July 2024: No.1039

CONTENTS

244

Parramatta Stage 2 to proceed; Lines T3/T4 open in Casablanca; Seattle Bellevue opens LRT first stage; Karlsruhe gets more funding.

BARR i ERS t O t RA m WAy S

248

TAUT discusses why funding and political issues can become barriers to new tramways – and asks why some lines in Europe are even facing closure.

R i O d E JANE i RO

t RAC k t EC h NO l OGy

Richard Foster looks at some of the new technologies that could change the way track is laid and maintained.

259

S y S t E m S FAC t F il E : VA l ENC i A

264

Neil Pulling explores the integrated tram and metro network of Spain’s third-largest city with both urban and rural routes.

WOR ld W id E REV i EW

251

VLT Carioca talks to TAUT about running an LRT network in one of the world’s densest cities, contending with heat, and humidity – and other challenges that have been faced since its 2016 opening.

li BEREC AN d JAB l ONEC

Andrew Thompson visits the two Czech cities to mark the opening of a new interurban light rail link.

255

271

Kolkata Orange Line runs successful trial; New Swing vehicles delivered to Bydgoszcz.

m A il BOx

275

Vancouver’s LRT cost comes under scrutiny.

C l ASS i C t RA m S:

SAN t OS & S t U tt GARt

276

Mike Russell uncovers a heritage museum in Santos, Brazil – and celebrates Stuttgart’s long-awaited re-opening.

The pitfalls of the subsidy trap

It’s a never-ending discussion the extent to which a light rail system should be expected to pay its way, or be regarded as such an essential public service that it needs to be subsidised if the books don’t balance.

Rotterdam, the second-largest city in the Netherlands, has faced this dilemma for some time, but it seems to have come back from the brink and decided against wholesale cuts to its 194km (121-mile) system as had been feared. It is caught in a trap, because the COVID pandemic has cut its 46 million annual ridership (2019) in half, and the usual cash support from the city’s parallel Metro network has suddenly dried up for the same reason.

Suddenly, it seems few people are interested in trams’ ability to cut road congestion and improve air quality when there is a lot of money to find to keep them going, but TAUT readers will be gratified to read that the network has come back from the brink, with only three routes to be trimmed back.

Unlike other the Netherlands’ other tramways, Rotterdam and Amsterdam have to rely on some central government support. Thankfully other countries are more enlightened and allow metropolitan authorities to look after themselves.

This all highlights the fact that so much public transport is taken for granted, and is rarely high on anyone’s agenda. It is only when it fails to deliver a quality service that it comes under scrutiny and becomes subject to unwelcome interference.

Finally, we are pleased that the Scottish National Party (SNP) has highlighted Edinburgh Trams as one of its greatest success stories as it seeks votes in the UK’s 4 July General Election. The SNP has a short memory, and seems to have overlooked how vociferously it campaigned back in 2007 to have the light rail scheme cancelled. That’s politicians for you.

Matt Johnston, Editor

COVER: An Alstom Citadis stops at Parada dos Navios, which serves the Gamboa neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Forming part of line 1, it was opened in 2016. VLT Carioca

JU ly 2024 Vol. 87 No. 1039 www.tautonline.com

EDITORIAL

Edi T or – m att Johnston matt@mainspring.co.uk

Asso C i ATE Edi T or – tony Streeter tony.streeter@mainspring.co.uk

Wor L dW id E Edi T or – m ichael taplin miketap@mainspring.co.uk

sE nior Con T ribu T or s –howard Johnston , Neil Pulling

WO rldW id E C ONT ribu TO r S r ichard Foster, r ichard Felski, Andrew Grahl, Andrew Moglestue, Herbert Pence, Mike russell, nikolai s emyonov, Alain s enut, Andrew Thompson, Witold urbanowicz, bill Vigrass, Thomas Wagner, Philip Webb. Produ CT ion – l anna Blyth Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 production@mainspring.co.uk

d E si G n – d ebbie Nolan

A Dv ERTI s I ng

C o MME r C i AL M A n AGE r – Geoff Butler Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 geoff@mainspring.co.uk

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official journal of the Light rail Transit Association

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Parramatta Stage 2 to go ahead

New South Wales, Australia, line nears completion – with plans for Stage 2 already confirmed

With Australia’s Parramatta Light Rail project nearing completion, New South Wales’ government gave the go ahead for Stage 2 on 3 June. It has allocated AUD2bn (EUR1.2bn) to build the 12km (7.5-mile) route from Parramatta Central Business District to Sydney

Schwechat cancelled

The planned extension of Wien’s (Vienna’s) line 72 from Simmering to the neighbouring city of Schwechat has been cancelled due to continuing disagreement on how costs for the cross-boundary line should be shared. Instead, the frequency of regional bus lines 217 and 218 is to be increased. The scheme was budgeted at EUR29m.

Czech work starts

Work has started on the scheme to return trams to Václavské nám (Wenceslas Square) in the Czech capital. The historic thoroughfare lost its services in 1980, in favour of the metro.

An early task has been removal of Ringhoffer trams 2077+1429, which – standing on sections of the old line – had been used as cafés. When the work is complete, the square will be served by lines 6, 13, 21 and night tram 95.

