Sheffield Supertram & Tram Train news

[ALEMASTER]

I'm assuming with the new app that the travelmaster cards are also getting retired?

Seems stupid spending all that money on the cards just to then get rid of them

There seems to be confusion here between tram tickets and Travelmaster tickets.

The new Travel South Yorkshire ticket app is to replace the Stagecoach app and website selling tram tickets and sells the same range of QR code tickets - tram only 1 day, 7 day and 28 day tickets plus one day Travelmaster tickets.

Weekly or longer Travelmaster tickets are exclusively smart card tickets. In the next update of the TSY app it should be able to do the same as the Travelmaster app and use your phone to load the Travelmaster season ticket to a smartcard.

 

[sheff1]

Travelled on the tram today and the most noticable thing was the removal of the overly wordy auto announcements, instead just the original method of the driver announcing the next stop and route as necessary. No more "welcome on board .....blah, blah, blah...." after every stop, even if no one has boarded, and random "hold tight please" announcements.
As the exterior Stagecoach branding had been removed overnight from all the vehicles I saw, hopefully driver announcements is the new thing and we won't suddenly be hit with a raft of new SYMCA auto babble.

Didn't go on a tram train where the auto announcements under Stagecoach were even worse, usually not being timed correctly in relation to the stops.

Also noticed that the conductor had a different type of ticket machine - white rather than black and more compact.

At Cathedral there was some sort of sparsely attended gathering being addressed by a local councillor which seemed to relate to the first day of public operation but I didn't hang about to find out more.

 

[Lemmy282]

Tram I was on today had the "hold tight" announcement when we got to Park Square delta Junction and auto announcement of the next stop in a male voice, I don't think it was the lady driver who had such a deep voice!

 

[sheff1]

Yes, seems like I was just lucky yesterday - announcements back today

 

[Grumpy]

Magna Computer Images. Over engineering at it's best. It's a pity we can't trust the public anymore with a simple Red/Green light foot crossing.

Indeed. It's a pity we cant trust public servants not to waste money. Next thing they'll be moaning they are skint and it's the fault of Margaret Thatcher etc.

 

[bryn1201]

Anybody else noticed that Apple Maps no
longer shows transit directions for supertram? Presumably the data source has changed.

 

[geoffk]

I assume that only South Yorkshire ENCTS passes will be valid on the trams from now on, rather than those from the whole of England. Is that right? A bit academic for me now living in Devon but I used to use the trams a bit when living in West Yorkshire.

 

[ALEMASTER]

I assume that only South Yorkshire ENCTS passes will be valid on the trams from now on, rather than those from the whole of England. Is that right? A bit academic for me now living in Devon but I used to use the trams a bit when living in West Yorkshire.

Still valid. The only change to tickets is that Stagecoach only tickets are no longer valid as it's no longer a Stagecoach service.

Anybody else noticed that Apple Maps no
longer shows transit directions for supertram? Presumably the data source has changed.

Still missing? It's now present on Google Maps and bustimes.org. The data source hasn't changed as such but Stagecoach Supertram ceased operating and South Yorkshire Supertram commenced operating so completely new data set.

 

[snalty]

Still valid. The only change to tickets is that Stagecoach only tickets are no longer valid as it's no longer a Stagecoach service.


Still missing? It's now present on Google Maps and bustimes.org. The data source hasn't changed as such but Stagecoach Supertram ceased operating and South Yorkshire Supertram commenced operating so completely new data set.

I noticed Apple Maps was missing the data and Google Maps doesn't show the coloured transit lines anymore. Looks like Apple Maps has the times now though but Google Maps still doesn't have the lines.

As an aside, it's about time they gave the Tram Train a coloured line. Nobody in the public cares that it's a Tram Train imo.

 

[ricoblade]

Still valid. The only change to tickets is that Stagecoach only tickets are no longer valid as it's no longer a Stagecoach service.


Still missing? It's now present on Google Maps and bustimes.org. The data source hasn't changed as such but Stagecoach Supertram ceased operating and South Yorkshire Supertram commenced operating so completely new data set.

