a comprehensive pre-service tram testing and driver training programme.
Beginning during night-time hours from Monday 28 April 2014 until Wednesday 7 May (excluding 3 and 4 May), each tram driver under training will practise towing a tram on-street.
The test will involve two trams being coupled at either York Place or Haymarket (off-street) and being towed in either direction between the hours of 23:00 and 04:00.
Tom Norris, Edinburgh Trams Director & General Manager, said: “If there is ever a problem with a tram that can’t be resolved quickly on site, the procedure will most commonly be for another tram to tow it to a suitable location, so all of our drivers need to practise this manoeuvre before passenger services start.
“How Edinburgh Trams manage any breakdown or other blockage of the system will depend on the circumstances and location. The general principle is that if a faulty tram can be removed from service without disruption, we will do this as soon as possible.
“If a tram can’t move on its own we will arrange for another tram – or in extremis, a Unimog vehicle – to tow it to a suitable location, for example sidings or potentially back to the Gogar Depot.”
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Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
