Track issue blamed for Christchurch tram ‘derailment’

Christchurch City Council is refusing to respond to claims the construction of a track could have caused a tram to derail.

A tram came off the track on a new loop section at Tuam St in the central city nearly two months ago, it was revealed this week. That section of the network has been closed ever since. 

A tram enthusiast told The Star the issue is likely to be because the curve or the gauge (space between the tracks) is slightly wrong. It is not an easy fix, he said.

When The Star questioned the city council about whether construction of the track was to blame, head of transport Lynette Ellis did not respond to the claim, nor would she say what remedial work might be necessary.  

“There was an incident with the tram in late January. Following this the tram ceased using the High St extension. Due to an ongoing investigation, we cannot discuss any details,” she said.

A central city business owner told Stuff this week the tram had derailed.

The loop was completed in June last year. It runs east along Lichfield St, down Poplar St, around a bend at Tuam St, and back up High St. 

The Star has also been told the opening of the track was delayed because of a earlier problem at the same corner. The city council would not comment on that either. 

The correct curve of tram tracks is calculated using a formula to ensure trams can run smoothly on bends without derailing.

The official magazine of the UK-based Light Rail Transit Association said tight bends on tram tracks can bring huge problems, particularly when attempting to insert commercially attractive routes into established cities.

Christchurch Attractions runs the trams. Manager Sue Sullivan also described the January derailment as “an incident”. 

She confirmed the tram had been running on the new route since October, but would not comment further, referring all inquiries back to the city council.

Since the closure, the trams have been stopping at Manchester St, then reversing back the way they came.

A spokesperson for the Tramway Historical Society at Ferrymead would only say the problem may be a technical issue.  

“They’re our customers so it would not be professional or appropriate for us to comment without knowing the facts,” the spokesperson said.

-By Tony Simons