NET: why a crossover to the "wrong" side between Wilkinson St & The Forest

[jamesontheroad]

I've recently made a few business trips to Nottingham, parking at Phoenix Park and riding the NET into the city.

Between Wilkinson Street and The Forest, the northbound and southbound lines diverge and cross over. Southbound trams run along Radford Road whereas northbound trams run along Noel Street, a few blocks east.

Why were the lines designed this way, with the inevitable crossovers at each end?

Thanks!

 

[CatfordCat]

I've recently made a few business trips to Nottingham, parking at Phoenix Park and riding the NET into the city.

Between Wilkinson Street and The Forest, the northbound and southbound lines diverge and cross over. Southbound trams run along Radford Road whereas northbound trams run along Noel Street, a few blocks east.

Why were the lines designed this way, with the inevitable crossovers at each end?

Thanks!

pure guesswork on my part, but I suspect that a curve from the northbound track on Noel Street round in to Terrace Street would have been too tight. Doing it the other way round allows a slightly bigger radius on the curve

 

[WillPS]

It allows the tram to cross over further down Radford Road and 'escape' Hyson Green easily - that stretch of Radford Road has always been congested.

 

[talltim]

Who needs a reason to escape Hyson Green?...

 

[scandal]

I've recently made a few business trips to Nottingham, parking at Phoenix Park and riding the NET into the city.

Between Wilkinson Street and The Forest, the northbound and southbound lines diverge and cross over. Southbound trams run along Radford Road whereas northbound trams run along Noel Street, a few blocks east.

Why were the lines designed this way, with the inevitable crossovers at each end?

Thanks!

The layout is down to the residents of Hyson Green who wanted inbound trams to call at Radford Road causing a late changed to the designs.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Thanks all!

 

[edwin_m]

If they had run the other way round, Hyson Green Market tram stop would have had to be on the other side of Radford Road from the Market and from Asda.

The diamond and tight curve on Noel Street is a few metres from a terrace of houses, who going by their window posters were some of the most vociferous opponents of the tram. I noticed last autumn the posters had all gone and the diamond was relaid for flange tip running (or at least I think it wasn't like that originally). Incidentally a few yards further south is a section of interlaced track, which I presume is so the facing point for the centre track at the Forest isn't in the middle of Gregory Boulevard.

 

[nottinghamcity]

This puzzled me too, ever since it first opened. It does seem to have a surprisingly low operational impact though.