The Anonymous Widower

A Reason Why The UK Is Fertile Territory For Tram Trains

The UK has several modern tram systems. If you look at the cross section of trams you get the following figures.

• Blackpool Tramway – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.42 metres
• Edinburgh Trams – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.4 metres
• Manchester Metrolink – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.67 metres
• Midland Metro – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.4 metres
• Nottingham Express Transit – Width 2.40 metres – Height N/A
• Sheffield Supertram – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.65 metres
• Tramlink – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.67 metres

I wonder why Nottingham is twenty-five centimetres narrower!

If you look at the Class 399 tram-train, it has a width of 2.65 metres and a height of 3.67 metres.

So no wonder, there has been no problems with Class 399 tram-trains running on the Sheffield Supertram as trams!

Various trains that run local rail networks include.

• Class 142 – Width 2..8 metres – Height 3.86 metres
• Class 150 – Width 2.8 metres – Height 3.8 metres
• Class 222 – Width 2.73 metres
• Class 319 – Width 2.82 metres – Height – 3.58 metres
• Class 345 – Width 2.78 metres – Height N/A
• Class 378 – Width 2.80 metres – Height 3.78 metres
• Class 700 – Width 2.80 metres – Height N/A
• Class 769 – Width 2.82 metres – Height 3.58 metres
• Mark 4 Coach – Width 2.73 metres – Height 2.79 metres

These are some figures from German trains.

• DBAG 641 – Width 2.90 metres – Height 3.7 metres
• BD Class 420 – With 3.08 metres
• ICE 3 – Width 2.95 metres – Height 3.89 metres

I’ll look at various issues.

Tram And Train Height

I think this is not a big issue.

If a tram or electric train can run on a particular track, then there should be no height problems running a tram-train over the route, providing overhead wires can be erected.

UK Tram And Train Width

It would appear that the maximum width of UK trains is 2.82 metres. In some stations, where there is only one class of train, level access is possible.

The picture shows a Class 378 train on the London Overground.

This is not one of the best I’ve seen, but there is no reason, why someone in a wheelchair shouldn’t be able to wheel themselves into every train at every station.

This is in the train operating company’s interest, as one of the things that delays trains, is getting someone in a wheelchair on and off the train with a portable ramp.

If we take the UK train width of 2.82 metres and compare that to the width of a Class 399 tram-train, which is 2.65 metres, that means that there is seventeen  centimetres difference or eight and a half centimetres on each side of the train.

If the platform can be arranged to be level, that is not a large gap. It’s probably about the same size as this gap in this picture.

Shown is a Class 399 tram-train at a tram stop on the Sheffield Supertram.

Continental Tram And Train Width

But on the Continent, where the trains are wider and the loading gauge is bigger, the gap will be larger.

Trains on the Continent also often have a significant step up as this picture shows.

Shown is an Italian High Speed train.

If the EU wanted to improve train travel for the disabled, those in wheelchairs, those with buggies and the elderly, they should make it compulsory for all trains to have level access from the platform.

It’s very rare to find level access on the Continent and not that easy in parts of the UK.

Gap Fillers

But things are getting better, as this picture shows.

Shown is a Stadler Flirt with a rather nifty automatic gap filler.

Merseyrail’s New Class 777 Trains

Gap fillers will be fitted to Merseyrail‘s new Class 777 trains, which are being built by Stadler.

The Class 777 trains and the current Class 507 trains have the same width of 2.82 metres, but the new Stadler trains have an eighteen centimetre lower floor.

The picture shows a Class 507 train at one of Liverpool’s underground stations.

Eighteen centimetres wouldn’t be far away from the height of the step in the picture.

The design must also allow both classes of trains to be in service at the same time, to ease introduction of the new Class 777 trains.

Talk about Swiss precision!

South Wales Metro

This document on the KeolisAmey web site details their plans for the new Wales and Borders Franchise.

For services around Cardiff and on the Cardiff Valley Lines, KeolisAmey Wales intend to acquire the following fleet.

• 11 – four-car Stadler Flirt DEMU
• 7 – three-car Stadler Flirt Tri-mode MU
• 17 – four-car Stadler Flirt Tri-mode MU
• 36 – three-car Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles

Note.

1. The Stadler Flirts look very similar to Greater Anglia‘s Class 755 trains, that by the time of delivery of these trains for Wales, will have proven themselves on the mountains of East Anglia.
2. The tri-mode multiple units will be able to run on electric, diesel or battery power.
3. The Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles look very similar to Sheffield Supertram‘s Class 399 tram-trains, that are providing a tram service in Sheffield and will soon be running on the rail network to Rotherham.
4. It is an all-Stadler fleet.

This is a clip from the KeolisAmey document.

This looks like a visualisation of one of the Flirts, as the Citylink tram-trains have flat sides.

I will be very surprised if Stadler don’t provide the Cardiff area, with one of the best step-free networks in the world.

Conclusion

The UK’s standard tram width of 2.65 metres and our small loading gauge must make it easier to design tram-train systems for the UK.

 

 

 

 

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June 6, 2018 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Class 399 Tram-Train, Good Design, Merseyrail, Sheffield Supertram, Stadler, Stadler Flirt, Step-Free, Tram-Train, Trams