Repeat after me: Trams are FASCINATING things.

Bear with me on this one. Reserve judgement. You don't know if you like something until you've tried it...

In the year I've been here, I have seen a tram break down once, maybe twice. Last week however I was in trams twice in two days which got stuck behind a great long line of other trams, the first of which had broken down.

The first time, I'd decided not to wait for a bus that would take me directly home, but to get a tram to a bus stop with a greater number of buses to choose from. One stop along the tram stopped and didn't start again.

That was here: You can see about four trams all stcked up waiting for the first to get out the way.

It didn't and I had to walk to the next bus stop.

The second time was following my last English lesson for refugees. Again, the tram travelled one stop before screeching to a halt behind about eight others. I got out and started walking as there were flashing lights in the distance and it looked like a long wait.

Turns out I was right to do so. A tram turning a corner had come off the tracks at the intersection of four roads. There was a line of trams stretching up each of the four roads and a big red heavy-lifting piece of machinery was installed in the middle of the crossroads.

There were men with blow torches, men in overalls shaking their heads and muttering, men speeding up to the scene of the accident with flashing lights, men waving the traffic through the chaos and lots and lots of men standing about just watching.

Look at that huge red truck thing! It pretty much lifted the tram up and placed it back on the tracks. Then the men who are leaning on the tram in this picture got their moment of superhero status and pushed the tram backwards so it wasn't blocking the crossroads anymore. Still the huge line of trams waiting just got longer and longer in every direction...

Hang on a minute... why am I writing this post? Why would anyone find this at all interesting? Ah well, maybe someone out there finds big red heavy-lifting equipment as exciting as I do. The thing is it was a lovely day and I had my camera handy as I always do and recorded it and then once it's recorded it might as well be shared right? I wonder. I think I may have to limit my camera usage. Or spend my time pondering more useful questions than whether the rise in tram mishaps corresponds to the weather and expanding metal or something... I think I have to get a life.

Here's a long line of trams if anyone's still reading this... There were loads of them!


That'll be all for now.