Sheffield/Rotherham Tram-Train update

[bladesman123]

http://www.rothbiz.co.uk/2014/06/news-4190-preparations-for-tram-train.html

[Mod Note - Extract provided in Post 4]

 

[MK Tom]

Is there anywhere online the detailed plans can be viewed?

 

[DimTim]

The Planning application is reference RB2014/774

Documents are available here

http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/downloads/file/1185/02_june_2014

Cases are not in numerical order

 

[34D]

http://www.rothbiz.co.uk/2014/06/news-4190-preparations-for-tram-train.html

And the text:

Plans to upgrade the rail infrastructure in Rotherham are being developed in preparation for the innovative tram train scheme between Sheffield and Rotherham, the first project of its kind in the country.

With funding from the government, the £60m pilot scheme will see flexible vehicles run on both rail and tram networks, using the freight route from Rotherham and then joining the Sheffield Supertram network at Meadowhall South. Operated by Stagecoach, three trams an hour would run all day from Sheffield city centre through the redeveloped Rotherham Central station to Parkgate retail park.

The location of the stop at Parkgate is set to be at the Western end of Stonerow Way, the road that runs behind Parkgate Shopping retail park. Plans have been submitted to change the use of the land to operational railway land to facilitate the installation of electricity sub-station.

The plans also include assessments for the tram train route. The plans show that, at Parkgate, there will be the construction of new lines and platforms along with the electrical sub-station and cabinets which will be constructed on stilts.

As the line travels towards Rotherham Central, the tracks are going to be lowered going under Greasborough Road bridge at Northfrield to accommodate overhead power lines. Similarly, the track will be lowered under College Road at the redeveloped station in Rotherham town centre, where additional platforms and access ramps will also be constructed.

Heading to Meadowhall, tracks are going to be lowered going under Ickles viaduct and at Tinsley, a new tram stop will be constructed along with a new track linking the tram line to the railway line. The vehicles will switch to the current tram network here and carry on the journey to Sheffield Cathedral.

Led by the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), Carillion, the company working on the Tinsley Link road, was*awarded*a*contract*to*undertake*initial*design,*investigation*and*site*establishment*works*on*the tram train project.

The pilot will run for two years from 2016 with a view to permanent operation. If it is successful, it opens the way for tram-trains to be introduced in other parts of the country.

The improved connectivity between Sheffield and Rotherham will be a bonus. The main aim of the scheme is to prove that the tram train technology works, determine the practical and operational issues and gauge passenger perception. Popular in Europe, this will be the first time that tram trains have operated in the UK.

 

[eastwestdivide]

The Planning application is reference RB2014/774

Documents are available here

http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/downloads/file/1185/02_june_2014

Cases are not in numerical order

Just to save a few clicks, that doc only covers the application to change the use of land near Parkgate.

Change of use from highway verge to operational railway land at land off Stonerow Way Parkgate
AGENT:- Network Rail (Property) Floor 3a/59 George Stephenson House Toft Green York TO1 6JT

I tried searching for the ref no but their search system didn't show me any results.

 

[DimTim]

Correct - the Rothbiz article refers to this planning application for the sub station.

The flood report gives details of where the track is to be lowered. Nothing further is available as yet.
After Rotherham station recent refurbishment surprised article refers to new access ramps. Also lowering track at College Road bridge will likely affect track height in platforms due to its proximity.
New platforms? I understood Sheffield end of existing platforms were to be lowered to tram height.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is the area where the line passes through in Rotherham one that would never be affected by the effects of the flooding that occurred in 2007 ?

 

[DimTim]

Station is next to the canal with the river nearby. The deluge of 2007 was exceptional with Tesco car park 10/15 ft above normal river level under water however I seem to recall there has been other minor flooding on the line in the past.
The line through to Parkgate is never far from the canal - weirs keep the water level under control. Flood control measures have been taken on the river but as you can see from the planning application the sub station will be built on stilts!

Plans for a new school on the other side of the canal from Parkgate suggest it will be built at 1st floor level with very little on ground floor.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Line as closed in both November & December 2013. Not at the station but nearer to where new tram terminus will be situated. Other side of Rawmarsh Road near canal boat turning area

 

[Bayum]

Any information on the rolling stock to be used for such services?

