First things first.
Forgive me but I’ve never even seen a tram before let alone how they work, are they free? how much are they? I don’t know, It would be irresponsible for me to make a project about trams without knowing how it all works. So here is the answer.
A tram, also known as a streetcar, trolley, or trolley car in North America, is a light rail transit vehicle that operates on rails, usually embedded in the road. It's an electrically powered public transport system that carries passengers within a city or town, often sharing the road space with other traffic
You typically need to pay to ride the tram. While some systems might offer free travel for certain age groups or with specific passes, most journeys require a ticket or payment. Common payment methods include contactless cards, mobile devices, and smart cards like Oyster cards. The average tram price depends on the city and the type of ticket purchased. For example, a single journey ticket in London might cost £1.75, while a daily pass could be £5.25. In Edinburgh, a family ticket for unlimited tram and bus travel within the city zone might cost £12
Belfast's tramway history spans from horse-drawn carriages to electric trams, ultimately concluding in 1954 with the last tram rolling through the city streets. The city's first trams were horse-drawn and operated by the Belfast Street Tramways Company starting in 1872. The Belfast Corporation took over the system in 1905 and electrified the trams, later introducing a new livery and modernising the fleet. Belfast's tramways became a crucial part of the city's public transport system, but faced decline with the rise of private cars and the introduction of trolley buses
So cool, sad they got rid of them and replaced with the Glider, There’s something appealing about just getting on a tram and just leaving when you’ve arrived, no hassle. I managed to find an old map of the tram system and it’s a little wild with it stretching to Glengormley. I’d only make it so it covers the city centre and outskirts etc. a full map will be decided with Declan hopefully
After seeing pros and cons of the Belfast glider, maybe this map should be similar with some minor cuts.
Looked at some retro trams and I do think they’re nice, obviously not modern but they get the Job done and attract tourists, one thing I’ll mention is the typography, I love the slight psychedelic typeface used at the front of the trams. I want to create something modern of course but I can’t deny my love for the retro design of trams so I may influence the design of the trams and overall identity with this history.
A little ugly, I got to admit. I don’t like it I prefer the retro, I feel like it appeals a lot more to people of all ages, With the vintage appealing to the older generation who probably used a tram, and the younger generations with their interest in vintage and reusing. If they want a modern tram the closest is a glider I suppose which I will talk about. I feel the vintage would attract tourism, a sense of uniqueness and overall a nice relaxing chill vibe.
In this section I want to look more into the technical side of trams including tickets, timetables, their own app and routes.
You can buy tickets through the NETGO! app which is Nottingham's very own tram app or by using the ticket vending machines at any stop. the prices are quite good considering how big Nottingham is and how many stops there are
Below is the timetable for the tram in Nottingham, some interesting points here are there are at least 3 trams every few minutes and there are trams up to 2am, now that could work well for Belfast, a lot of clubs end at 2am so I could see the trams working in Belfast till 3am providing safe transport to night workers, students and party goers
