Tramlink

[SECR263]

Seemingly a number of trams are under repair for wheel damage leading to no services from Reeves Cr to Addington, Elmers End and Beckenham. Is cause of damage know please?

 

[southern442]

I was going to post about this as it impacted me on my way to work today. Just a guess but considering the majority of the service is down perhaps they have grounded the CR4000 fleet for some wheel fault?

 

[Thirteen]

There's no service at all tonight. The procurement of new trams can't come soon enough.

 

[Adoarable]

To quote from an email TfL sent out to customers:

Tram services are currently severely disrupted due to damage to tram wheels caused by debris on the line.

I’m curious about what this means. That there was debris in a single location that went unnoticed for long enough to put a significant proportion of the fleet out of action?

 

[londonbridge]

I don’t get it either. How much “debris” was there, what was it, why did it seemingly take ages to remove it such that a significant number of trams were damaged, and where was it?

 

[Mothball]

Potentially something in the groove of a rail causing damage to the flange toe? "Toe dents" are a regular occurance but have a tolerance as to how many/much damage they can take

 

[foggy69]

The tram engineers have been on strike, this might have something to do with a shortage of trams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2e0gm03r4lo

Tram engineers to strike after 'bad faith' talks​

Industrial action by engineers who work on a south London tram service is to start in a dispute over pay disparities.
The union representing the Croydon Tramlink engineers, Unite, accused Transport for London (TfL) of engaging in "bad faith" talks.
The union says about 60 engineers are taking part in the action from Sunday because they are "angry" their counterparts on the London Underground are paid £10,000 more a year despite having the same level of training.
TfL said it had been "open and honest throughout the process" and added it was "committed to continued dialogue to reach a conclusion".
The workers will strike from 20:00 BST on Sunday to 06:00 BST on Thursday 9 May.
Strike action had been due to take place in March but this was suspended to engage in further talks, a Unite spokesperson said.
They added this was because TfL "refused to be transparent about the process it was using to identify pay disparities and broke its word on how they would be resolved".
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said TfL was "systemically underpaying" the tram engineers.
“TfL was negotiating in bad faith by breaking its promises and withholding information. Unite’s patience has run out with TfL’s disgraceful double-dealing and lack of transparency," she added.
A TfL spokesperson said it "would never enter conversations in bad faith".
"We have agreed to work with union colleagues to identify equivalent roles in London Underground, assess any disparity in overall benefits packages, and where agreed take action where appropriate," they explained.
TfL said it would take time and said it had asked that this strike action was suspended to allow this to happen.
"We remain committed to continued dialogue to reach a conclusion and ask the union to suspend this action, which will only cause unnecessary inconvenience for our customers," the spokesperson added.
Industrial action will escalate if the dispute is not resolved, the union spokesperson added.

 

[flythetube]

Potentially something in the groove of a rail causing damage to the flange toe? "Toe dents" are a regular occurance but have a tolerance as to how many/much damage they can take

I witnessed 4 workers inspecting rails at East Croydon Tram Stop quite closely.

 

[PGAT]

Its gotten bad enough that TfL have had to increase the service levels on nearby bus routes

 

[Mcv378]

The entire eastern section is closed, and no evening service.

 

[Thirteen]

I assume the Variobahns are the ones in service rather than the CR4000s?

Would new trams be able to sort this problem for good or would the same problems happen down the line?

 

[Mojo]

The message has seemingly now been changed to “emergency engineering works,” despite all day the message having being that the issues are due to a shortage of Trams. The entire Tramway has been suspended since 19.00. The TfL website also advises that when services resume at 06.00 tomorrow this will be between Beckenham Jct and Wimbledon every 10 Min only.

 

[SECR263]

Just been through Croydon. PIS saying system closed.

 

[maniacmartin]

Today I see they are also running a very reduced New Addington service too

 

[Thirteen]

I wonder how quickly new trams can be ordered and put into service because I think at the rate things are going, there won't be many trams left by 2028.