 

[edwin_m]

Plenty on the WWW - try this one for a start:

http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/08/15/next-stop-rotherham-sheffields-new-tram-trains/

 

[eastwestdivide]

Is the area where the line passes through in Rotherham one that would never be affected by the effects of the flooding that occurred in 2007 ?

Short answer - no, it's not an area that would never be affected (or doing away with the double negatives - the area could still be affected).
It uses the line through Rotherham Central which was affected by those and other floods. However, they've done a certain amount of additional flood protection work through the town which might mean that it would take a really exceptional amount of water to cause problems.
Worth bearing in mind that the line through Central was built partly on the route of the canal, which was diverted to accommodate it.

 

[talltim]

New platforms? I understood Sheffield end of existing platforms were to be lowered to tram height.

Having spoken in the past to the SYPTE project managers for the Rotherham Central Station rebuilt and the Tram-Train project, I understood that the platforms were to be extended at a lower height, but I've never directly asked so I could having been making an assumption

 

[Haydn1971]

I understood that the platforms were to be extended at a lower height, but I've never directly asked so I could having been making an assumption

That is my understanding of the platform arrangements at Rotherham - I have directly asked as part of some work I was involved in for SYPTE

 

[snowball]

This article says there's been a further delay:

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/sheffield-to-rotherham-tram-train-delayed

The launch date for the tram-train pilot running between Sheffield and Rotherham has been delayed again – with no new date set.

The plan for flexible vehicles to run on both rail and tram networks, using the freight route from Rotherham and then joining the Sheffield Supertram network at Meadowhall South, was scheduled to launch in spring of 2016, after being delayed from 2015. Now the £60m project, to be operated by Stagecoach, will no longer meet even that new deadline, due to problems with the design work to adapt the heavy rail network to allow tram-train style service.

When it is up and running, three trams an hour will run all day from Sheffield city centre through the redeveloped Rotherham Central station to Parkgate retail park.

The pilot project was originally announced by the Department for Transport in May 2012, with final approval for the contracts between the project partners (SYPTE , the DfT, Network Rail, Northern Rail and Stagecoach Supertram) granted in June 2013. The original announcement said the project “will see tram-trains operating between the cities of Rotherham and Sheffield from 2015”.

A joint statement from SYPTE (the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) and Network Rail announcing the delay said: “Network Rail, who are responsible for these works, are presently undertaking a detailed assessment of their delivery programme, and the project partners are committed to working with Network Rail to mitigate the delay as far as possible. Some of the delay arises from the project’s relationship with other heavy rail investment programmes in order to maximise efficiencies, such as signalling control.

“Good progress is being made on other aspects of the project, with vehicles being manufactured and works to the tramway and depot to accommodate tram-trains well underway.”

Carillion have been working on design and establishment works for the project, including a stop at Stonerow Way, the road that runs behind Parkgate Shopping retail park, and the lowering of tracks at three bridges to accommodate overhead power lines. At the redeveloped station in Rotherham town centre additional platforms and access ramps will also be constructed.

 

[ianhr]

I wonder if the money being squandered on this daft scheme would have paid for double tracking the Holmes Junction-Rotherham Central line and the Dore curve + new platform at Dore, all of which would bring wider benefits. Alternatively spend the money on the existing Supertram system and build a new line to a part of the city not served by rail transport and where people actually live.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I wonder if the money being squandered on this daft scheme would have paid for double tracking the Holmes Junction-Rotherham Central line and the Dore curve + new platform at Dore, all of which would bring wider benefits. Alternatively spend the money on the existing Supertram system and build a new line to a part of the city not served by rail transport and where people actually live.

I suppose that "somewhere" had to be used for these trials and the existing area of the chosen site was one that already had a sizable tram service in its environs, where the local population were used to such a similar mode of transport.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I suppose that "somewhere" had to be used for these trials and the existing area of the chosen site was one that already had a sizable tram service in its environs, where the local population were used to such a similar mode of transport.

