Tramlink

This layout was hurriedly constructed and modelled inside four weeks immediately prior to its inaugural presentation to the viewing public at the Society's Annual Exhibition in October 1999. This was at a time when the Croydon trams were undergoing test running throughout the network prior to entering revenue service. At that time the layout was very much in its infancy but it has been progressively enhanced since then. The model itself is a diorama of a section of the southbound carriageway of Wellesley Road, Croydon, either side of the junction with Lansdowne Road. Through this section the route is singte track with trarns travelling southbound only, crossing from the central reservation to the near-side lane prior to taking the slip road, adjacent to the underpass, en route to East Croydon Station. Operation of the layout is entirely automatic (fingers crossed) with the tram passing prototypically from left to right through the scenic area before reversing behind the back scene under reed switch control. One complete cycle takes about 11/2 minutes. All scenic detail is scratchbuilt as is the tram itself - no kits or 'ready-to-run' models that we know of yet. Only the road vehicles are kit-built or 'out of the box'! Recent visitors to Croydon may have noticed that Prudential House has now been demolished and a new hotel has risen in its place. We have no immediate plans to update the model so it has therefore now become a snapshot in time. Last year the Society was privileged to have been invited to represent Tramtrack Croydon Limited with the layout on the Transport for London stand at the UITP 2001 Conference and Exhibition at Earls Court from the 21st - 24th May 2001. This was followed by an invitation to exhibit at the LT Museum's Open Weekend at Acton Depot on the 14th / 15th July 2001. The 2001 exhibition season concluded with attendance at our own show in October and also at Romford in November. As well as providing an operational layout, the operating team is also on hand to dispense TCL brochures and other helpful information on the Croydon Tramlink network.