Kingston Tram

The Kingston tramway network (also Capital Cities Tram) is the largest such network in both Kingston and Boyce and the AIN, consisting of 272.4 km of track, and 39 daytime routes and 15 night routes. It is operated by Kingston Public Transit, a company owned by the Cities of Kingston and Boyce. The system served 196.9 million passengers in 2012. The first tram line was opened in 1950, between Kingston Central Station and London Old Town Square.

Kingston trams today
As of 1 September 2012, the Capital Cities tram network includes:
 * 39 day routes (numbered 1 to 45 [excluding 20, 24, 29, 30, 34 and 36]),
 * 15 night routes (first 15 daytime routes) and
 * 1 touristic route, number 50 (in service between Central Station and Dockyards).

Daylight trams run every 10 minutes during working days, every 15 minutes on weekends, from 4.30am until 11.30pm. The 15 main lines use additional trains running short services in between, filling up to a 5-minute headway during rush hours.

Night trams
Night trams operate between 11.30pm and 4:30am. Their routes differ slightly from the daytime routes. All 15 night time routes meet at Kingston Central, although the daytime lines 2 and 5 [to North Westminster] do not go there. In Service for night trams are coupled sets of T4Ds or a single T5a.

The first tram
Following the almost complete collapse of bus service in Kingston and Boyce in 1946, the two capital cities agreed to install a Tram network connecting both cities. The first route connected London Old Town Square and Kingston Central Station via Boyce Central Station and was opened on June 1, 1948. Plymouth based CARTERrail was ordered to design a "streetcar for high demand", resulting in the famous T2 set.

Early years
By 1962, the tram network consisted of 15 lines, connecting all major suburbs to the city centre at Kingston Central Station. Those lines make up the routes 1 to 15 nowadays. In a continuation of the rapid growth of the cities' trams, other new lines were opened in 1967. Those 5 lines mainly serviced as smaller shuttle service lines from suburban communities to the hubs of the main lines. Following the rapid success of the network, the headways of the existing lines were shortened and filled with the A-Lines (2A, 4A, 6A, 8A, 11A, 12A).

The network existed like this until 1995, when it became apparent that the network was both overused and not accessing the newer communities like Henry, Silverton, Smithers and Krook. In a Master plan, the Cities agreed to double the number of lines to access those new communities. Until 2006, the master plan was realized and the new lines in service. Today, the network is the largest tram network worldwide by track length and passenger numbers.

Planned network development
There is only one line in development, the last of the 1995 master plan, between Boyce Airport and Smithers. This line is considered to be finished by 2018, adding a direct service to Boyce Airport.

Rolling stock
The Capital Cities Tram network is also one of the largest networks concerning the number of rolling stock, from older sets like the T4D sets up to the modern day sets of the T7 Grand Flexity. Some lines are specific to the sets used, such as the 22 line using only the thinner T5a sets, most other lines are mixed.

T4D and modifications
The large number of T4D sets is the backbone of the tram network. 650 sets are still on the tracks today, having undergone various modifications since their first inauguration into service in 1969, such as a LCD screen for passenger information and newer doors. A typical set of T4Ds consists of either two engined units (MU + MU) or one engined unit and one without engine (MU + TU).

T8 versions
In the late seventies, it was decided to produce a higher-capacity tram vehicle. The Result was a small, articulated tram car, the T8. It came in three versions: one, two or three articulations (25/50/180). Whereas the long sets replaced the T4Ds on the main lines, the smaller were used to service newly established suburban routes and became popular quite quickly.

Later Trams
After strong demands both from the handicapped community and from the general public, the company decided to order new low-floor trams from CARTERrail and PESA. 360 T7 Grand Flexity trams, were delivered between 2005 and 2009, to be followed by 150 of a more modern 100% low-floor PESA 118n from 2008.