The Anonymous Widower

Will The Canny Glaswegians Back Tram-Trains?

This article on Global Rail News is entitled Glasgow Planning Airport Tram-Train. This is said.

A tram-train, which would operate between Glasgow Central Station and Paisley Gilmour Street before moving onto a new light rail line to the airport, is the preferred option.

This Google Map shows the relationship between Paisley Gilmour Street station and the airport.

Glasgow Airport Tram-Train Link

Paisley Gilmour Street station is in the bottom right corner of the map and the Inverclyde Line runs past the Airport alongside the M8 Motorway, after passing through Paisley St. James station.

The article gives some interesting figures on the costs of the .link between Glasgow Central station and the Airport.

• A conventional rail link would cost £317million.
• A tram-train link  would cost £144million
• A light rail rapid transit, which would need a change of vehicle at Paisley Gilmour Street would cost £102million.

These costs probably explain, why the Germans are building as many tram-train systems as they are!

Having seen tram-trains working in a number of German cities, I would choose a tram-train tomorrow.

These points should be noted.

• The tram-train trial between Sheffield and Rotherham should highlight the changes that would need to be made to existing stations, signalling and operation.
• The Class 399 tram-train, would probably be used. It is a standard German tram-train modified to run on our overhead line electrical voltage. Surprisingly, it is the Germans, who are non-standard.
• When running as trams, tram-trains have all of the tram’s agility to go round tight curves and sneak into cramped sites.
• When running as trains the performance of the Class 399 tram-trains is only marginally slower than the Class 314 trains, that current work the Inverclyde Line. So they would be able to mix it on the train line.
• Passengers will probably think that they’re on a train, that is perhaps a bit different.
• Liverpool are seriously thinking of using tram-trains to connect to Liverpool Airport.

The only unusual thing in the proposed Glasgow and Liverpool tram-train systems, is that tram-trains are running as trains for most of their routes, except for the branch into the airport.

Normally tram-trains run as trains outside of the City Centre and as trams inside it. But then both Liverpool and Glsasgow don’t have any other tram system.

November 27, 2015 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Glasgow, Liverpool, Tram-Train