Are the external cab doors on Croydon CR4000s ever used?

[AY1975]

I have noticed that the older Croydon trams, the CR4000s, have external cab doors on the right-hand side at each end but not on the left-hand side.

Are these doors ever used, or were they used in the early days of Tramlink? If they are used, I presume this means that to get from the cab at one end to the other at each terminus the driver can either leave by the external cab door at one end but has to enter the cab at the other end via the passenger saloon or vice versa depending which side the platform is.

Or do the drivers always enter and leave the cab via the passenger saloon at both ends regardless of whether there is a platform adjacent to the external cab door?

 

[bluegoblin7]

They're a legacy of the Flexity Swift's continental roots - the K4000 and K4500 in Köln. Also present on the M5000s in Manchester, they are rarely used in the UK by virtue of being offside.

 

[robvulpes]

It's been a while since I was a regular commuter on Tramlink, but at that time (pre- early 2018) the external doors were often used for driver changes at East Croydon. Sometimes the incoming driver would enter the cab from the saloon while the outgoing driver left by the side door, or vice versa, as there isn't much space for 2 people to pass one another in the cab.

 

[507 001]

they are rarely used in the UK by virtue of being offside.

On the contrary, we regularly use the ones on M5000s for driver reliefs.

Any relief done at Deansgate Castlefield inbound, or Victoria inbound will generally be done using this door.
I also use it wherever I can when changing ends as it’s often easier than fighting my way through.

I’d say on a typical day, for example on Alt-Pics, I will use that door at least 8 times.

 

[AY1975]

It's been a while since I was a regular commuter on Tramlink, but at that time (pre- early 2018) the external doors were often used for driver changes at East Croydon. Sometimes the incoming driver would enter the cab from the saloon while the outgoing driver left by the side door, or vice versa, as there isn't much space for 2 people to pass one another in the cab.

True, although I suppose there's nothing to stop the outgoing driver leaving by the side door and the relief driver then entering by that same door, as there's obviously plenty of room for them to pass each other on the platform.

Obviously that is only possible on westbound trams at East Croydon, which normally use Platform 3 (the outer side of the island platform) where the side door to the front cab is on the same side as the platform. Eastbound trams normally use Platform 1 adjacent to the heavy rail station, where the front cab door will be on the off-side, while AFAIK Platform 2 (the inner side of the island platform) is only occasionally used by trams terminating at East Croydon due to track works or other special circumstances.

AFAIK driver changes mostly take place at East Croydon or Therapia Lane, where the depot is. Obviously as Therapia Lane is a conventional two-platform stop the external cab door will always be on the off-side here so it can't be used.

 

[robvulpes]

True, although I suppose there's nothing to stop the outgoing driver leaving by the side door and the relief driver then entering by that same door, as there's obviously plenty of room for them to pass each other on the platform.

Obviously that is only possible on westbound trams at East Croydon, which normally use Platform 3 (the outer side of the island platform) where the side door to the front cab is on the same side as the platform. Eastbound trams normally use Platform 1 adjacent to the heavy rail station, where the front cab door will be on the off-side, while AFAIK Platform 2 (the inner side of the island platform) is only occasionally used by trams terminating at East Croydon due to track works or other special circumstances.

AFAIK driver changes mostly take place at East Croydon or Therapia Lane, where the depot is. Obviously as Therapia Lane is a conventional two-platform stop the external cab door will always be on the off-side here so it can't be used.

There are step apertures below the offside cab door, so no need for it to be at a platform.

 

[AY1975]

There are step apertures below the offside cab door, so no need for it to be at a platform.

Ah yes, so there are. They may not be immediately obvious to the casual observer, though, and obviously drivers who use the cab door when it's off-side have to take the necessary precautions to avoid being hit by an oncoming tram if there is another track immediately adjacent. I would guess that some drivers may feel safer entering and exiting the cab via the saloon if the external cab door is off-side.

On the contrary, we regularly use the ones on M5000s for driver reliefs.

Any relief done at Deansgate Castlefield inbound, or Victoria inbound will generally be done using this door.
I also use it wherever I can when changing ends as it’s often easier than fighting my way through.

I’d say on a typical day, for example on Alt-Pics, I will use that door at least 8 times.

On Metrolink, do you generally use the external cab door if it's off-side or only if there's a platform adjacent to that door?