Indeed. Much rather this than the preposterous earlier suggestion of using bi-mode tram-trains all the way to Huddersfield.

 

[starrymarkb]

I suppose that "somewhere" had to be used for these trials and the existing area of the chosen site was one that already had a sizable tram service in its environs, where the local population were used to such a similar mode of transport.

And if it's not a success then the trams can work happily on the Supertram network.

DfT is paying for the Trial, if SYPTE want a new tram route they'd have to pay for it (which they don't have the money for at the moment). Either way they've got a few new trams for free out of this trial

 

[Greybeard33]

This article says there's been a further delay:

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/sheffield-to-rotherham-tram-train-delayed

New launch date now announced:

Network Rail route managing director, Phil Verster, said: “Tram-train will bring lasting benefits to passengers in the Sheffield and Rotherham areas, and detailed design of the infrastructure to support this exciting project is well underway. We assessed our delivery programme and the work needed to adapt the network is expected to be complete to allow Tram Train passenger services to start in January 2017."

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/rail-news/sheffield-tram-train-new-launch-date-set--january-2017
This is a further slip of 8 months from the previous date of May 2016. Since the tram-train delivery schedule is unchanged, the vehicles will be used on the existing Supertram network before the NR line is ready:

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive interim director general, Ben Still, said: [snip]
“The first of seven tram-trains will arrive in September 2015 for testing and people will be able to travel on them on the Supertram network before October 2016, enhancing capacity.”

Supertram users are doing very nicely out of this project, having already had replacement tram tracks funded by the taxpayer!

 

[WatcherZero]

To be fair the tracks needed renewing anyway and there wasn't any money set aside to do it, so might as well modify them while renewing.

 

[snowball]

NR press release:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-Tram-Train-operations-in-Sheffield-2268.aspx

Have your say: new Chord to support Tram Train operations in Sheffield

Monday 2 Feb 2015

Plans for a new section of rail that will allow European-style Tram Trains to run between Britain’s rail and tram network for the first time are out for consultation.

Local residents, landowners, rail and tram passengers are invited to comment on the construction plans for 150 metres of track that will link the railway and Stagecoach Supertram networks at Tinsley. Consultation events are being held at The Skills Source Academy in Sheffield on 6 and 7 February and the plans are also on Network Rail’s website.

Warrick Dent, area director for Network Rail, said: “This is an exciting stage of the project as we consult on plans which, if approved, will turn years of meticulous planning into Britain’s first operational Tram Train service. This will improve journeys between Sheffield and Rotherham and boost the local economy by giving improved access to jobs, education and leisure activities as well as directly creating around 35 new jobs.

“Tram Trains are a common sight in Europe and we believe they could help to improve journey options for passengers around our towns and cities. Even though the Tram Trains run elsewhere, we have had many complex issues to work through with our partners in the project to make sure that the vehicles can operate safely in Britain without causing unnecessary disruption to regular tram and rail passengers.

“We would encourage regular Stagecoach Supertram and Northern Rail passengers, local residents and landowners to view and comment upon the plans.”

The partners in the Tram Train project are Network Rail, Department for Transport, Northern Rail, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and Stagecoach Supertram. The project was approved by Government in 2012 and forms part of the Sheffield City Region Devolution Deal.

Tram Trains will provide a direct service and improve journeys between Sheffield city centre, Rotherham Central train station and Parkgate retail park. Tram Trains will use the existing Supertram route between Cathedral and Meadowhall South and then move onto the rail network via the new track that is being consulted upon (known as a “chord”) to Parkgate.

The chord will need:

150 metres of new track with associated ground work
Overhead line equipment to carry the power to the Tram Trains
Lineside equipment including a small new building to house electrical equipment.

