Another route from Sandilands tram stop curves sharply on to the W&SCR before passing through Park Hill (or Sandilands) tunnels and to the site of Coombe Road station after which it curves away across Lloyd Park. Between Wimbledon station and Wandle Park, Tramlink follows the former West Croydon to Wimbledon Line, which was first opened in 1855 and closed on 31 May 1997 to allow for conversion into Tramlink.
The first to close was the Addiscombe – East Croydon Station route through George Street to Cherry Orchard Road in 1927 and the last was the Purley - Embankment and Croydon (Coombe Road) - Thornton Heath routes closed April 1951.
However, in the Spring of 1950, the Highways Committee were presented by the Mayor with the concept of running trams between East Croydon station and the new estate being constructed at New Addington.
The first to close was the Addiscombe – East Croydon Station route through George Street to Cherry Orchard Road in 1927 and the last was the Purley - Embankment and Croydon (Coombe Road) - Thornton Heath routes closed April 1951.
It began operation in 2000, the first tram system in London since 1952.
In 1962, a private study with assistance from BR engineers, showed how easy it was to convert the West Croydon - Wimbledon train service to tram operation and successfully prevent conflict between trams and trains. These two concepts became joined in joint LRTL/TLRS concept of New Addington to Wimbledon every 15 minutes via East and West Croydon and Mitcham plus New Addington to Tattenham Corner every 15 minutes via East and West Croydon, Sutton and Epsom Downs.
During the 1970s, several BR directors and up-and-coming managers were aware of the advantages.
Chris Green, upon becoming Managing Director, Network South East, published his plans in 1987 expanding the concept to take in the Tattenham Corner and Caterham branches and provide a service from Croydon to Lewisham via Addiscombe and Hayes.
Working with Tony Ridley, then Managing Director, London Transport, the scheme was brought out into the open with Scott Mackintosh being appointed Light Rail Manager in 1989. The scheme was accepted in principle in February 1990 by Croydon Council who worked with what was then London Regional Transport (LRT) to propose Tramlink to Parliament.
Working with Tony Ridley, then Managing Director, London Transport, the scheme was brought out into the open with Scott Mackintosh being appointed Light Rail Manager in 1989. The scheme was accepted in principle in February 1990 by Croydon Council who worked with what was then London Regional Transport (LRT) to propose Tramlink to Parliament.
This tram is for Wimbledon; the next stop will be Merton Park. ==Corporate affairs== ===Ownership and structure=== The service was created as a result of the Croydon Tramlink Act 1994 that received Royal Assent on 21 July 1994, a Private Bill jointly promoted by London Regional Transport (the predecessor of Transport for London (TfL)) and Croydon London Borough Council.
Following a competitive tender, a consortium company Tramtrack Croydon Limited (incorporated in 1995) was awarded a 99-year concession to build and run the system.
The background to this purchase relates to the requirement that TfL (who took over from London Regional Transport in 2000) compensates TC for the consequences of any changes to the fares and ticketing policy introduced since 1996.
TC retained the revenue generated by Tramlink and LRT had to pay compensation to TC for any changes to the fares and ticketing policy introduced later. Construction work started in January 1997, with an expected opening in November 1999.
Another route from Sandilands tram stop curves sharply on to the W&SCR before passing through Park Hill (or Sandilands) tunnels and to the site of Coombe Road station after which it curves away across Lloyd Park. Between Wimbledon station and Wandle Park, Tramlink follows the former West Croydon to Wimbledon Line, which was first opened in 1855 and closed on 31 May 1997 to allow for conversion into Tramlink.
The first tram was delivered in October 1998 to the new Depot at Therapia Lane and testing on the sections of the Wimbledon line began shortly afterwards. ===Opening=== The official opening of Tramlink took place on 10 May 2000 when route 3 from Croydon to New Addington opened to the public.
TC retained the revenue generated by Tramlink and LRT had to pay compensation to TC for any changes to the fares and ticketing policy introduced later. Construction work started in January 1997, with an expected opening in November 1999.
It began operation in 2000, the first tram system in London since 1952.
The first tram was delivered in October 1998 to the new Depot at Therapia Lane and testing on the sections of the Wimbledon line began shortly afterwards. ===Opening=== The official opening of Tramlink took place on 10 May 2000 when route 3 from Croydon to New Addington opened to the public.
Route 2 from Croydon to Beckenham Junction followed on 23 May 2000, and route 1 from Elmers End to Wimbledon opened a week later on 30 May 2000. ===Buyout by Transport for London=== In March 2008, TfL announced that it had reached agreement to buy TC for £98 million.
The background to this purchase relates to the requirement that TfL (who took over from London Regional Transport in 2000) compensates TC for the consequences of any changes to the fares and ticketing policy introduced since 1996.