There was a report on ITV News London about the tram issues. TfL says there are 28-30 trams in service but Unite claims it's 16. If the latter figures are correct then I wonder if it's the Variobahns which are holding up but the CR4000s are falling apart.

 

[AndrewE]

I have ony just seen this, having been away last week. Is there any update on what the debris was, and how it damaged so many trams?

 

[croydontangle]

I wonder how quickly new trams can be ordered and put into service because I think at the rate things are going, there won't be many trams left by 2028.

There was a report on ITV News London about the tram issues. TfL says there are 28-30 trams in service but Unite claims it's 16. If the latter figures are correct then I wonder if it's the Variobahns which are holding up but the CR4000s are falling apart.

Invitations to tender for new stock will be coming on the 27th June (IV.2.3), to be delivered within three years of contract signature (VI.3.b).

 

[Snow1964]

I will put this here as tram replacement thread has been locked

London Tramlink Stock Replacement

I think CAF has a few trams which have battery power as does the Siemens Avenio. Skoda ForCity would be interesting but unlike the others manufacturers, Skoda have no experience for rail in the UK.

www.railforums.co.uk

Taken from TfL Board papers, Programmes and Investment committee papers for 26 June

section 5.1.7 (c) Good interest from (tram) supply chain to January 2024 contract notice and pre-qualification being evaluated

section 5.1.7 (e) TfL putting extra £4.9m into tram procurement process

Appendix 1 & 2 : EFC value (EFC estimated final cost) £172m, with authority (what is already approved to be spent) increasing to £19.8m

https://board.tfl.gov.uk/documents/s22511/pic-20240626-Item11-Part1-Rail-and-Stations-Enhanacements.pdf

 

[Mcv378]

I don't know if they have bid, but I'd like to see Skoda Trams on the network.

 

[Thirteen]

October 3rd seems to be the date when the tender will be awarded.

 

[Highview]

TfL are warning about Tramlink strikes 30 June to 15 July (not every day) called by the Unite Union - are these the first transport strikes in the period of the expected change of government?

 

[NSE]

I just went passed Ilford depot and saw a tram. Took me very much by surprise. Can anyone explain why it’s there? (Save opening a new thread)

 

[AlastairFraser]

I just went passed Ilford depot and saw a tram. Took me very much by surprise. Can anyone explain why it’s there? (Save opening a new thread)

I believe Alstom/Bombardier run the maintenance depot in Ilford - one of the tram types in use on the Croydon Tramlink network is the Bombardier CR4000, so perhaps there for an inspection with a view to repair (the thread above details the the numerous recent issues with tram availability).

 

[NSE]

Yeh they do operate it. Makes sense, just figured that would have been a right old mission to get it up there.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Yeh they do operate it. Makes sense, just figured that would have been a right old mission to get it up there.

Whack it on a few flat wagons at Beckenham Jcn, up to New Cross, East London Line, reverse onto North London Line near Dalston, through Stratford to Ilford?

 

[NSE]

Whack it on a few flat wagons at Beckenham Jcn, up to New Cross, East London Line, reverse onto North London Line near Dalston, through Stratford to Ilford?

I’d love to see the costings for that move

 

[AlastairFraser]

I’d love to see the costings for that move

Leave it with the apprentice, he'll sort it.

 

[Samzino]

Ah was about to make a thread myself about this, saw two sets at Ilford Depot. Was pretty surprised to see that. Doubt any got brought in by road?

 

[NSE]

Ah was about to make a thread myself about this, saw two sets at Ilford Depot. Was pretty surprised to see that. Doubt any got brought in by road?

Must have been. Can’t see how they’d come via rail. No way can they be gauge cleared to be dragged up. Unless I’m hugely mistaken haha

 

[bluegoblin7]

They moved from Therapia Lane to Ilford by road, as is standard practice for light rail vehicles.