Changes at SYSTRA

French railway SNCF and Paris transport operator RATP are negotiating to sell stakes in the engineering consultancy firm SYSTRA. The plan is for each firm to retain a 20% stake in the company, which was formed in 1995 when the organisations merged their engineering arms.

French investment and holding companies Latour-Capital and Fimalec are expected to hold 58% of the company.

Singapore Stage 4 to open

The next section of Singapore’s Thomson-East Coast metro line is due to open on 23 June. Work on the line started in 2014 and the first section opened in 2020. Currently 29.8km (18.5 miles) long, the system will have 10.8km (6.7 miles) added by the Stage 4 extension from Gardens by the Bay to Bayshore.

The line is due to reach Sungei Bedock (Stage 5) in 2026. It is envisioned that the line will make a connection with the Changi Airport Line sometime in the 2040s, bringing its total length to 43km (27 miles).

Olympic Park via western Sydney suburbs.

Work is due to start later this year, the first stage being the construction of a 320m light rail/active travel bridge over the Parramatta River, between Melrose Park and Wentworth Point. This will be the first of three river crossings. Other features of the scheme include

14 stops and 8.5km (5.3 miles) of complementary active travel routes.

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said: “This investment will get shovels in the ground. In 2041, 280 000 people are expected to live along the Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 alignment. They need frequent and reliable public transport

Casablanca tramway

extended by lines T3/T4

The Moroccan city of Casablanca’s tramway was to grow by 26.6km (17 miles) in June with the opening of lines T3 and T4.

Construction of both lines started in 2019, and they have cost MAD7bn (EUR647m) to build. The precise opening date was still to be confirmed at the time of writing.

The 14.1km (8.8-mile) T3 links Gare de Casa port to Hay El Wahda while the 12.5km (7.8-mile) T4 connects parc de la Ligue Arabe to Mohammed Erradi. Neither line shares track with the existing lines T1 and T2, which opened in 2012 and

2019 respectively, but there are crossing points.

Alstom has built 66 new Citadis single-ended trams (which run back-to-back) at a price of EUR150m. It opened a new factory in Fez to supply electrical cabling, while the trams are built in Barcelona.

The 72.5km (45-mile) network is operated and maintained by RATP Dev under a 12-year contract awarded in 2017. More than 350m passengers have been carried during the last 12 years and the tramway operation has created 600 local jobs. The city also boasts a complementary bus rapid transit system.

Cairo line 3 extension opens

The 7.1km (4.4-mile) western branch extension of Line 3 in the Egyptian capital of El Qahira (Cairo) opened on 15 May. The extension, from Cairo University and an interchange with Line 2 to Al Kit Kat, brings Line 3’s total length up to 41.3km (26 miles).

Of the five new stations, three are underground.

HyundaiRotem is building 40 eight-car trains for the line.

The project received EUR600m from the European Investment Bank, with a further EUR300m coming from the French Development Agency. However, it is not clear when or if work will start on the proposed extension from Heliopolis to Cairo Airport.

services and we’ll deliver.” Stage 1 of the 1435mm-gauge Parramatta Light Rail scheme links central Parramatta with the suburbs of Carlingford and Westmead.

Construction of the 12km (7.5-mile) route started in 2019 and full daytime testing commenced on 27 May. It should open later this year.

Karlsruhe gets funding boost for trams

Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state has awarded Karlsruhe’s transport operator Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe (VBK) a grant of EUR101m to help finance 73 new Stadler trams. This will cover about 35% of the cost.

VBK has ordered 148 new vehicles for delivery from 2025, of which 73 will be lowfloor trams for city routes; the remainder will be dual-voltage tram-trains for the regional operator Albtal-VerkehrsGesellschaft (AVG). All are based on Stadler’s Citylink platform.

VBK Chairman Dr Alexander Pischon said: “In order to make our public transport fit for the future we cannot accept the status quo. We need significantly more public transport both here in the city and in the surrounding region in order to meet the urgent challenges of climate change.

“We are taking a step forward with our new vehicles and are also increasing the capacity of 48 of the 73 vehicles on order to offer even more passengers a comfortable alternative to the private car.”

Alstom Citadis on Casablanca Line 3. Casa Tramway

Transport Minister Winfried Hermann hands over the funding notice for the new Karlsruhe trams. VBK C Ernst

Seattle’s Bellevue light rail opens

First stage in 2 Line to Downtown Redmond opens

Sound Transit recorded 35 000 boardings on the first day of 2 Line services (27 April). The 10.6km (6.6-mile) Washington state line links South Bellevue (park-andride) to Redmond Technology (Microsoft Campus). It has eight stations. A ten-minute service is provided by coupled sets of Siemens S700 LRVs.

This is the first stage in a

USD3.7bn (EUR3.4bn) 22.4km (14-mile) project, due to be completed in spring 2025, that will connect Sound Transit’s existing 1 Line to Downtown Redmond. The link to the operations and maintenance centre at Spring District is served by a triangular junction that will eventually be part of a passenger line to Kirkland.

Sound Transit Chair Dow

Constantine said: “This is [an] historic occasion for our region and the hundreds of thousands of people on the Eastside who will be able to use Link light rail to quickly and safely get to school, work, games, concerts, and more, without the hassles of traffic and parking.

