The depôt performs at least four major functions:
and whilst it is often convenient to have these all on the same site, the choice of a suitable site may be considerably eased by considering them separately.
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LandArea |
The space requirement for the proposed 40 trams will depend on the type of vehicle chosen. A double-decked vehicle to seat 50 (with standing room
for a further 100) will be approx 10 metres long and 2.5
metres wide. To allow access it will need a storage floor
area of: Single-decked vehicles of the same capacity are
approximately twice the length and would require twice the
floor area |
The floor area requirements may be relatively small, perhaps as little as 200 sq m for the main work area and a similar area for stores and offices. An interior height of around 8 to 10 metres in part of the main shop will allow for the easy lifting of tram bodies during major overhauls but the remainder of the building could be lower or two-storied, so as to economise on land area. |
The requirements for this would be in the region of 100 sq m of accommodation which would be subdivided into one control room and several offices |
This could be an outdoor yard and might usefully be incorporated in an existing electricity sub-station.
In addition, small feeder sub-stations will be required at strategic points in the system |
Location |
To avoid significant amounts of 'dead-running' between the depôt and the starting pont of the services, the depôt should be as near as possible to the geographical centre of the system. |
The repair shops do not need to be central,
provided: An inspection pit is necessary, so the area should be well drained |
Because of the telecomunications requirements, a central location is desirable; preferably adjacent to one of the tram stops. It might, with advantage, be incorporated in one of the other tramway buildings. |
A central location will offer significant savings in cabling costs, but in practice the cost of land and the availability of incoming supplies might dictate a suburban site. The requirements for sub-stations are different. |
TypeofSite |
A tram depôt is relatively quiet and operation throughout 24 hours should be no problem at a sensible distance from any but the most select residential areas. In London, tram depôts have been sited behind a rank of shops with access down an alleyway. |
This will involve moderately noisy industrial processes which may be required to operate at any time of day or night. It could only be sited on an industrial area and preferrably not near any residences. |
Any ordinary office site will suffice. |
The site should be near the tramway, but the extra cost of cabling to a more remote site must be balanced against the possibility of lower land costs. |
As the system approaches maturity there will be an
increasing track repair burden. This may require additional storage
space for large components such as rails and point assemblies.
Additional outdoor space should be allowed for this when specifying
the depôt area, or the possibility of purchasing a storage yard
should be considered.
POSSIBLE DEPÔT SITE
A site to the west of Westmoreland Station Road, which is currently
used as the B&NES Council's Waste Transfer Depôt, has been
considered as the site of a possible tramway depôt. It could
become vacant around 2008 and is about the right size and position to
fulfil all of the above requirements if a fleet of predominantly
double-decked trams were to be used. There is probably insufficient
space for a fleet of single-decked articulated trams, additional
stabling would probably have to be found, unless an expensive
two-storied storage shed were to be built.
Unfortunately, this site would be connected to the rest of the system by a route through a low railway overbridge, so double-decked trams of the normal height would not be able to use it unless substantial engineering work were to be undertaken to lower the roadway under the bridge.
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