Sheffield/Rotherham Tram-Train update

[61653 HTAFC]

My first view of one of the new vehicles, at Hillsborough this morning. Not the best image, it's a crop of one taken on my phone from a fair distance away, just before another tram blocked the view...

Didn't think the tram-train sets were able to run down the line towards Hillsborough?

 

[TC60054]

Didn't think the tram-train sets were able to run down the line towards Hillsborough?

All seven sets are currently running on tram bogies rather than tram-train bogies which means they're all able to cover the entire network.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

All seven sets are currently running on tram bogies rather than tram-train bogies which means they're all able to cover the entire network.

Makes sense with all the delays I guess... as long as they remember to switch all of them back afterwards!

 

[button_boxer]

Makes sense with all the delays I guess... as long as they remember to switch all of them back afterwards!

I thought the long term plan was only ever to convert some (3 or 4) of the vehicles to tram-train wheels to work the service to Rotherham, and keep the rest (4 or 3) on tram-profile wheels so they can be used for strengthening existing services or allowing more of the regular trams to be taken out of service for maintenance and refurbishment.

See post 140 in this thread

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I thought the long term plan was only ever to convert some (3 or 4) of the vehicles to tram-train wheels to work the service to Rotherham, and keep the rest (4 or 3) on tram-profile wheels so they can be used for strengthening existing services or allowing more of the regular trams to be taken out of service for maintenance and refurbishment.

See post 140 in this thread

There are more vehicles than needed for the Rotherham services, but I'd have thought giving them all the same capabilities and restrictions would make life easier from a diagramming point-of-view. Less chance of services having to turn back at short notice, or falling off the tracks at some point.

Though as you say, the ability is then there to cover the whole tram network which would allow maintenance/refurbishment of the existing Siemens trams which are around halfway through their design life- so even temporarily that solution makes sense.

 

[Harpers Tate]

The whole point of the 7-set order was
(a) primarily to provide vehicles for the pilot - which requires 3 + 1 spare sets
(b) secondarily to provide more for the existing network to improve capacity - 3 sets
hence a single order (for scale economy) of 7 identical sets, with only additional, rail compatible wheelsets for the pilot when Network Rail get their part of the job done.

 

[edwin_m]

They were replacing much of the street track on Supertram and I believe this was at least partly to be compatible with the tram-train wheels. Is this work now complete and does it cover the whole network?

Incidentally, even tram-train wheels don't have full size railway flanges otherwise the grooves on street track would have to be huge. The raised checkrails on the Network Rail section are needed to allow these smaller flanges to run without derailing.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I think the tram-train wheels are only passed for street-running as far as Cathedral stop. Someone will be along to correct me if I'm mistaken.

 

[snowball]

According to the new issue of Modern Railways, p. 13, South Yorkshire Supertram has submitted a track access application to the ORR which says testing on the main line will start in May 2018 and public service in the second half of 2018. There will be 54 services a day (51 Sundays). Four sets will be dedicated to the service at any one time.

 

[TC60054]

- 7 class 399s - four for Rotherham, three for the rest of the network. The final phases of rail replacement, which begin next year, will enable the 399s to run across the network with tram-train wheelsets.
- The only location currently passed for tram-train running is Cathedral to University (and obviously on the reserved track beyond to Shalesmoor), in the event of an emergency only at this present time.
- All seven sets currently have tram bogies to run across the network whilst on test. Four of these will get the bogies that they were delivered on back before mainline testing begins.

I think that covered all bases. Of note, any track not replaced in the final rail replacement phases will have sufficient milling and minor replacement (as has been done at certain locations along the Meadowhall route this time last year) to enable the use of them across the network when required.

 

[TC60054]

According to the new issue of Modern Railways, p. 13, South Yorkshire Supertram has submitted a track access application to the ORR which says testing on the main line will start in May 2018 and public service in the second half of 2018. There will be 54 services a day (51 Sundays). Four sets will be dedicated to the service at any one time.