“We are well on our way to a more connected Puget Sound region with the 1 Line extension

Panda theme for new tramway

A 17.2km (10.6-mile) tramway network opened in the Chinese city of Dujiangyan in Sichuan Province on 15 May. The main 1435mm-gauge line links Bajiao Temple with Mount Qingcheng

(13.8km/8.6 miles). A 3.4km (2.1-mile) branch runs from Bajiao Temple to Zijingcheng, via Dujiangyan railway station.

The network has 27 stops and trams run from 05.30 to

midnight. There is a flat fare of CNY10 (EUR1.27). Ridership is expected to top 10m passengers per year.

It is operated by a joint venture comprising Shanghai Keolis and Chuanta Shenkai. Construction started in 2018 and the system was due to open in 2023, but changes to funding partners caused delays.

CRRC has built 22 five-section 100% low-floor trams under licence from Alstom. These 32m double-ended trams have a top speed of 70km/h (43.5mph). The trams carry a panda-inspired livery to recognise the fact that the area is known for its role in giant panda conservation.

A pair of Alstom-licensed trams in Dujiangyan. CRRC

Siemens consortium wins 11-year Edinburgh Trams contract

A consortium led by Siemens Mobility has won an 11-year contract extension for the maintenance of Edinburgh Trams. It means the consortium will look after the overhead contact line system, track, SCADA (control) and signalling

systems up to 2035.

Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams MD, said: “For the past decade, we have worked closely with Siemens Mobility to deliver a world-class service to our growing number of customers. This continued partnership

will be vital as we build on our undoubted success to date.”

The GBP44.7m (EUR52.5m) contract will continue to support 22 jobs. Siemens expects that new roles, including additional technicians and apprenticeship roles, will be created.

to Lynnwood opening in August, and the 2 Line further expanding next year.”

Sound Transit System Expansion Committee Chair Claudia Balducci added:

“This light rail line is going to change lives. For the Eastside, it’s the beginning of an incredible transformation that will benefit the community for decades to come.”

Austin challenged Plans to provide the Texan city of Austin with a light rail system are in doubt. Originally, Austin Transit Partnership envisioned a three-line 45km (28-mile) system, with subways under the city centre. Rising costs forced this to be reduced to a 9.8-mile (15.7km) Y-shaped surface line (TAUT 1028).

The USD7bn (EUR6.5bn) cost was to be met by taking out loans and issuing bonds while voters authorised a city property tax increase at a 2020 referendum. Now, the Texas Attorney General and other plaintiffs are challenging the ATP’s power to borrow under state law.

Zürich trials airbags

Zürich tram 4001 has been fitted with an experimental external airbag to see if such technology can improve survival rates if a pedestrian is hit by a tram. Public transport provider

Verkehrsbetriebe Zurich (VBZ) has noted that the number of medical emergencies involving trams has increased in recent years and officials are now calling on the company to act.

VBZ says that 675 accidents involving trams were reported in the Swiss city in 2023 and, in March 2024, three people were fatally injured by trams in just one week. VBZ is working with Alstom on the airbag trials.

A Seattle LRV at the new Downtown Bellevue station. Sound Transit

Salzburg ‘S-link’ gets formal approval

Salzburg Lokalbahn to build 15km extension, as modernisation works are underway

Austria’s Federal Ministry for Transport and the Environment has authorised the 15km (9.3-mile) extension of Salzburg’s Lokalbahn. Its grant will cover 50% of the estimated EUR2.8bn construction cost, while Salzburg city will cover 25% of the cost.

Known as ‘S-link’, a 1km (0.6-mile) subway from Hauptbahnhof Lokalbahn station to Mirabellplatz is already under construction. The whole project, due for completion in 2034, will eventually reach new park-andride sites at Salzburg-Süd and

Neu-Anif and an interchange with the main line railway at Hallein.

S-link will be operated as an extension of Salzburg’s 25.8km (16-mile) 1435mm-gauge light rail line that runs north from Hbf to Lamprechtshausen.

Freight services could run on S-link’s surface sections, using the connection at Hallein.

The Lokalbahn is benefiting from a EUR212m modernisation programme. Single-line sections are being doubled, stations being rebuilt and a new communications system and

control centre is being installed.

Stadler is building 16 VDV tram-trains (with an option for five more), due to be delivered

in 2026-28. They will be used to offer an improved, 15-minute, frequency. It is expected that more will be ordered for S-link.

EUR1bn contract placed for Haifa interurban

S-Bane to b e automated Siemens has won the DKK2bn (EUR270m) contract to automate the S-Bane network in København (Copenhagen) by 2037.

Line F (København Syd –Hellerup) will be the first section of the 170km (106-mile) network to be automated. The work is expected to be completed in summer 2030. Warsaw network grows The steepest section of the Warszawa (Warsaw) tram network opened on 14 May. The 3.98% gradient is on the 2.1km (1.3-mile) line 11 extension from Goworka to Sielce (Czerniakowska).

The new section was built by Egis Poland at a cost of PLN4.34m (EUR1m), with work starting in May 2022.

This is the first stage of a 6.5km (four-mile) extension to Wilanów and Branickiego in the southern suburbs.

Stadler Class 555 construction reaches halfway point

Stadler has built 23 of the 46 Class 555 EMUs on order for Tyne & Wear Metro (UK) at its St. Margrethen plant, on the SwissAustrian border. So far, seven trains have been delivered to the Metro’s depot at Gosforth. Previously, trials have only taken place at night. However, on 15 May, 555005 ventured out onto the network in daytime, using gaps in the timetable. No timescales have been announced as to when the Class 555s might enter revenueearning service.

