The pilot scheme to trial the vehicles will run for two years
Stagecoach has officially launched the UK’s first ‘Tram Train’ – a new vehicle designed to travel on both tram and train networks. Rail Minister, Jo Johnson, and Mayor of Sheffield City Region, Dan Jarvis attended the launch event, which took place last Thursday.
Passengers in South Yorkshire are the first in the country to test out the new vehicles as part of a pilot scheme; the first public service departed at 0939hrs from Sheffield Cathedral.
The new vehicles will connect Sheffield to Rotherham, with three services running per hour in each direction.
Each service will link Sheffield Cathedral and Meadowhall South on the existing Supertram Network, before proceeding over the new 400m section of track called the Tinsley Chord and continuing on the national rail network to Parkgate Retail Centre via Rotherham Central station.
Spanish firm Vossloh has manufactured seven Citylink Class 399 vehicles for the pilot scheme. Each has 96 seats and measures 37m in length, as well as being dual voltage to enable travel on the 750 V overhead lines of Supertram’s network and the 25 kV lines of the national rail network. 27 existing tram drivers have been trained to become Tram Train drivers across the route.
South Yorkshire’s Tram Train pilot will run for two years while customer satisfaction, passenger numbers, reliability and costs are tested. The Tram Train will then continue to run as part of the Supertram system.
Jo Johnson said at the event: “The first tram-train journey is a milestone moment that will give commuters cleaner, more frequent and more reliable journeys across Sheffield and Rotherham.
“This pioneering project brings together innovation, state-of-the-art technology and our existing infrastructure to give passengers better journeys. It lays the groundwork for ambitious transport schemes right across the country that should give commuters more choice.”
Rob McIntosh, Route Managing Director at Network Rail – who was responsible for working with the regulator and operators to design and build the new infrastructure – added: “I’d like to thank the people of Sheffield and Rotherham for their patience while we developed, built and tested Tram Train.
“The project has been a complex one and it is genuinely exciting to be ready to welcome the first passengers on board. Tram Train will bring new choices for travellers in this area, supporting jobs and the local economy.
“It’s also important to us at Network Rail as the national infrastructure provider, as it gives us different options when we are looking to improve connections between communities across Britain.”
