Witnesses describe moment tram derailed in Old Market Square

Witnesses say a tram derailed and skidded off the tracks for 40 metres while trying to switch lines in Nottingham’s Old Market Square.

The rear cab of the service left the rails at around 2.30pm on Thursday and travelled around a bend before coming to rest against the stop in the square.

Services were suspended between the Forest Rec and Old Market Square for several hours while the incident was investigated and the tram was respositioned onto the tracks by engineers. Normal services had resumed by 10pm.

No-one was injured and no passengers were on board at the time.

Mala Maga, 42, who was walking across the square at the time said: “I was pushing my husband along in his wheelchair, and all we saw was the tram going along the road off the tracks and onto the kerb.”

After the accident two clear wheel track marks could be seen, around 40 metres long, cutting across concrete marking where the service left the rails.

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The tram was left resting on the edge of the Old Market Square tram stop.

Another witness, who did not want to be named said: “I was in the pub having a drink and I could see the tram was on the outside of the market square – it went up, stopped at the signal, put its warning lights on, and it was coming down and that was it until my colleague said the back end was gone.

“I looked out the window and saw what happened. It looks like it was trying to come on the other track – and no-one was hurt.”

A spokesman for Notts Police said the incident was reported to the force at 3.32pm, and officers attended to tape off the area around the accident. No arrests have been made.

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Wheel marks could be seen cutting into the concrete near Old Market Square.

An NET spokesman said: “One of our trams has been stopped in Old Market Square after wheels on its rear bogie disengaged from a section of track whilst it was performing a low speed turnback manoeuvre. No passengers were on board at the time.”

NCT buses accepted tram tickets for passengers travelling between the Forest and Nottingham Station, and between the Royal Centre and Nottingham Station during the stoppage.

The tram involved is the unit named after Nottingham Panthers forward David Clarke.

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