Trans Israel Ltd and the Alstomled HN Light Rail Line Ltd consortium formally signed a EUR1bn contract on 16 May. The French company will design, supply and install tracks, power systems, security, communication and depot equipment for the Haifa –Nazareth interurban light rail line.

Alstom will also supply 54 low-floor Citadis trams for 100km/h (62mph) operation, working from a depot at Kiryat Ata. Alstom is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the 41km (25-mile) line for 21 years. Other members of the

Docklands to be more accessible

Transport for London (TfL) and KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) have launched a six-month trial to help make journeys on the UK’s Docklands Light Railway easier for people with mobility issues. DLR customers will be able to pre-book a time slot for assistance with their journeys (either online or by phone) at least two hours before departure.

This service is available seven days a week 07.00-19.00. Short-notice requests can also be made by phone for travel assistance less than two hours before a journey. Feedback will be gathered throughout the trial about how the service might be extended.

consortium are Israeli companies Minrav and Electra Afikim. Eran Cohen, Managing Director of Alstom Israel, said: “We are proud to support Trans Israel in this project... connecting the town and people of northern Israel. This important project is another step in Israel’s public transport evolution, and a real engine of growth for the entire northern region.”

The line is to feature 20 stations and is expected to be used by 120 000 passengers/ day. A four-minute headway is expected at peak periods. Construction is scheduled for 2025-29.

Will Coventry’s Very Light Rail make progress after Richard Parker was elected mayor of the West Midlands (UK) on 4 May?

Parker beat incumbent Andy Street by just 1508 votes.

Both candidates had promised to push forward the scheme, Parker saying that he would develop VLR “far quicker than the government and the [Department for Transport] is permitting”.

“I will be revisiting what the current mayor is doing and making sure that money is available ASAP,” he said.

The new mayor told the BBC on 7 May that there are “a number of stages we need to get through before we get [Coventry VLR] up-and-running.”

Stadler tram-train for Salzburg. DöllmannDesign

Coupled sets of Alstom Citadis trams will operate the Haifa – Nazareth line. Alstom

Paris RER line E extended

Plans to maximise capacity continue in Paris

in advance of the Olympics

Work to increase capacity on Paris’ rail network continues in readiness for the Olympic Games, which begin on 26 July. Soon after the opening of tramline T3b (TAUT 1038) came the opening of the RER Line E extension on 6 May.

The 8km (five-mile) extension links Haussmann-St-Lazare to Nanterre-La Folie. The new line, which took seven years to build, boasts three new stations: Neuilly-Porte Maillot (interchange with RER C,

metro 1 and tramway T3b), La Défense (interchange with RER A, metro 1 and tramway T2) and Nanterre-la-Folie.

Services are provided by the 34 Z58000 class double-deck trains introduced in November 2023.

The extension is aimed to reduce overcrowding on both lines A and B of the RER; ridership is expected to reach 620 000 passengers/day. Initially, trains are running every 15 minutes 10.00-16.00 on weekdays (10.00-20.00 at weekends) between Nanterre and Magenta. This overlaps with the

regular Line E services. A through service of 16 trains/hour is expected by the end of the year.

Future plans include extending west from Nanterre-laFolie to reach Mantes-la-Jolie, a distance of 47km (29 miles).

Metro extensions are also planned to open before the Olympics: the 5.4km (3.4-mile) line 11 extension from Mairie des Lilas to Rosny Bois-Perrier on 13 June, and line 14 (north from Marie de St-Ouen to St-DenisPleyel and to the south from Olympiades to Aéroport d’Orly) on 24 June.

Škoda Group acquires Cegelec

Škoda Group has acquired 100% of the shares in Cegelec a.s. from VINCI Energies (part of the VINCI group). Cegelec has been renamed Electric Components a.s. and will operate under Škoda Group’s Škoda Electric a.s. division.

Founded in Czechoslovakia in 1956, Cegelec specialises in developing and manufacturing electrical equipment for the transit industry, including trams, trolleybuses and metro trains. Once part of GEC-Alstom, it was purchased by VINCI in 2009.

Škoda Group’s Karel Majer said: “Škoda Group is undergoing long-term development, which includes strengthening our R&D, production, and service capacities. We are looking forward to working with new

colleagues and to working on interesting projects – both existing and new ones – that will soon await us.”

Regensburg referendum

A referendum is to be held on 9 June to decide on the future of a planned two-line light rail system for Regensburg (Germany). Line A would link Aussiger Strasse to Bahnhaltepunkt Burgweinting, with an interchange with line B, from Bahnhaltepunkt Walhallastrasse.A ten-minute frequency would require 24 trams. Regensburg’s first-generation 12.3km (7.6-mile) metre-gauge tramway opened in 1903 but closed in 1964. The new scheme has been estimated at EUR246m.

Napoli re-opening

Napoli Metro’s line 6 was scheduled to re-open on 1 July.

The 5.5km (3.4-mile) Mostra – Municipio line incorporates the 2.3km (1.4-mile) Mostra –Mergellina section that closed in 2013.