An application for a Transport Work Act Order (TWAO) will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport in spring 2015. There will be a further public consultation as part of this process. Dependent upon the TWAO process and decision, work to construct the chord is expected to start in spring 2016. Construction is expected to take approximately eight months. The consultation events for the first part of that process will be held at:

The Source Skills Academy, 300 Meadowhall Way, Sheffield, S9 1EA

11am – 7pm Friday 6 February and
10am – 2pm Saturday 7 February

Further details can be found at www.networkrail.co.uk/tinsleychord

Map here:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-location-of-proposed-Tinsley-chord-2225.aspx

 

[pro4600]

Has the location of the terminus at parkgate been identified yet?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

So, January 2017 should see all ready to conduct the long-awaited tram/train trials to commence.....hopefully.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Interesting - the map linked from post 21 shows the new chord further north from the Meadhowhall South tram stop than I'd been assuming. It would seem that Rotherham-bound tram-trains will now stop at Meadowhall South tram stop, then take the tram bridge over the Don and only then turn right under the M1. I'd assumed the junction would be broadly south of the tram stop, where the tram and train lines are close together.

Time to get the camera out again this weekend.

 

[Haydn1971]

The alignment in post 21 is different to what I've seen before. There was a tender brief about a year ago to assess the station at Meadowhall South, at that time four platforms were been proposed - however the move of the chord now reduces costs by removing the need for two platforms and a new bridge across the River Don - that's a huge saving of perhaps £2-3M on the project.

 

[Greybeard33]

NR press release:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-Tram-Train-operations-in-Sheffield-2268.aspx

Map here:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-location-of-proposed-Tinsley-chord-2225.aspx

Interesting that the map appears to show that the Tinsley end of the shared alignment will consist of two segregated single lines, one for the tram-trains and the other for heavy rail. Does anyone know what length of track will actually be shared between light and heavy rail?

Parallel tram and heavy rail single lines, separated only by the six-foot, are in daily use on Manchester Metrolink, so this part of the pilot scheme will not demonstrate anything new.

 

[edwin_m]

Interesting that the map appears to show that the Tinsley end of the shared alignment will consist of two segregated single lines, one for the tram-trains and the other for heavy rail. Does anyone know what length of track will actually be shared between light and heavy rail?

Parallel tram and heavy rail single lines, separated only by the six-foot, are in daily use on Manchester Metrolink, so this part of the pilot scheme will not demonstrate anything new.

It'll have to become a shared alignment where the Holmes Chord merges in and through Rotherham Central. I don't know whether the parallel single line extends that far or indeed exists at all - that doesn't look like the sort of plan to rely on for details of track layout.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Well I went to the consultation on the new Tinsley Chord, which didn't add much to what was shown in the map linked above. They did say that putting the chord in had a few advantages over putting in a crossover at the Sheffield end of Meadowhall South/Tinsley tram stop: no need for new platforms, space for voltage change equipment on the chord if ever the rail line gets electrified at 25kV, and space on the chord to pause trams or turn them back (in either direction) in case of disruption on one or other network. By stopping them there, they wouldn't block either network.
There's no need to build a bridge over the Don under either scheme - the earlier scheme would have used the rail bridge (to the right of my photo), while the current scheme uses the tram bridge.

Anyway, attached is my photo showing roughly the area of the linked map, with scribblings to show the proposed chord etc.

The far end of the chord (invisible in the photo) would be roughly where Tinsley East Junction was, which linked the GC's Rotherham-Sheffield line (the current freight line) to the GC line towards Barnsley, part of the trackbed of which is now occupied by the tram as it runs parallel to the M1 motorway viaduct.

 

[edwin_m]

They did say that putting the chord in had a few advantages over putting in a crossover at the Sheffield end of Meadowhall South/Tinsley tram stop: no need for new platforms, space for voltage change equipment on the chord if ever the rail line gets electrified at 25kV, and space on the chord to pause trams or turn them back (in either direction) in case of disruption on one or other network. By stopping them there, they wouldn't block either network.

It also makes the signalling a good deal simpler. If there was just a crossover then whoever controlled it would need to ensure that the other end was free before operating it. This involves NR equipment detecting the presence of approachign Supertrams or vice versa. Assuming there is enough space to stop a tram-train at a signal on the double-track part of the chord, the two signalling systems can remain effectively independent with just an information link to advise the other system when a tram-train is approaching.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Yes, I think the Network Rail chap at the consultation was saying something about the signalling handover issue (he was talking with someone else), but I didn't catch the gist of it.