The only thing I can see on the ORR website is the original application - i.e. the one which says that services start in January '17.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

- 7 class 399s - four for Rotherham, three for the rest of the network. The final phases of rail replacement, which begin next year, will enable the 399s to run across the network with tram-train wheelsets.
- The only location currently passed for tram-train running is Cathedral to University (and obviously on the reserved track beyond to Shalesmoor), in the event of an emergency only at this present time.
- All seven sets currently have tram bogies to run across the network whilst on test. Four of these will get the bogies that they were delivered on back before mainline testing begins.

I think that covered all bases. Of note, any track not replaced in the final rail replacement phases will have sufficient milling and minor replacement (as has been done at certain locations along the Meadowhall route this time last year) to enable the use of them across the network when required.

Presumably once the tram-train profiled wheels are able to be used on the whole of the network, all tram-train vehicles will be given those wheels?

 

[TC60054]

Presumably once the tram-train profiled wheels are able to be used on the whole of the network, all tram-train vehicles will be given those wheels?

I'd be amazed if that wasn't the plan.

 

[TC60054]

Tinsley to Meadowhall Interchange is shut on Sunday from start of service until 4pm to allow for the installation of the junction onto Tinsley Chord.

Yellow: Middlewood <> Valley Centertainment
Purple: Herdings Park <> Cathedral <> Valley Centertainment
Blue: Halfway <> Malin Bridge
Bus: Attercliffe <> Meadowhall Interchange

A further closure is expected 16th and 17th April.

 

[snowball]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds...ve-key-milestones-during-spring-bank-holiday/

UK’s Tram Train pilot set to achieve key milestones during Spring bank holiday

The Tram Train project in South Yorkshire will take a significant step towards completion in the coming weeks as construction work continues.

Engineers from Network Rail will replace College Road bridge in Rotherham. The old road bridge needs to be demolished and a new, higher one installed so that the overhead lines which will power the Tram Trains can be safely installed underneath. To allow the bridge to be replaced, College Road will be closed for 18 weeks from Friday, 14 April to Friday, 18 August 2017.

A temporary footbridge will be installed to allow pedestrians to access the town centre from Masbrough. Town centre traffic and local bus services approaching from Corporation Street will be diverted from Bridge Street to Centenary Way via Greasbrough Road.

Rob Cairns, Route Delivery Director for Network Rail, said: “We recognise that 18 weeks is a long time for the road to be closed and thank locals for their patience while we complete this essential part of this exciting project. Tram Trains will bring new travel choices for people living in South Yorkshire as well as being a first for the UK.

“This is a challenging project and there is still much to do, including the construction of the Tram Train stops at Rotherham Central and Parkgate and the completion of the overhead line power system. The work we have planned at the May bank holiday is a crucial step forward as we work with our partners to deliver the full Tram Train service from Sheffield city centre to Rotherham Central and Parkgate next year.”

On the bank holiday weekend, Saturday 27 and Sunday, 28 May, the old bridge will be demolished using a crane which will be based on council land at the back of George Street. Work will also be carried out to bring the signalling system which controls Tram Train movements into operation. In order to complete this work safely, trains will be diverted between Meadowhall and Swinton and will not stop at Rotherham Central. Buses will run between Meadowhall and Swinton, calling at Rotherham Central.

Stephen Edwards, Executive Director for South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), said: “Passengers in South Yorkshire will be the first in the country to benefit from pioneering Tram Trains. The pilot has the ability to transform transport connections both locally and nationally, and the College Road bridge engineering work is an important milestone towards making Tram Trains a reality from 2018.”

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy Cllr Denise Lelliott added that better transport connections would help to reinvigorate the local economy.

She said: “In recent weeks we have seen overhead masts being installed between Tinsley and Parkgate and work started on the construction of the Tram Train platform at Parkgate. The Tram Train project will complement the Council’s ambitious plans for the borough. By continuing to develop the mixed retail offer at Rotherham and Parkgate, and by providing better linkages between Rotherham and Sheffield, we will attract more visitors into the town and create more local job opportunities.”