Apologies for my ignorance but I can't see Trams on bustimes.org, only buses.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Apologies for my ignorance but I can't see Trams on bustimes.org, only buses.

If I search for "TT" in the bustimes.org search box, it takes me to here:

TT - Sheffield - Parkgate

South Yorkshire Future Tram

bustimes.org

showing the timetable for Sheffield-Parkgate.

 

[ricoblade]

If I search for "TT" in the bustimes.org search box, it takes me to here:

TT - Sheffield - Parkgate

South Yorkshire Future Tram

bustimes.org

showing the timetable for Sheffield-Parkgate.

Ah yes, apologies, I saw that. I was probably getting over-excited that trams would appear a la buses.

 

[py_megapixel]

I noticed Apple Maps was missing the data and Google Maps doesn't show the coloured transit lines anymore. Looks like Apple Maps has the times now though but Google Maps still doesn't have the lines.

As an aside, it's about time they gave the Tram Train a coloured line. Nobody in the public cares that it's a Tram Train imo.

I think in the long term they might be better off referring to lines by letters anyway. They're already displayed as "Y", "B" and "P" on the front of trams and if the ambition is to extend the system then there aren't that many sensible colours to go around. Could also use the same letters for replacement bus routes when applicable for a bit more continuity.

Not to say the colours couldn't persist on the map or whatever, but a move to calling it "Line B", "Line Y" etc might be a good idea.

 

[GardenRail]

but a move to calling it "Line B", "Line Y" etc might be a good idea.

Well, it's not like they're going to run out of letters any time soon is it. The UK's most under-enthusiastic, lacklustre, tram network. We'll still be talking about extensions in another 20 years.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Ah yes, apologies, I saw that. I was probably getting over-excited that trams would appear a la buses.

No tracking I suppose. They do appear with actual times on realtimetrains, but only when on the rail network, not south of Tinsley.

 

[YorksLad12]

As an aside, it's about time they gave the Tram Train a coloured line. Nobody in the public cares that it's a Tram Train imo.

It is coloured. Black

The colour appears on the front of the tram; as tram train uses the heavy rail network there's a limited number of colours that could be used without causing confusion to a train driver heading towards one (so no red or green, for example). White was also a non-starter (can't remember why). So the trams have a black swatch and the letters TT on the front.

 

[D365]

The colour appears on the front of the tram; as tram train uses the heavy rail network there's a limited number of colours that could be used without causing confusion to a train driver heading towards one (so no red or green, for example). White was also a non-starter (can't remember why). So the trams have a black swatch and the letters TT on the front.

Doesn’t stop the German S-Bahn networks using ’lime’ green!

I don’t see why calling it TT/Tram-Train doesn’t make sense. It serves an entirely different set of termini compared to the Yellow line.

 

[Iskra]

Sheffield/South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has just confirmed to me on Twitter/X that re-opening the Stocksbridge (Deepcar) branch under Supertram is being ‘worked on.’

https://x.com/iskra1234/status/1780542280719323575?s=46&t=lo2dgPQcj4ppK-VC860FLA

I asked if there are any plans for the Stocksbridge branch, he said:

Yes, we’re working on it.

I suppose this gives him the opportunity to beat the Tory & Stocksbridge MP to doing it, gaining him the credit instead.

 

[GardenRail]

Sheffield/South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has just confirmed to me on Twitter/X that re-opening the Stocksbridge (Deepcar) branch under Supertram is being ‘worked on.’

View attachment 156586

https://x.com/iskra1234/status/1780542280719323575?s=46&t=lo2dgPQcj4ppK-VC860FLA

I asked if there are any plans for the Stocksbridge branch, he said:


I suppose this gives him the opportunity to beat the Tory & Stocksbridge MP to doing it, gaining him the credit instead.

It would be nice to see, but we'll spend more time talking about it than doing it. How would you connect it in with the line, and would you cut the line off from the existing Network Rail infrastructure at Woodburn Junction?

