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Class 399 Tram Train Derails on Day 1 of Service in Sheffield

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Ben Jones

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DanTrain

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mlambeuk

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I wonder if it'll be on Look North tonight, considering they have a Sheffield bias.
 
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_toommm_

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Be interesting to read the RAIB report on it to see what happened, but it's still a damming indictment for the TT on its first day. Even if the lorry driver was at fault, it may have scuppered the reputation of the TT early on
 

snalty

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Even if the lorry driver was at fault, it may have scuppered the reputation of the TT early on

Doesn't really help that The Stir are reporting it as if it actually has anything to do with the tram train opening today. Just poor timing. The trams have been running on the network for the best part of a year and the collision wasn't even on the national rail network.
 

61653 HTAFC

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Doesn't really help that The Stir are reporting it as if it actually has anything to do with the tram train opening today. Just poor timing. The trams have been running on the network for the best part of a year and the collision wasn't even on the national rail network.
If they've any idea of how the press works, I'd hope the Supertram PR team would ensure all statements refer to a tram collision, and only mention that the tram involved happens to be one that can also be a train in the body of the press release.

It's started with a bang, anyway!
 

WatcherZero

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Reportedly the tram hit the truck on the road crossing at around 20 mph.

tram_train_3.png
tram_train_crash_2.png
 

Skymonster

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Be interesting to read the RAIB report on it to see what happened, but it's still a damming indictment for the TT on its first day. Even if the lorry driver was at fault, it may have scuppered the reputation of the TT early on
It happened on a section that has had trams running over it for years. So although it was one of the class 399 tram-train vehicles that was involved, it could have been any tram and it's hardly a reflection - or even a 'damning indictment' - of the tram-train service specifically. Just unfortunate timing that it happened on launch day.
 

_toommm_

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It happened on a section that has had trams running over it for years. So although it was one of the class 399 tram-train vehicles that was involved, it could have been any tram and it's hardly a reflection - or even a 'damning indictment' - of the tram-train service specifically. Just unfortunate timing that it happened on launch day.

I meant a damming indictment in terms of its reputation, particularly when papers like The Star say a tram crashed, which, pragmatically, makes it sound like the Tram system is at fault. Hence why I can't wait for the report to disprove it.
 

SCH117X

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I wonder if it'll be on Look North tonight, considering they have a Sheffield bias.
It was (in terms of Look North Yorkshire) and I suspect Sheffield residents think the program has a Leeds bias - the problem with regional TV is if it cover parts distant from the viewer then the viewer has a perceived conception of the program being biased elsewhere.
 

SCH117X

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It happened on a section that has had trams running over it for years. So although it was one of the class 399 tram-train vehicles that was involved, it could have been any tram and it's hardly a reflection - or even a 'damning indictment' - of the tram-train service specifically. Just unfortunate timing that it happened on launch day.
Probably best that it happened to one of tram trains given their stronger build.
 

_toommm_

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Could be I guess, but the crumple zones on Meridians and Voyagers and most other trains are behind the cab and span a much longer length.

Bearing in mind they run up to 125mph, with the 91s originally intended to run up to 140mph. The 399s run up to 60mph max, so the crash protection won't be as heavy duty as at max speed there'll be less than half the force. And with a voyager's aerodynamic front end the impact will be concentrated on a smaller area thus increasing the force exerted
 

M60lad

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Does anyone have any idea how long the unit involved in the unfortunate incident today will be out of action and how will this affect Tram-Train services from Sheffield-Rotherham? Will a full timetable still be able to operate with this vehicle out of action?

Also can the unit be repaired on site or will it have to go away to be repaired?
 

pdeaves

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I suspect no one really knows how long it's going to take to fix 399204 yet.
Quite. Engineering-type people will have to crawl all over it to make a proper assessment, which will take time. From the images posted earlier, and from them alone, I personally would be very surprised if the tram did not go back to its manufacturer for repair. However, the decision makers will make their assessments on far more than just looking at a dramatic photo or two.
 

SC43090

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Does anyone have any idea how long the unit involved in the unfortunate incident today will be out of action and how will this affect Tram-Train services from Sheffield-Rotherham? Will a full timetable still be able to operate with this vehicle out of action?

Also can the unit be repaired on site or will it have to go away to be repaired?


As been said they need 3 tram trains for service each day.... Stagecoach Supertram have said they need 4 for daily service on the tram train service network 3 + 1 spare...... Stagecoach do have a spare set of bogies & i assume one of the 3 other tram trains will have its bogies changed over during the next day or so.....

