Four guys dressed in dog suits run across the road to where I am waiting late at night for my tram. Happily drunk, they pretend to chase cars as we wait and we chat, turns out they are Irish backpackers, pretend pee on car tyres when they stop at the traffic lights and generally muck around in good humour. The tram arrives and we pile on and they roll on the floor, scratch each other’s bellies [and react as dogs do, hind leg pawing the air] and growl etc. while interacting with those of us close by. It is all good fun and there is an atmosphere of good humour and outright laughter through the tram, a spirit of camaraderie. When the ‘dogs’ leave, those of us left are smiling and feeling a little more light-hearted.

And this is why I love trams. There is an intimacy of connection, usually positive but sometimes not, which I do not feel on trains or buses.

More stories from ‘On the tram’ will follow.