The service is initially to use sixaxle (25m) Firema LRVs as the first six 39m four-section trainsets from Hitachi Rail Italia are not expected to enter service until 2026. A total of 22 were ordered for the southern Italian city in February, in a deal worth EUR200m.

Helsinki tram disposal

Helsinki City-owned trams 12, 150 and 339, which were on operator HKL’s premises, were taken away for scrap in early May. However, the city was reportedly not given notice of their disposal. Ex-Mannheim Düwag 150 was scrapped, but 12 and 339 received a stay of execution after political intervention.

Vietnam metro to open

The first metro line in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is to open this July.

Construction of the 19.7km (12.2mile) Vietnamese system started in 2012. It was due to open in 2018 but has been beset by delays. The Suoi Tien Station – Ben Thanh line combines surface running with some underground sections.

Construction of the 48km (30mile) Line 2, from Ben Thanh to Tan Binh, started in February.

Improved rail brush

ROSS Pneumatrol has developed a new version of its Rail Brush.

The Rail Brush 2.0, which is attached to vehicles’ leading bogies, removes organic matter and rust from not only rail heads but also third-rails to maximise electrical continuity. The new version aims to offer improved performance while “reducing the total cost of ownership”.

A statement said: “An improved piston design [gives] further control of the pressure applied to the railhead by the brush, in doing so this increases the lifespan of the blades. We have also redesigned the blades giving a greater cleaning coverage over the rail head.

The optional Rail Brush GPS Unit allows deployment of the brush head only in areas where it is required.”

Escalators to the Line E platforms at La Défense. O. Corsan

Cegelec supplied the electrical equipment for the modernisation of 80 Göteborg (Gothenburg) trams. Cegelec

Barriers to tramways

K noc K in G down th E

b A rri E rs to n E w tr AM wAys

TAUT talks to Martin Fleetwood of Addleshaw Goddard about the barriers that stand in the way of the UK adopting more light rail schemes – and also asks why some European lines are even facing closures.

The general consensus is that light rail is a good thing. It’s good for the environment, good for the economy and can enrich people’s lives. Some countries recognise this. China, as we have reported, opened 350km (217 miles) of new light rail in a month (TAUT 1035); Paris has created a 29.9km (18.5-mile) tramway from scratch in just eight years. These are just two examples from across the globe.

But it’s not all good news. There is a reticence in some countries – the UK being one – to new tramways. New Zealand’s National Party leader Christopher Luxon called Auckland’s Light Rail project a “white elephant” and his party cancelled it not long after coming to power (TAUT 1035). Even more alarmingly, Rotterdam has in recent times proposed mass tramway closures (TAUT 1025).

What is going on? Why is there fantastic growth in some quarters, while tram schemes are not able to get off the ground or facing closure in others?

Take an average city street: road signs, street lights and other infrastructure are already in place. You don’t need to spend anything on that street to start running buses on it, save for the cost of the bus and maybe installing a bus stop.

Put trams down that thoroughfare and it’s a completely different matter.

Martin Fleetwood, consultant for law firm Addleshaw Goddard, has decades of light rail experience behind him and explains: “The big costs for light rail are putting the rails in the roadway and moving utilities. And then it’s the trams themselves and the other infrastructure, the control centre, depot, platforms, ticket machines and all that sort of stuff.”

Given that all cities and municipalities will face these costs, why are some countries more proactive than others regarding tramway construction?

Fleetwood points out that throughout much of Europe, public transport is intrinsically linked to local authorities having much stronger powers. A French mayor has local tax raising powers. Something similar takes place in Germany.

“You have the Länder, the states, [which] have certain tax raising powers and fundraising powers in a greater way than local authorities in the UK so again, they find it easier to put into place these integrated transport systems.”

Transport schemes in the UK are ultimately funded by national government. There are various hoops that schemes have to jump through before they’re approved. One of

those is the Transport Analysis Guidance model – now called WebTAG. Tramways don’t always fare well here.

Fleetwood explains: “The biggest issue with WebTAG [is that] it’s an economic appraisal. It doesn’t look at the residual economic benefits, it doesn’t look at the environmental benefits.”

Building a new tram system is much more than just laying rails. Aside from the environmental benefits, tram systems are key to rejuvenating whole streets, even whole neighbourhoods.

“The transformational effects of light rail are not taken into account in the appraisal in the way that they should be,” Fleetwood says. “[There are] complaints as to how expensive per kilometre tram track is, but we are enhancing the city or the town in which the tram is operating.”

Fleetwood says that the permanence of a nearby tram system will attract people to the area. The same cannot be said for a bus route which, in the UK, can be cancelled or amended at comparatively short notice. This is reflected in research undertaken by Lloyds Bank, which showed an average rise of 12% in property prices in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester and Nottingham where properties are close to a tram stop.

A Manchester Metrolink tram leaving Piccadilly station in september 2023. oatsy40, Flickr CC BY 2.0

Says Fleetwood: “There’s the phrase ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’, and that’s because [the UK has] quite strong rights to protect property from encroachment. Other parts of Europe take the view that the state should have priority, that the movement of the masses should have priority.

“Over the years, there have been many tram schemes that…[have] not continued… because there have been too many objections. Edinburgh is a wonderful case in point because it took so long… [and] cost a lot more than anyone was expecting. People were going, ‘Never ever will we have a new tram system, do not even speak of it.’

