IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Addiscombe Road, CROYDON, CR0 6SA

Dominating the skyline, the Crystal Palace hill, which rises to a little under 400 feet. On its summit, two transmitter masts: that on the left, the former ITV mast, is located next to All Saints Upper Norwood, whilst the BBC mast to the right is in Crystal Palace Park. Between them, to the right of the white flagpole and a little below the skyline, one can just make out the Holmesdale Road stand at Selhurst Park, the home of Crystal Palace FC. Below the right mast and about halfway towards the photographer, a lightly wooded area marks the former Croydon Common, now the location of the complicated railway junctions between Selhurst, Norwood Junction and the two Croydon stations. Moving to the right again, breaking the horizon one sees the white floodlight supports of the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace Park. Finally, at the bottom of the hill's slope, the towers of Canary Wharf, which at 800+ feet are over twice the height of the hill and can thus be seen for many miles around; here they are probably some 15 miles off.

Used by the Croydon tram system reaching to the east of the town centre.

10th May 2010 saw the 10th anniversary of the opening of Tramlink (previously Croydon Tramlink), when the public service on route No.3, from Croydon to New Addington, commenced. This ran from New Addington, through Croydon, on the loop, to New Addington. Within weeks, routes No.1 and No.2 were operational, linking Croydon to Wimbledon, Beckenham Junction, and Elmers End. Nowadays, route No.3 runs from New Addington to Wimbledon, via Croydon. For several weeks, prior to the commencement of the public service, a “ghost” service had been run, to test the timetables; cars stopped at red traffic lights, as empty trams sailed past. On 10th May, I found myself in Manchester, whilst returning from a business trip. Frustrated that delay had followed delay, in the opening of Tramlink, I decided to take a short ride on one of Manchester’s trams. Some hours later, when I arrived back at East Croydon, I was faced with torrents of rain and, joy, oh joy, trams running! So, I managed journeys on both systems on the same day. Ten years on, Tramlink’s 24 trams carry an annual 26.5 million passengers. Other road users, and pedestrians, are used to the trams gliding past; sometimes only a few feet away from café and pub seating. Image

Tram No.2537, having recently left East Croydon, climbs up Addiscombe Road with service 2, for Elmers End.

Bound for Wimbledon, via East Croydon.

Seen in Addiscombe Road, looking in the direction of East Croydon.

Tram in Addiscombe Road, having recently departed from East Croydon.

Wearing the McMillan Williams Solicitors livery, and heading for New Addington.

Tram in Addiscombe Road, having just departed from East Croydon.

Tram in Addiscombe Road, having recently departed from East Croydon.