Notes to editors

The Tram Train pilot is delivered by SYPTE, Network Rail, Northern, Stagecoach Supertram and the Department for Transport (DfT). More information about the Tram Train project is available at sypte.co.uk/tramtrain

I assume reconstruction is necessary for 750V clearance, rather than this being something done now in case it should be converted to 25kV later?

 

[eastwestdivide]

On the subject of College Road bridge, Rotherham

...
I assume reconstruction is necessary for 750V clearance, rather than this being something done now in case it should be converted to 25kV later?

here's a recent photo from the end of the platform:

Looks pretty restricted to this layman. They've already replaced the deck (but only the deck) of the lattice footbridge out by Parkgate.

 

[edwin_m]

I assume reconstruction is necessary for 750V clearance, rather than this being something done now in case it should be converted to 25kV later?

The picture certainly suggests very limited clearance above the train. I would hope that if there was enough clearance for 750V they would leave the bridge alone, but if there wasn't enough for 750V they would do a proper job and raise it enough to allow 25kV in the future.

 

[Greybeard33]

The picture certainly suggests very limited clearance above the train. I would hope that if there was enough clearance for 750V they would leave the bridge alone, but if there wasn't enough for 750V they would do a proper job and raise it enough to allow 25kV in the future.

The ORR's Rail Safety Publication 2, Tramway Guidance, says (p33) that the normal minimum static clearance between a 750V overhead line and structures should be 75mm, reducing to 25mm when a tram is passing. But it goes on to say that this may be reduced, with prior agreement from the Inspectorate, if insulation is provided, and adds:

Note: For voltages up to 750 V dc nominal, the smallest achievable clearances result more from physical constraints than from electrical considerations.

In other words, if the pantograph will compress sufficiently not to physically foul the bridge, the contact wire can be separated the underside of the bridge just by a thin insulating barrier rather than an air gap.

 

[WatcherZero]

In really tight tunnel clearances you can have a fixed contact bar rather than a suspended wire, but yes main limitation is how far a pantograph can descend.

 

[edwin_m]

The wire height relative to the platform may also be a significant issue here.

 

[eastwestdivide]

The wire height relative to the platform may also be a significant issue here.

That's a good point. There are already masts quite close to that bridge. I'll try and get down there to see if it's any clearer from the other side.
I think also, there's a "missing mast" still to be installed half way along the platform, as the distance between existing masts/bases seems a bit too long compared to other spacing, when estimating by counting paces along the canal towpath.

 

[D365]

Are the Class 399s operating in passenger service now?

 

[ALEMASTER]

Are the Class 399s operating in passenger service now?

No, just started driver training, currently 'train the trainer'. Expect the odd one off appearance starting in July, regular use from about August.

 

[D365]

No, just started driver training, currently 'train the trainer'. Expect the odd one off appearance starting in July, regular use from about August.

Ah thank you, I've seen them about on the network on said training runs, but my friends were insisting that they've seen the units in full passenger service...

 

[Greybeard33]

The wire height relative to the platform may also be a significant issue here.

The ORR RSP-2 guidance I quoted above says that a tramway contact wire should be 5.1m from standing surfaces, versus the new increased 3.5m requirement for 25kV electrification! Although exemptions are possible near to low bridges. I guess the difference is because a tramway can be on the public highway, which is a less controlled environment than a station platform.

What would be the maximum feasible wire gradient in this location, considering that the tram-train would always be at low speed entering/departing the platform?

 

[eastwestdivide]

If it's any help, here's College Road bridge from the other side (taken from the canal towpath)

Took a look around the Meadowhall end of the new chord this morning. The tram-replacement buses to Meadowhall only lasted to about 1100, overlapping with the first trams.
The work carried out seems to have been just rewiring at the point of the future tram junction onto the new chord. A pole between the tracks has been removed, and the overhead wires now hang from a pair of masts either side of the tracks (which had been installed many months ago).
The actual junction pointwork was visible, neatly laid out on the "other" side of the Tinsley viaduct, in the work compound there.

