markcurran.co.uk: 2023

Here's a few observations and thoughts from a recent visit to Rabat, Mohammadia, Casablanca and Marrakech....

Rabat Trams

All trams are 10 section/double 5-section Alstom Citadis trams
Simple ticketing system: it's 6 MAD (about 50p) a trip
Purchase tickets from either a machine or manned counter on the platform, they are valid any time. Up to six can be purchased from a machine.
Validate ticket on boarding
Operated by Transdev/RATP-Dev

Looooong tram!

Service suspended for the breaking of the fast during Ramadan

Half the length of a tram stop. The silver construction to the right is a staffed ticket office during daytime hours.

Two lines form the network of Rabat and neighbouring Salé.

Each service is formed of 2 x 5 section trams. These 5 section Alstom Citadis trams are either single ended or, per above, double ended.

Local buses in Mohammadia and Casablanca

A modern and near-identical fleet of Mercedes Conecto or Scania/Irizar i3 operated by ALSA of Spain form the bus fleets here.

Casablanca Tram Network

Very similar to Rabat: two line system, operated by Trandev/RATP-Dec using 2 x 5 section Alstom Citadis trams
However each station is gated; entry and exit from each platform at opposite ends. Some island platforms have a central barrier which prevents entering at the 'wrong' end. This is bonkers. Though frankly gating a tram system is bonkers. You can just walk round the gateline.
Each platform/gate line is staffed (!) labour is cheap in Morocco.
It's 8 dirhams a trip, or a two-trip ticket for 14 dirhams, with a 2 dirham fee for the ticket itself.
Single tickets are valid for connections between lines.
Our experience was the ticket/gate coding didn't really support connections and we found ourselves walking round gate lines more often then using them!
Lots of new stations and lines under construction.

The bonkers ticket gates.

Being a tram you can just walk round the gates!

Island platform with central barrier, just to make it as difficult as possible to access the trams.

Casablanca has also selected a bonkers font for station signage

Interchange between lines is through these walkways with branding consistent with the stops.

Another ten section Citadis.

Part of the Casablanca tramway is serving areas of new development.

One of many new sections under construction for what appears to be at least two new lines.

Marrakech Buses

Operated by ALSA
Most buses are some form of ageing Scania
Possibly time served on the Spanish mainland?
Flat fare of 4 dirhams paid to the driver.

Route 19 to the airport: fare is 30 dirhams or 3 Euro on this one!

Marrakech Bus Rapid Transit Line 1

Right through the middle of Marrakech is a segregated central busway, which is only used by the city's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. It is variously referred to as BRT A (on bus stops) or BRT 1 (on buses). This is operated by a company called Bus City; fares are the same 4 dirham paid to the driver as on the ALSA city buses.

Vehicles are Yangtse dual batter/trolley electric rigids. The BRT route is partially provided with trolley wires at the out of town end (!).

Our observation was that the BRT route was lightly used compared to the parallel local bus routes, which deviated from the single main road route of the BRT in to surrounding suburban areas.

Stop

Yangtse battery/trolley

Vehicle interior

Internal access to trolley wires. They are however automatically raised and lowered.

Out of town terminus is this kerb.

Terminus station still under construction, five years after the route opened!

Bus with trolley wires up

Interior equipped with curtains which are largely falling down; all windows open (not helping curtain condition) as air conditioning did not work/

Another interior view

Time for a quick look see at Barking Riverside.....but first....

1) WEST HAM

A crash deck has appeared over the Jubilee line and almost 4,000 residential units being constructed adjacent. This site has been vacant for some years I recall.

The c2c train service remains incredibly popular. The use of the service by construction workers became noticeable during Covid, when demand didn't drop off and the fairly narrow staircases and platforms at West Ham raised social distancing concerns. In the peaks extra security staff (in yellow hi-vis) are employed to manage congestion on the stairs.

London Underground '4 Lines Modernisation' Signalling Migration area 6 went live a few weeks agi: the traditional colour light signals are now bagged so they can no longer be seen. In a past life sighting these signals caused a bit of an issue when there was a temporary foot bridge built at the east end of the District line platforms for London 2012.

Also observed plenty of wooden sleepers on the c2c route, which should keep the closure planners in Network Rail and TfL employed for a while yet!

Busy c2c platforms

Crowd/congestion control staff for c2c

Bagged signals on the sub-surface.

2) BARKING STATION

What a dump. Definitely up there with Luton.

3) BARKING RIVERSIDE

A substantial flyover crossing assorted railways and industrial lands, including HS1, lead to a station that is ostensibly in the middle of nowhere; planning consent demands that the station be operational midway through construction of Barking Riverside. There is actually a lot of residential and a new school built just north of the station: school children were notable users of the new Overground service. Otherwise the 4 trains/hour service through to Gospel Oak. However it's a nice big station, step free access, level boarding etc, all things you'd expect to see at a new station. Bus EL1 passes.