Tram-trains

[Pieman]

It's nearly four years since Sheffield started Tram-train operations, apart from Cardiff are there any others schemes progressing. Previously the comments were that schemes are on hold until the results of Sheffield- Rotherham are known but it's gone very quiet lately.

 

[507 001]

There are a number of proposals for Metrolink being worked on. TfGM weren’t particularly bothered about the outcome of the Sheffield trial as it’ll be easier for us being high floor.

 

[MarkyT]

There are a number of proposals for Metrolink being worked on. TfGM weren’t particularly bothered about the outcome of the Sheffield trial as it’ll be easier for us being high floor.

Cardiff is also high floor and initially at least will be entirely on heavy rail infrastructure. Low floor is a challenge as it requires low platforms next to heavy rail lines that are used by other trains. In Sheffield that traffic is low speed and fairly infrequent at the sole station it applies at, but I'd have thought such installations would not be desirable for very fast or busy lines. In Germany at some locations, the light rail only low platfroms are often offset from the main running line with short interlaced 'platform loops' so the wider heavy rail trains don't overhang the platforms; that's less of an issue in UK as our trains are significantly narrower below solebar height.

 

[WatcherZero]

A Metrolink Bury-Oldham via Heywood and Rochdale pilot scheme has been greenlit, construction due to start in 2025 and open 2029. Frequency likely just over 2tph and only commuter hours with no late night/early morning and possibly a lunchtime service gap initially. 7 Tram-trains to be purchased to operate it.

Red is existing Metrolink
Black is National Rail
Purple is the heritage steam East Lancashire Railways Bury-Heywood branch.

 

[Mothball]

A Metrolink Bury-Oldham via Heywood and Rochdale pilot scheme has been greenlit, construction due to start in 2025 and open 2029. Frequency likely just over 2tph and only commuter hours with no late night/early morning and possibly a lunchtime service gap initially. 7 Tram-trains to be purchased to operate it.

Red is existing Metrolink
Black is National Rail
Purple is the heritage steam East Lancashire Railways Bury-Heywood branch.

Has this has actually been Greenlit yet? The latest article suggested it was still in the development phase, with a view to opening in 2029.

Personally I think the money could be much well better spent on other areas of GM transport.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

A Metrolink Bury-Oldham via Heywood and Rochdale pilot scheme has been greenlit, construction due to start in 2025 and open 2029. Frequency likely just over 2tph and only commuter hours with no late night/early morning and possibly a lunchtime service gap initially. 7 Tram-trains to be purchased to operate it.

Red is existing Metrolink
Black is National Rail
Purple is the heritage steam East Lancashire Railways Bury-Heywood branch.

Any links for further information or will there be something useful buried somewhere on the TfGM site?

 

[WatcherZero]

Not really any info, £41.4m funding confirmed in the City Region Sustainable Transport settlement in July, still has to go through planning approval but its mostly reusing existing infrastructure just needs vehicles and junctions.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Not really any info, £41.4m funding confirmed in the City Region Sustainable Transport settlement in July, still has to go through planning approval but its mostly reusing existing infrastructure just needs vehicles and junctions.

Although it appears obvious presumably the vehicles will be bi-modes?

 

[LOL The Irony]

I'm a bit surprised they're not doing Altrincham to Hale first, unless the plan is to run them on a Hale - Oldham diagram.

 

[MarkyT]

Although it appears obvious presumably the vehicles will be bi-modes?

Possibly battery-equipped like the South Wales Metro examples, with in-motion charging on the Rochdale - Oldham section? They might also string up some low voltage wiring along parts of the Bury - Castleton section if a safe method of shared or side-by-side working can be devised together with the ELR heritage operation.