Panto upgrade.

As of Thursday 17th April, 2008, we have a fully pantograph compatible tram network, with depot access.

FKN W00T!

No more worrying about breaking a very expensive piece of tramway equipment (that also doubled as an electrical hazard), no more spearing in & out of the shed with a wheely-pole, just pop the panto up & go. I love it =D

Incidentally, this makes me one of the last drivers to have speared a panto tram for depot operations (the scrubber driver/s would most certainly be the last), and I got to help 'test' the shed arrangement with a bit of shunting (to get a visual on panto clearance/geek pron). Bloody powered over the insulator on road 1, heard the thrown arc, but didn't feel the acceleration jerk that a pole tram does. Makes a difference, saves wear on the insulator too, as the panto pan isn't insulated for as long a distance as a trolley pole is, the arc isn't drawn as far or as long.

Apparently made for good viewing, everyone got a good laugh, so that was alright then =)

Next day (being beer o'clock), dropped in after work to say boo and shoot the shit (so to speak), and there was a bit of drama. The double-bladed spring loaded points on Bridge St had broken, the linkage between the 2 blades had snapped, which meant that one blade was completely unsprung... And the poor driver had gone over it with 2 conflicting blade directions. Stayed on the track, but technically a derailment. So at the end of a Friday, no less, they had to find a few tramways guys to do some very urgent welding, and they had to be completely sober (rail safety). On a friday night. Nice timing!

Fortunately, it got fixed, and I learned a few things about how the points mech works. Or doesn't. Hmm, prolly both.

Anyway, this one is for you, Myrtone, you impudent nit. You're not always right, it's not always a matter of cost, and yes, double-bladed points can be a complete pain. So STFU about bladed frog points - or come up with a fail-proof design that will allow reverse running.