Tram Vs Train

Miamigo259 said:
By the early 1970's, something appeared to change as regards the regulations, so locos with exposed running gear then became the norm until the lines were closed.

I know that "unskirted" locos did certainly get onto Ipswich Docks prior to this as there are a number of photos around showing them there, including a J67 (I think...) running as a 2-4-0T to enable it to get around some of the curves!
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Maybe sometime prior to the 70's it had become common practice to leave off the skirting to make maintenance easier - especially as the docks did not pose the same level of danger as running in public streets.

And then the regulations were amended to bring them into line with what had become the norm.
 
I just dug out my copy of the November 1947 LNER Sectional Appendix to see what that had to say about any regulations regarding the use of locos on the Ipswich/Yarmouth/Lowestoft quay lines, and there doesn't actually appear to be much in the way of restrictions -
Ipswich docks mentions the swing bridge weight/speed limits and mentions tram engines, but also J66 & J 67 tank engines as well.
Lowestoft has no restrictions
Yarmouth states that only tram engines and the "Sentinel shunter" can proceed over & beyond the Bure bridge by Vauxhall station onto the Tramway, but this seems to be a weight restriction only (10T axle load)
Perhaps the Board of Trade regs had been dispensed with on these lines by then and it was just BR who decided to play safe with enclosed motion.
The same Sectional Appendix says, however, for the Wisbech & Upwell line.....

" .....the tramway engines in use must comply with the Regulations laid down by the Ministry of Transport.
The special bell fitted to the tramway engines must be sounded by the driver whenever necessary as a warning.
Smoke or steam must not be emitted from engines.................."
 
The curious thing about the first horse tram line in Britain, was that it ran on "step" rails in a street in London. The rails broke up some carriage wheels and the man who tried to introduce trams to Britain had an unusual name. His name was Mr. Train!
 
Andrew B. Middleton said:
The curious thing about the first horse tram line in Britain, was that it ran on "step" rails in a street in London. The rails broke up some carriage wheels and the man who tried to introduce trams to Britain had an unusual name. His name was Mr. Train!
Click to expand...

But Birkenhead was more successful!
 
It's a bit different in France. A locomotive that runs on a tramway isnt neccesarily a tram. The main difference is that in the past when standard gauge railways covered most of France, several communes complained that they didnt have the same access, so to cut expenses the metre gauge lines were built normally,but not always, on the existing causeway with lighter rails and tighter radii. the early locos were skirted to allay the fears of pedestrians and horses. AS they say there has never been a railway that has been profitable by just passengers; Freight is obligatory and in france by virtue of these tramways people could take their local produce much farther afield. Dont forget that the traditional weekly market is sacred in france. Anyway my line is called a tramway but is used by engines and rolling stock of many different styles
 
The dfferentiation between tam and train is a bit more complex in Kassel. Since many modern tramways have doors only on one side (and a reverse loop at the end of the line), the typical switches have to guide the tram closer to the platform (to the right). The ordinary Train rushes through the middle. If not...
Straßenbahn Kassel – Wikipedia
 
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