What started out as a fantastic day for the commuters who work in Sheffield & Rotherham to end the day with all this bad news about this accident its not what anybody wanted...... As all eyes where on this project from other parts of the country local authorities & the railway authorities to see if could happen in there towns & cities & local rail networks, Just hope that this incident doesn't put paid to any future expansion plans either in South Yorkshire or other parts of the country.......


SC43090
 

snowball

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I wonder if it'll be on Look North tonight, considering they have a Sheffield bias.

Didn't see the teatime one, but the launch was the lead item on the lunchtime one, and the launch and crash were the lead item on the late evening one. Will be on iplayer though not for very long.

[Edited to restore quote which had got lost when thread was moved]
 
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stuartl

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A few years ago I was on a First bus that was almost involved in a similar incident at that junction when it went through the lights on red.
The driver was talking to his friend stood by the door and as we crossed the junction I looked out of the window and saw a tram approaching from meadowhall, sounding the horn.
People on the bus shouted at the driver and he replied 'lights were green', although we'd all seen that they weren't. Unfortunately for the bus driver there was a supertram employee on the bus so I sure they reported what happened. I never saw the bus driver on that route again.
 

geoffk

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As been said they need 3 tram trains for service each day.... Stagecoach Supertram have said they need 4 for daily service on the tram train service network 3 + 1 spare...... Stagecoach do have a spare set of bogies & i assume one of the 3 other tram trains will have its bogies changed over during the next day or so.....

What started out as a fantastic day for the commuters who work in Sheffield & Rotherham to end the day with all this bad news about this accident its not what anybody wanted...... As all eyes were on this project from other parts of the country local authorities & the railway authorities to see if could happen in their towns & cities & local rail networks, Just hope that this incident doesn't put paid to any future expansion plans either in South Yorkshire or other parts of the country.......
SC43090
The accident, while unfortunate in its timing, did not lead to casualties and has nothing to do with the tram train project itself, as it took place on the Supertram system. Statistically one of the Duewag cars was far more likely to have been involved - and more badly damaged.
 

LNW-GW Joint

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Surprised this has not made the forum headlines as far as I can see.
On the day the Rail Minister opened the service, one of Stadler's class 399 tram trains was derailed near Woodbourn Road (on the original tram network) when it collided with a lorry.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-45988308
The UK's first hybrid tram-train service in Sheffield has restarted after it was involved in a crash on its first day of service.
The vehicle was derailed in a collision with a lorry on Staniforth Road, Attercliffe, on Thursday afternoon.
An investigation has been started by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch

While this incident probably has no bearing on the unit's heavy rail capability, it doesn't do anything to counter the impression that this is a jinxed project.
Injuries were slight, fortunately.
Services are back to normal today apparently.
 

bluegoblin7

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...it doesn't do anything to counter the impression that this is a jinxed project...

Rubbish. Whilst the incident did (unfortunately) involve a Stadler, it happened on the original part of the Supertram network and could just have easily been one of the original Duewags - indeed, the dominant vehicle on the system.

The incident has no bearing or otherwise on the tram-train project - indeed, if anything it is better that it *did* happen to a Stadler as a Duewag would have come off far worse.

It is a shame that all of the reporting of the incident is over-sensationalised and completely misleading - this was an RTC at a road junction and all evidence is currently pointing to the lorry driver being at fault. Prior to the incident services were running very well, and were well used.

(it's also being discussed already on the tram-train thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/sheffield-rotherham-tram-train-update.102190/page-24)
 

randyrippley

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Surely the derailment is incidental to the collision, which presumably is due to the truck driver?
 

MCSHF007

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No presumption as to responsibility for the accident should be made until the accident investigation report is available. Given that it was a new service with a new tram, it could well be that the tram driver, unfamiliar with new controls, was responsible.

This is complete nonsense. The "new" trams have been in service on the normal tram network (including the location of the incident) for many months.
 

button_boxer

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This is complete nonsense. The "new" trams have been in service on the normal tram network (including the location of the incident) for many months.

The only things I can think of that may make it relevant that it was a tram train would be if the compromise wheel profile on the TT bogies make them more prone to derailment than plain trams on the original network (though by the photos I doubt any vehicle would have stayed on the track when hit at that angle by a lorry), or if the magnetic track brake hadn’t re-enabled properly at the last train-to-tram transition, and thus the stopping distance was longer than it should have been - all questions that I’m sure will be looked at in due course by the RAIB.
 
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