 

[Mordac]

Report about testing of the 399s starting:

http://www.globalrailnews.com/2017/04/04/sheffield-tram-trains-begin-testing-on-supertram-network/

Sheffield tram-trains begin testing on Supertram network
April 4, 2017

Stagecoach Supertram has begun testing Sheffield’s new tram-train vehicles on the city’s light rail network.

The Class 399 Citylink Tram Train vehicles, of which Supertram has seven, have now started dynamic testing on the network ahead of the start of passenger services this summer.

The vehicles will initially support the existing fleet on the Supertram network, but in future three of the vehicles will operate dedicated tram-train services to Rotherham Central and Parkgate.

To enable this, new infrastructure will need to be delivered. Network Rail has begun installing the OLE masts for a new 160-metre section of track, called the Tinsley Chord, which will link the Supertram network with the railway between Sheffield and Rotherham.

The project also requires new stops at Meadowhall South and Rotherham Parkgate, and extended platforms at Rotherham Central station.

Issues with this programme of works, specifically the complicated electrification infrastructure, has led to delays to the original timetable.

After receiving government approval in 2012, passenger services were expected to begin in 2015. The infrastructure works are now scheduled to be completed in summer 2018.

Stephen Edwards, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive’s (SYPTE) executive director, said: “People in Sheffield will start seeing the new vehicles running “out of service” in-between scheduled trams. This important testing is making sure the vehicles and the existing Supertram system are working as they should.

“Driver training will commence shortly and we aim to put the Citylink vehicles into service to supplement Supertram services from this summer.

“The vehicles will then be tested on the heavy rail network early next year, before going into Tram Train passenger service.”

 

[eastwestdivide]

The new chord junction was being installed yesterday (and today) at the Meadowhall end. Yesterday morning, I saw a Unimog road-railer on site with small ballast wagons, and the outbound track had already been lifted.

 

[TC60054]

Junction now fully installed, with quite a sizeable amount of track on the "mainline" being replaced as well. Area also completely reballasted. Facing Point Indicator not yet been installed though.

 

[snowball]

Press release:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/easter-track-connection-marks-major-tram-train-milestone/

Easter track connection marks major Tram Train milestone

The project which will allow passengers in South Yorkshire to be the first to ride on a Tram Train in the UK achieved a major milestone this Easter, marking a significant step forward for the pioneering scheme.

The track connection that will provide the physical link between the Supertram network and the traditional heavy rail network was installed at Tinsley, in a ground-breaking move for Britain’s rail industry.

Unique to the Tram Train concept, the critical junction connection will sit at the start of a new 400m section of track called the Tinsley Chord, and will allow services to travel seamlessly between Sheffield and Rotherham from 2018.

Simon Coulthard, Senior Sponsor for Network Rail, said: “It is really exciting to see the physical connection in place that will allow passengers to pass seamlessly between the Supertram and rail network. Tram Train is an entirely new way of travelling for the UK and will allow us to improve how we meet the needs of the communities and economies our transport networks serve.

“This is a challenging project and there is still much to do, including the construction of the tram stops at Rotherham Central and Parkgate and the completion of the overhead line power system. The work we have completed this Easter is a crucial step forward as we continue work with our partners to deliver the full Tram Train service from Sheffield city centre to Rotherham Central and Parkgate next year.”

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) Executive Director, Stephen Edwards, added: “The track connection completed at Easter marks an exciting milestone for South Yorkshire’s scheme, and is a significant part of the construction that will turn years of meticulous planning into Britain’s first operational Tram Train service.”

Delivered by SYPTE, Network Rail, Stagecoach Supertram, Arriva Rail North and the Department for Transport, the Tram Train pilot has also seen work begin on College Road bridge in Rotherham this Easter. This bridge will be demolished and replaced during the late May bank holiday (Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May) in order to raise it and provide space for the overhead line equipment underneath.

In order to complete the work safely, trains will be diverted between Meadowhall and Swinton and will not stop at Rotherham Central; a bus replacement service will be offered.

For more information visit sypte.co.uk/tramtrain