“Now, we have the extension to Leith, there’s going to be a city centre loop, and people are saying ‘When’s the next one?’”

Minimise disruption and objection

Fleetwood explains that reducing the disruption caused by construction will go a long way to overcoming the objections. And this is where innovative new track construction methods (see p259) or

“There have been too many tram schemes that have not continued because there have been too many objections.”

Very Light Rail systems that accelerate track laying can help.

Moving utilities from under the route is a time-consuming part of construction. They could be left in situ but, as Fleetwood explains, UK tram operators have no control over when the utility company wants to undertake maintenance.

“If there’s a gas leak,” he says, “they want to come in and dig up that section of roadway. If your only route is down that road, you’ve had your system cut in half.”

Fleetwood also reminds us that some companies don’t know, exactly, where all their utilities run. The UK is trying to

combat this with the National Underground Asset Register, which is what the UK Government calls “an emerging digital map of underground pipes and cables that is revolutionising the way we install, maintain, operate and repair our buried infrastructure”. Being able to accurately plot the location of utilities should transform future tramway construction, especially when coupled with easy-to-lay track systems.

But tramways still cost money and local authorities without tax raising powers have to find other sources of income. And there are, as Fleetwood reminds us, many different pulls on public purse strings, from health to education. And here we discover another barrier to light rail schemes: public perception.

Public transport, he says, “is always viewed by the general public as being at the bottom of the pile.

“[But] the local world would grind to a halt more quickly if you took [funding] from transport than if you took it away from a hospital or a school. But it’s not viewed with that level of importance.”

centenary square on birmingham’s west Midlands Metro system – an example of how a united political front, with all parties recognising the benefits of light rail and sharing a vision, can bring that vision to fruition. Mac McCreery, Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

AboVE: An artist’s impression of how the Leeds light rail system could look. WYCA

LEFt:

AboVE: rEt tram 2050 runs from rotterdam to spangen – the section of line 8 between Marconiplein – spangen was one of those highlighted to close as part of the city’s Plan Toekomstvaast Tramnet 2030 Rob Dammers, Flickr CC BY 2.

Barriers to tramways

riGht: the Edinburgh tramway under construction in 2009, with the national Gallery seen on the right. Franchon, Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED

That’s in marked contrast to areas which have invested in their tram systems. And this, Fleetwood explains, ties back in with the regional mayors in France.

“They’ve sold a vision and because the electorate have bought that vision, they’ve also bought into the fact that, yes, they might be taxed more. But they’re going, ‘We would like a tram system, we will pay an extra EUR5 on our tax bill… but [the mayor] better deliver it.”

A united political front can deliver results. Fleetwood cites both Manchester Metrolink and West Midlands Metro as good examples of where Members of Parliament across the political divide recognised the benefits that light rail brings and provided backing to the respective schemes that ran through their constituencies.

Regarding Metrolink’s Phase 3 expansion, he says: “All the MPs were speaking with the same voice… and it was very difficult for the Treasury to say no.

“You go over the Pennines to Leeds and they’ve been after a light rail system for 30 odd years. You’ve still got politicians disagreeing as to what the solution should be [and] they still don’t have a tram system.

“It’s very easy to put off having a tram system by allowing there to be disagreement at local level. There’s no point half funding a tram system which is then is not going to be built because the next council comes in and says, ‘We want buses and private cars’.”

What of Rotterdam?

Metropoolregio Rotterdam Den Haag received public backlash for its consultation document Plan Toekomstvaast Tramnet 2030 Published in February 2023, the document set out plans to reduce operating costs while boosting passenger numbers. Cutting back Rotterdam’s tram network would help to achieve this.

Operator RET has since revised plans and now proposes to make three smaller cuts to the network (TAUT 1038).

But when cities throughout mainland Europe are growing their tram systems, why is Rotterdam proposing to make its one smaller? Urban planner and mobility expert Dr Rob Van der Bijl has an answer. Rotterdam and its neighbour, Den Haag (The Hague), retain a joint transport authority. Van der Bijl succinctly sums up the situation by explaining that, together with Amsterdam, they are the last remnants of a system which has disappeared from the rest of the Netherlands in the last ten to 15 years. Both transport authorities are dependent on government subsidies whereas throughout the rest of the Netherlands, it is the provinces that fund and operate public transport (main line railways excepted), using indexed money from the national budget.

Says Van der Bijl: “There is constant debate on reducing that subsidy. And, moreover, the subsidies are not indexed so a lot of money for operational costs is vanishing.”

However, he explained that, for Rotterdam before 2020, this wasn’t too much of an issue,

because it had a “cash cow” in the form of the Metro system.

“There was an operational deficit from tram and bus operation but that was covered by revenues from the Metro operations. It was the time that the [Metro’s] new Hoekse Lijn opened so everybody was happy. And then came COVID.”

Van der Bijl explains that strict budgeting allowed RET’s sister company HTM in Den Haag to recover comparatively quickly. RET is, however, still picking itself up after the pandemic, although the gradual return of passengers to the Metro is helping to change its fortunes.

RET’s 2025 operating plan is not definite. Local municipalities will have until the summer to respond to its proposals.

Van der Bijl welcomes the plan’s removal of the “distinction between regular tramways and Tramplus lines because the whole difference between those two was blurred tremendously”. However, he still laments any cuts to the system.

