Horse Trams

[woolley]

They'd have just shovelled them away with the horse shit back then and got on with it. Those were the days. When men were men and pansies were flowers.

[Bobbie Bobster]

tram horse bolt

Frankenhorse

[Tempus Fugit]

looks like the sunken gardens will be very narrow after all the hatchet job

[woolley]

Sunken gardens sunk.

[Albert Tatlock]

I'm fairly sure someone got killed by a horse tram in the 70s. The problem with the walkway is no run off areas. If you're in a car you have protection, whereas pedestrians do not. I agree the chances are low, but incidents have happened over the years.

 

Horses aren't particularly clever, especially when spooked.

[Max Power]

A lot of hoohah about nothing really. The tracks would be pretty unobtrusive and the occasional tram scooting along is not going to be the problem that everyone seems to think.

 

I would still prefer the line to be at the side of the roadway however, as per the original drawings. Surely this would be much easier to achieve than having them on the walkway?

[Wann]

I disagree with the first part of your post. You could never really relax on the walkway, especially with a young family, knowing there was going to be a horse and tram sharing the area with you.

 

But I do think it would be better all round if the trams were at the side of the roadway. But it seems that would cock up this masterplan thinking of a laid back road area whereby cars will always give way to pedestrians. Difficult to factor horses into that.

 

 

 

 

[monasqueen]

Horses are easily spooked by rubbish, particularly plastic carrier bags if they are flying about in the wind. There is more likely to be rubbish in the walkway than on the road - dropping rubbish is what some people do (I wonder what litter droppers' homes look like).

 

If a horse pulls hard enough, it can take a tram out of the rails. Very rare, fortunately.

 

I have been behind a horse that has broken into a gallop. Quite an exhilarating ride, but not to be recommended. Skilfully controlled, and brought back to a trot.....but....it does happen.

[Ta laue y jouyl ayn]

These are heavy horses not race horses, 1 horse every 20 minutes or so plodding along is not the end of the world. Definitely a case of "we don't like change" at its best

[guzzi]

I should think there is much less chance of a horse being spooked on the walkway than on the road with the traffic constantly passing. The trams, unlike cycles, will be running on clearly delinieated tracks, and it really won't be a huge challenge to stay out of their way. You can hear them coming a long way off if you do have some sort of OCD that compels you to walk between the tram lines.

[Albert Tatlock]

There have been financial debates as to the viability of horse trams since around 1947.

[2bees]

I have just had a brilliant idea! Move the horse trams into town

[WTF]

I'm fairly sure someone got killed by a horse tram in the 70s. The problem with the walkway is no run off areas. If you're in a car you have protection, whereas pedestrians do not. I agree the chances are low, but incidents have happened over the years.

 

Horses aren't particularly clever, especially when spooked.

 

for H&S reasons it might to prudent to fit the horse trams with 'skirts', the solid type that were common on 'tramway' locomotives around the world in years gone by, think 'mavis' from Thomas the tank stories.. this doesn't stop you getting clobbered, but it greatly reduces the chances of ending up under the wheels if there is very little clearance between ground and skirt.

 

 

maybe large rubber bumpers like a dodgem too??

[The Sick Moon]

I have just had a brilliant idea! Move the horse trams into town

 

Mine is better. Move them to the transport museum in Jurby.

[2bees]

I agree