The Strategy said that "extensions to the network could, in principle, be developed at relatively modest cost where there is potential demand..." and sought initial views on the viability of a number of extensions by summer 2002. In 2006, in a TfL consultation on an extension to Crystal Palace, three options were presented: on-street, off-street and a mixture of the two.
These refurbishments were completed in early 2009. ===Additional stop and trams=== Centrale tram stop, in Tamworth Road on the one-way central loop, opened on 10 December 2005, increasing journey times slightly.
This brought the total Variobahn fleet up to ten in 2015, and twelve in 2016 when the final two trams were delivered. ==Current network== ===Stops=== There are 39 stops, with 38 opened in the initial phase, and Centrale tram stop added on 10 December 2005.
Partly for this reason but also to take into account the planned restructuring of services (subsequently introduced in July 2006), TfL issued tenders for a new tram.
On 23 July 2006 the network was restructured, with Route 1 from Elmers End to Croydon, Route 2 from Beckenham Junction to Croydon and Route 3 from New Addington to Wimbledon.
In 2006, the CR4000 fleet was refreshed, with the bus-style destination roller blinds being replaced with a digital dot-matrix display.
This brought the total Variobahn fleet up to ten in 2015, and twelve in 2016 when the final two trams were delivered. ===Ancillary vehicles=== Engineers' vehicles used in Tramlink construction were hired for that purpose. In November 2006 Tramlink purchased five second-hand engineering vehicles from Deutsche Bahn.
The Strategy said that "extensions to the network could, in principle, be developed at relatively modest cost where there is potential demand..." and sought initial views on the viability of a number of extensions by summer 2002. In 2006, in a TfL consultation on an extension to Crystal Palace, three options were presented: on-street, off-street and a mixture of the two.
In 2007 that payment was £4m, with an annual increase in rate.
One (2551) has not returned to service after the fatal accident on 9 November 2016. In 2007 tram 2535 was named after Steven Parascandolo, a well known tram enthusiast. ====Croydon Variobahn==== In January 2011, Tramtrack Croydon invited tenders for the supply of ten new or second-hand trams, and on 18 August 2011, TfL announced that Stadler Rail had won a $19.75 million contract to supply six Variobahn trams similar to those used by Bybanen in Bergen, Norway.
Route 2 from Croydon to Beckenham Junction followed on 23 May 2000, and route 1 from Elmers End to Wimbledon opened a week later on 30 May 2000. ===Buyout by Transport for London=== In March 2008, TfL announced that it had reached agreement to buy TC for £98 million.
The purchase was finalised on 28 June 2008.
FirstGroup continues to operate the service. In October 2008 TfL introduced a new livery, using the blue, white and green of the routes on TfL maps, to distinguish the trams from buses operating in the area.
In 2008/09 the fleet was repainted externally in the new green livery and the interiors were refurbished with new flooring, seat covers retrimmed in a new moquette and stanchions repainted from yellow to green.
Since 28 June 2008, the company has been a subsidiary of TfL. Tramlink is currently operated by Tram Operations Ltd (TOL), a subsidiary of FirstGroup, who have a contract to operate the service until 2030.
TfL stated in 2008 that due to lack of funding the plans for this extension would not be taken forward.
As such, an increase in depot and stabling capacity would also be required; enlargement of the current Therapia Lane site, as well as sites near the Elmers End and Harrington Road tram stops, were shortlisted. ==Accidents and incidents== On 7 September 2008, a bus on route 468 travelled through a red traffic signal and collided with tram 2534 in George Street, Croydon, causing a fatality.
The driver of the bus was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving a year later in December 2009 and was sentenced to 4 years in prison. On 13 September 2008, tram 2530 collided with a cyclist at Morden Hall Park footpath crossing between the Morden Road and Phipps Bridge tram stops.
These refurbishments were completed in early 2009. ===Additional stop and trams=== Centrale tram stop, in Tamworth Road on the one-way central loop, opened on 10 December 2005, increasing journey times slightly.
The driver of the bus was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving a year later in December 2009 and was sentenced to 4 years in prison. On 13 September 2008, tram 2530 collided with a cyclist at Morden Hall Park footpath crossing between the Morden Road and Phipps Bridge tram stops.
Service tram 058 and trailer 061 were both sold to the National Tramway Museum in 2010. ==Fares and ticketing== TfL Bus & Tram Passes are valid on Tramlink, as are Travelcards that include any of zones 3, 4, 5 and 6. Pay-as-you-go Oyster Card fares are the same as on London Buses, although special fares may apply when using Tramlink feeder buses. When using Oyster cards, passengers must touch in on the platform before boarding the tram.
However, nothing resulted from this. In January 2011, Tramtrack Croydon opened a tender for the supply of ten new or second-hand trams from the end of summer 2011, for use between Therapia Lane and Elmers End.