Plus, still lurking underneath, is the ‘insecure’ financial backing to the ‘two metropolitan transport authorities’. However, he also points to a problem that affects the whole of the Netherlands –and here it parallels the UK.

“The local authorities – the municipalities, the provinces and also the metropole regions – either don’t have or hardly have any tax jurisdiction so they can’t raise money like they do, for example, in the metropolitan region of Stockholm.

“The Netherlands and the UK are clear examples of this kind of ‘misfit’ but, unfortunately, there are many other examples as well. For example, some of the poorer German Länder. Portugal of course. [Operator] Carris [finds] it very difficult, like in the UK, to get money to build new infrastructure, to rebuild Lisbon’s tramway.”

Van der Bijl also highlights two Rotterdam/Netherlands issues that can be seen affecting the adoption of light rail schemes across the world.

“They’ve sold a vision and because the electorate have bought that vision, they’ve also bought into the fact that yes, they might be taxed more.”

“Rotterdam is very car-oriented, well above [the] Dutch and European average, I would say. The now-abandoned section of Line 4 is caused by this focus on car usage.

“[Plus], in the Netherlands, environmental issues play no role whatsoever in the justification of public transport. It is considered as a traffic means to ‘solve’ congestion, or as a social means to allow, for instance, disabled people to move around.”

Hope for the future

Can anything be done to change this state of affairs? Martin Fleetwood thinks so.

COVID, he believes, raised the public’s awareness of the importance of all forms of transport, but the greatest change will come from people who are starting to look at the environmental effects of their own journeys and are asking themselves, ‘What’s the most environmentally friendly way I can live on this planet?’

Another driving force for change in the UK in particular is the spread of devolved local governments. Regions can now assert more control over their public transport and Fleetwood points to Manchester as a good example.

“[Mayor] Andy Burnham now has control of the bus services and the tram services. If rail reform comes through in the next Government (and both Labour and the Conservatives have a similar policy in this area), he’s going to have input into some of the local rail services too.

“He’s then in a much stronger position, more akin to some of the French mayors or German transport authorities, to control the local transport network, at which point you can start to make it properly integrated.”

Martin Fleetwood will be speaking at the UKLRC 2024 on 17-18 July.

R io D e Janei Ro:

LRT R e V i Ta L ises a wo RLD CL ass C i T y

Rio De Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil and one of the world’s top 20, has a complex mixture of transportation modes that all operate in intense heat and humidity, and serve a dense and growing population. TAUT spoke to the team at VLT Carioca to find out more.

Rio de Janeiro, home to six million people (twice that in the greater metropolitan area), was showcased when it was chosen to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

High quality public transport was at its heart, and the brand new tramway earned its keep by carrying inquisitive local residents and thousands of visitors and competitors to the world’s greatest sporting event.

A decade later, it is still doing a good job, recovering well from the COVID-19 pandemic and on target to achieve its target to eliminate 60% of buses and 15% of cars from the city centre.

VLT Carioca (known to many as just VLT) comprises four standard gauge lines running over a distance of 28.6km (17.7 miles), and services run at three-minute frequencies at peak times using 32 universally-recognised Alstom Citadis 402s.

VLT also uses Alstom’s APS – Alimentation par Sol – surface current collection system to provide an 80% ground level powered network. It was revolutionary at the time, but

is now not so popular because of technical issues. The rest of the route is covered by the trams’ on-board supercapacitors, and although the cars are equipped with pantographs, overhead wires are only located at the maintenance depot.

The power system has not been without its challenges, particularly with its reliability, and it has been speculated that Rio might have chosen different technology if it was starting from scratch in 2024. Overall, however, the city’s objective of providing clean urban transport has been accomplished, maintaining its aesthetics and creating a clear distinction from heavy rail activity. Equally, the security of the system was a major consideration when choosing and specifying certain design elements.

VLT is keen to make it clear that while the Olympic Games offered a clear catalyst for the introduction of light rail (it opened on 5 June 2016, a fortnight before the opening ceremony), the project was funded entirely independently and would have happened irrespective of the Games.

VLT Carioca was created by a partnership between the controlling City Hall local government body and the state government, which went into the tender process as equal funding partners. There is no central government planning of transport in Brazil, so decisions are made on a local basis with funding coming from a public/private partnership.

The system is operated by CCR (Companhia de Concessões Rodoviárias), which is the largest highway operator in South America with 3000km (1900 miles) of toll roads. It also runs a host of airports and six metros. Its headquarters is in Sao Paolo, and it employs over 7000 staff.

TAUT asked Silvia Bressan, VLT Carioca’s Business Unit Director, about Rio and VLT.

“The geography of the region creates its own challenges, not least because it is below sea level. No-one is hiding the fact that the Alstom APS has proved difficult to maintain in a city that fluctuates between long hot humid summers, and extended periods of heavy rain in winter.”

aBoVe: The VLT fleet comprises 32 alstom Citadis 402s, one of which can be seen here running across a ground-level powered section.

All photos courtesy of VLT Carioca

Rio de Janeiro

TAUT also asked how Brazil functions without central transport planning, which is the cornerstone of policy in most countries. In Europe, for example, operators such as Keolis and RATP run all transport modes on behalf of a city. In the UK, large conurbations such as Edinburgh and Blackpool are completely in charge. What is the operating model like in Rio?

