NET’s fleet of 15 trams are managed from the depot on Wilkinson Street. It is situated next to the Park and Ride site, built on decontaminated land, formerly disused industrial land between the former Shipstone's Brewery and Cusson's soap factory.

The depot site includes stabling for the full fleet of 15 trams and an automatic tram wash. Inside the depot itself are three roads – one for the trams to be topped up with sand (used to give the wheels extra grip where necessary), another which includes inspection pits and gantries and a third which has no overhead wire. This road is used to jack up trams up to 5 feet in the air and to take trams over the wheel lathe. This machine ensures that trams' wheels remain circular, reducing wear on the rails. As there is no overhead wire, trams are shunted in and out of this road with a battery operated shunter.

NET also has a series of vans and response vehicles, including the ‘unimog’, which can be driven along tram tracks and roads (it has rubber tyres and steel wheels).

Upstairs, the control room is the nerve centre of the tramway. Here NET staff give tram drivers their instructions and monitor all systems to ensure a safe, reliable and punctual service. Computer screens give the controllers a real-time view of the state of the tramway showing the location of all trams, the status of each set of points and the electrical supply for the overhead lines.

The room is dominated by a bank of 24 CCTV monitors which are constantly recorded. There are CCTV cameras on every tramstop and Park and Ride as well as at the depot itself. NET also liaises with the urban traffic control centre in the city, with each being able to access each other’s cameras. Every tramstop includes passenger emergency help points, if someone presses the help button the CCTV cameras on that stop swing round to record the activity at the help point. The control room also handles the public address system and the electronic ‘next tram’ displays on the tramstops.

The control room has a direct link to the emergency services and Network Rail and NET has its own radio system for communicating with trams and mobile hand-held radios. Logs are kept of all radio conversations, all tram movements and all events. Each tram also carries a ‘black box’ recorder to monitor every part of the tram’s performance.

More images of the NET Depot are available in our photo gallery.

Technical Information

NET cuts a stylish figure on the Nottingham streetscene, finished in its smart livery of dark green, silver and white, with the body's sleek curves creating a modern and sophisticated look as it glides through the streets.

As you board one of the 15 trams in the fleet, you will notice the wide double doors and flush levels of platform and tram, which provide unprecedented access for all. Once inside, there are spacious standing areas and 62 comfortable seats, as well as two specific wheelchair areas. The tram is fully air conditioned and heated for all types of British weather.

The interior provides level access for passengers, plenty of brightly-coloured grab poles and ceiling-fixed grab handles for standing passengers, and electronic information displays with announcements to tell passengers where the tram is due to stop next.

• 5 segment, articulated 100% low-floor Bombardier INCENTRO tram vehicle.
• Length: 33m.
• Width: 2.4m.
• Height from top of rail to top of vehicle: 3.35m.
• Maximum pantograph height above top of vehicle: 2.95m.
• Floor to ceiling height: 2.1m.
• Wheel diameter when new: 660mm.
• Weight when empty: 37,300Kg.
• Power: 750v DC primary with 410v AC 50Hz 3 phase auxiliary and 24v DC.
• Propulsion: 8 asynchronous water cooled traction motors.
• Braking: Dynamic, friction and magnetic.
• Doors: 4 double and 2 single sets of doors per side.
• Automatic sanding system on powered trucks.
• Platform view and rear view CCTV cameras instead of mirrors.
• Maximum operating speed: 80Km/h, 50mph.
• 2 specified wheelchair locations with low level stop request and help points per tram.
• Seats: 62 (54 fixed, 4 tip-up, 4 perch).
• Capacity: 191 per tram assuming 4 passengers per square metre.
• Fully air-conditioned and heated.
• On-street signalling: Combined stop/proceed with road traffic, point position indicators, tram loop detection.
• Off-street signalling: Track circuit block signalling integrated with railway level crossing signalling.
• Power collection: 750v DC overhead line with 6 substations (Middle Hill, The Forest, Depot, Babington Junction, Moor Bridge and Butler's Hill).
• System Length: 14Km (10Km off-street, 4Km on-street)
• Vehicle fleet: 15
• Maximum grade: 8.5%
• Fare collection: on-tram and on-stop conductors
• Communications: Fibre optic transmission system, telephone and integrated voice services consoles (PABX/IVS), supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA), integrated alarm notification system, CCTV.