 

[Iskra]

It would be nice to see, but we'll spend more time talking about it than doing it. How would you connect it in with the line, and would you cut the line off from the existing Network Rail infrastructure at Woodburn Junction?

Talk was of a Barrow Hill Line-Stocksbridge service. A diesel tram-train fleet would be cheaper than infrastructure works, and similar products are already out there.

 

[daodao]

Talk was of a Barrow Hill Line-Stocksbridge service. A diesel tram-train fleet would be cheaper than infrastructure works, and similar products are already out there.

View attachment 156633

Unless such a service is diverted to penetrate the city centre properly, it would be a white elephant.

 

[Iskra]

Unless such a service is diverted to penetrate the city centre properly, it would be a white elephant.

In your opinion. Personally, I think it would work, but this is a conversation that has been had several times before on the forum so I’ll leave it there.

 

[GardenRail]

Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll try and re-invent the wheel, like we did with TramTrain, despite our cousins in Europe having them for many, many years prior to us.

Could they run as Diesel TramTrains from Stocksbridge to Parkgate, sharing Parkgate with existing TramTrains to and from the city? That way, the existing tram transfer line under Tinsley Viaduct would provide the connection to the actual Tram Network, as it does today.

 

[Iskra]

Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll try and re-invent the wheel, like we did with TramTrain, despite our cousins in Europe having them for many, many years prior to us.

Could they run as Diesel TramTrains from Stocksbridge to Parkgate, sharing Parkgate with existing TramTrains to and from the city? That way, the existing tram transfer line under Tinsley Viaduct would provide the connection to the actual Tram Network, as it does today.

Rotherham would make more sense for Stocksbridge residents as it would connect to Neepsend (for Kelham Island), Meadowhall and Rotherham.

But the Barrow Hill line needs somewhere to terminate, so you can see why Stocksbridge would make sense operationally, but I can’t see many through passengers doing that.

Something like:

1tph
Stocksbridge-Rotherham as described above.
1tph Barrow Hill Line-Victoria area, or continuing through to Stocksbridge

 

[GardenRail]

Rotherham would make more sense for Stocksbridge residents as it would connect to Neepsend (for Kelham Island), Meadowhall and Rotherham.

But the Barrow Hill line needs somewhere to terminate, so you can see why Stocksbridge would make sense operationally, but I can’t see many through passengers doing that.

Something like:

1tph
Stocksbridge-Rotherham as described above.
1tph Barrow Hill Line-Victoria area, or continuing through to Stocksbridge

I could see that working, with minimal infrastructure, as a signaller for that area. A few basic tram stops, and minimal signalling alterations. Keep it diesel, and simple to get started.

 

[Mat17]

Single track from Victoria to Stocksbridge? Passing loops or possibility of redoubling?

 

[GardenRail]

Single track from Victoria to Stocksbridge? Passing loops or possibility of redoubling?

If it was a half hourly service, it may just be possible without.

 

[Mat17]

If it was a half hourly service, it may just be possible without.

Even that would be a vast improvement on the bus service.

 

[GardenRail]

Even that would be a vast improvement on the bus service.

It'd be a quick turn around up at Stocksbridge, a bit like at Parkgate, but possible.

 

[Iskra]

I could see that working, with minimal infrastructure, as a signaller for that area. A few basic tram stops, and minimal signalling alterations. Keep it diesel, and simple to get started.

It's great to hear that it's vaguely viable I think diesel makes sense to start with, and then if it is working it can be electrified in the future with more loops and signalling added to support a better service.

Single track from Victoria to Stocksbridge? Passing loops or possibility of redoubling?

It's possible that they could use some of the current exchange sidings (there are two sets) just South of Fox Valley Retail Park, Stocksbridge to pass too. So a train could enter Stocksbridge platform, change ends, passengers on/off, driver/conductor could have a break and then it could pass the next incoming service at the current exchange sidings on the way out, which could then do the same.