Makes me wonder if the lamp inside the A2000 started cycling because of the electrical connection between it and the tram powerlines.

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From streetlighting to radio, dance through the night whilst the streetlights are glowing outside.

As far as I know, the trams are fed sepeartely from sub stations along the route - hence why certain tram poles have thick wires strewn along them

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Trams are 600v DC I believe. Someone will correct this if i'm wrong.

Lanterns use 240v 3 phase I think as it's cheaper running groups off lanterns on each phase. That is how my work depot's 400w lowbeam SON's are wired anyhow.

Trams are typically anything from 500-850V DC. The traction supply will be completely independent (inc earths) of any "public utility" supply.

Yep, and there is one big difference between tram power supplies and domestic power supplies, and it's a matter of AC DC.

Ah, I thought that the tram wires and the lantern are connected together. Hence why i got confused  

I take it that AC is for the trams and DC is for the Vectra's / 2000's or is it the other way round.

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From streetlighting to radio, dance through the night whilst the streetlights are glowing outside.

No, the lighting columns simply support the brackets for the tramway overhead wires.



T'other way round!   The trams are 550v DC in Blackpool (AC=alternate current, DC=direct current).

Excellent, thanks Gramma6.

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From streetlighting to radio, dance through the night whilst the streetlights are glowing outside.

Hence also why there are more substations/supply points feeding the tram system - as DC has higher losses over a length of cable due to internal resistence. For example the Leeds-Skipton rail line has 3 sub stations for the ~30 mile journey (AC) - yet the blackpool tramway has more supply points than that in just a 3 mile stretch (DC)

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In Consett there are some Alpha 2000s although not many. These seem to have fared pretty well, as Consett gets a battering from the wind during the winter months (this is why huge numbers of Alpha 8s have bowls taped or missing) there has been the odd casual replacement, where a canopy has come loose and been ripped off. The replacements have been Iridiums and Sapphires. The Alpha 2000s are installed on Hockeystick columns replacing old 90 watt SOX lanterns.