On 18 August 2011, TfL announced that Stadler Rail had won a $19.75 million contract to supply six Variobahn trams similar to those used by Bybanen in Bergen, Norway.
One (2551) has not returned to service after the fatal accident on 9 November 2016. In 2007 tram 2535 was named after Steven Parascandolo, a well known tram enthusiast. ====Croydon Variobahn==== In January 2011, Tramtrack Croydon invited tenders for the supply of ten new or second-hand trams, and on 18 August 2011, TfL announced that Stadler Rail had won a $19.75 million contract to supply six Variobahn trams similar to those used by Bybanen in Bergen, Norway.
The immediate cause of the accident was found to be that the cyclist rode onto the crossing without looking at the approaching tram; among the causal factors were that the cyclist may have been wearing headphones, which prevented him hearing the audible warnings. On 5 April 2011, a woman tripped over and was dragged under a moving tram.
They entered service in 2012.
On 25 June 2012 Route 4 from Therapia Lane to Elmers End was introduced.
In August 2013, TfL ordered an additional four Variobahns for delivery in 2015, for use on the Wimbledon to Croydon link, an order later increased to six.
In August 2013, TfL ordered an additional four Variobahn trams for delivery in 2015, an order which was later increased to six.
In 2014, a proposed £320m scheme for a new line to connect Wimbledon to Sutton via Morden was made and brought to consultation jointly by the London Boroughs of Merton and Sutton.
In August 2013, TfL ordered an additional four Variobahns for delivery in 2015, for use on the Wimbledon to Croydon link, an order later increased to six.
This brought the total Variobahn fleet up to ten in 2015, and twelve in 2016 when the final two trams were delivered. ==Current network== ===Stops=== There are 39 stops, with 38 opened in the initial phase, and Centrale tram stop added on 10 December 2005.
In August 2013, TfL ordered an additional four Variobahn trams for delivery in 2015, an order which was later increased to six.
This brought the total Variobahn fleet up to ten in 2015, and twelve in 2016 when the final two trams were delivered. ===Ancillary vehicles=== Engineers' vehicles used in Tramlink construction were hired for that purpose. In November 2006 Tramlink purchased five second-hand engineering vehicles from Deutsche Bahn.
This brought the total Variobahn fleet up to ten in 2015, and twelve in 2016 when the final two trams were delivered. ==Current network== ===Stops=== There are 39 stops, with 38 opened in the initial phase, and Centrale tram stop added on 10 December 2005.
On Monday 4 April 2016, Route 4 was extended from Therapia Lane to Wimbledon. On 25 February 2018, the network and timetables were restructured again for more even and reliable services.
One (2551) has not returned to service after the fatal accident on 9 November 2016. In 2007 tram 2535 was named after Steven Parascandolo, a well known tram enthusiast. ====Croydon Variobahn==== In January 2011, Tramtrack Croydon invited tenders for the supply of ten new or second-hand trams, and on 18 August 2011, TfL announced that Stadler Rail had won a $19.75 million contract to supply six Variobahn trams similar to those used by Bybanen in Bergen, Norway.
This brought the total Variobahn fleet up to ten in 2015, and twelve in 2016 when the final two trams were delivered. ===Ancillary vehicles=== Engineers' vehicles used in Tramlink construction were hired for that purpose. In November 2006 Tramlink purchased five second-hand engineering vehicles from Deutsche Bahn.
Although £100m from TfL was initially secured in the draft 2016/17 budget, this was subsequently reallocated. In 2018, TfL opened a consultation on proposals for a connection to Sutton, with three route options: from South Wimbledon, from Colliers Wood (both having an option of a bus rapid transit route or a tram line) or from Wimbledon (only as a tram line).
She is believed to have been running to catch the tram outside East Croydon station when she tripped and fell. On 9 November 2016, tram 2551 derailed on a sharp curved junction east from the Sandilands tram stop, killing seven people and injuring at least 50 more.
It is owned by London Trams, part of Transport for London (TfL), and has been operated by FirstGroup since 2017.
On Monday 4 April 2016, Route 4 was extended from Therapia Lane to Wimbledon. On 25 February 2018, the network and timetables were restructured again for more even and reliable services.
Tramlink passengers must therefore touch in at the station entry barriers then again at the Tramlink platform to inform the system that no mainline/LUL rail journey has been made. EMV contactless payment cards can also be used to pay for fares in the same manner as Oyster cards. Ticket machines were withdrawn on 16 July 2018. ==Services== ===Onboard announcements=== The onboard announcements are by BBC News reader (and tram enthusiast) Nicholas Owen.
Although £100m from TfL was initially secured in the draft 2016/17 budget, this was subsequently reallocated. In 2018, TfL opened a consultation on proposals for a connection to Sutton, with three route options: from South Wimbledon, from Colliers Wood (both having an option of a bus rapid transit route or a tram line) or from Wimbledon (only as a tram line).
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