What exactly happened on the Croydon tramlink is currently being investigated. But the facts the UK Rail Accident Investigation Board (RAIB) have confirmed are that at around 06:10 hrs on Wednesday 9 November 2016, a tram from the London Tramlink system derailed on the approach to a junction, turned onto its side, falling and landing with the windows facing the ground. Trams on this stretch of the line have to negotiate a sharp, left-hand curve with a speed limit of 20 km/h (12 mph) before reaching the junction. The RAIB statement added that “The derailment occurred on the curve and initial indications suggest that the tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted.”
So what do we know so far? And what has been the industry response to this tragic incident?