“It was clearly stated at the outset of this project how it should operate, so we have to obey... these rules. As time goes by, of course, we have had to adapt a lot of it.

“However, we always have to consult with City Hall in order to satisfy the needs of the population, or whatever the municipality wants.

“VLT is operated by the private sector. CCR also operates metro lines and suburban train lines, as well as others. However it does have freedom here as a public company,

The area around the port at Praça Mauá has had a multi-million dollar makeover in recent years, stimulated by the 2016 Rio olympic Games. The interactive Museu do amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow) is

simply running a public service for our client, City Hall.

TAUT wanted to know what the biggest challenges were compared with Dubai for example, with its extreme heat, or Jerusalem with its warzone issues resulting from the instability of the Middle East region.

“As we have said, Rio is [a] very humid place. It’s a tropical city, so it rains a lot. We are both by the sea and in it. When you consider that we rely on electricity, this has always been our biggest headache. And to make it worse, the drainage network that we use to divert the water that falls on our track can result in some maintenance nightmares –an issue compounded because it is also managed by City Hall.

“We must also say that security is a problem for us; vandals cause damage to both our vehicles and the infrastructure.

LeFT: widely considered one of the seven modern wonders of the world, the statue of Christ the Redeemer can be seen in the background overlooking the city’s light rail network, which spans 28.6km.

“Returning to the power supply system, we have to accept that... we can never offer a reliable service.

“Add to the challenge list our current ticketing system, because we do not have closed stations, and there is always the temptation to try and ride for free.”

TAUT asked how the fares collection process on VLT’s system worked. Bressan told us:

“City Hall issues the Geo Card, which can be used on all transport within Rio, but VLT does not specifically accept a credit card. You need to have a City Hall card for every rider, so a family of five, for example, needs to have five cards. We do have a couple of machines that allow you buy your cards at the stop, which are validated when you climb on board.”

In terms of VLT shifting people out of cars or from other modes of transport, has LRT proven to be a success?

“Yes,” says Bressan, “Measures of light rail’s success are if the air is cleaner, if people are not using their cars as much, if there is evidence of urban regeneration and an increase in land value. We have all of those.

“We are a part of a major renewal of downtown Rio, especially around the Harbour zone. We didn’t used to have houses here, but now we have apartments for people to live in. The whole area is becoming refreshed, and we have less traffic because there is less space for cars. We have also removed some bus lanes to persuade people to use light rail.”

“We are carrying around 80 000 passengers a day. Pre-COVID ridership numbers were roughly 110 000, and we’re expecting an increase next year of at least 40 000 passengers”.

pictured in the background here –the graceful futuristic science museum was inaugurated in 2015.

fA nfAR e we LCome foR 2016

oLympiC se RV

iC e

There was a fanfare opening for the first section of the publicly-owned VLT Carioca, built in the porto m aravilha district of central Rio De Janeiro from p raca m auá to s anta Dumont Airport. o pening took place on 5 June 2016, although this had been postponed from 22 m ay).

f ree travel was offered for the first four weeks, with fares payable by smartcard. s ervices initially only ran for three hours from 12.0015.00 with two trams, but many more were needed for the 15-minute service for the August olympic Games, between 06.00-00.00.

The project only took four years to complete from its conception, and cost BRR 1.2bn ( e UR300m) when build/operate tenders were invited. The winning consortium was CCR, i nverpar, o debrecht Transport, Riopar and RAT p Dev. The other three lines opened in stages before the end of 2017.

Alstom’s fleet is of conventional double-ended seven-section 44m Citadis, of which the first five were built in La Rochelle, f rance, and the balance of 27 at the Taubate facility in s ao paulo. Up to 420 passengers can be carried in each 2.6m-wide tram, giving a capacity of 250 000/day on the system. The average journey speed is reported as 15km/h (9.3mph). i n 2016, porto m aravilha was regarded as the largest urban renewal project in Brazil, with up to 8000 new homes as part of a mixed use development including retail and cultural venues.

TAUT questioned whether that was within the capacity of the current routes and vehicles, and the existing service timetable, or if any additional vehicles or timetable revisions would be needed to allow for this 40 000 increase.

“We won’t need additional vehicles, but of course, we will need to adjust some service intervals,” said Bressan.

Turning to vehicle maintenance, TAUT wanted to know if it was managed by Alstom or the operator.

“We are fully in charge. We know that Alstom and other car builders are working on depot automation, but ours are moved on site with a conductor.”

And what of CCR?

“The company started with toll roads, which are common in Brazil. CCR started to invest in public transport, and highways are still its core business. It is now seriously into rail and metros (and a monorail) and moved into airports to become Brazil’s biggest operator. The company is only 25 years old, so can still be regarded as a newcomer.”

Looking forward to any future plans to extend the light rail system, Bressan said: “We have already increased the route length by a kilometre. We are initiating some conversations with City Hall about new lines, and while we don’t have anything really solid to report, we can move forward very fast when we want to. This is how our government works.”

‘Fast’ for VLT Carioca could mean “...six months to have a decision, and to build less than two years. It depends on where it is decided to build to.”

“Rio is a very humid place. It’s a tropical city, so it rains a lot. When you consider that we rely on electricity, this has always been our biggest headache.”

ToP LeFT anD LeFT: while the cars are all equipped with pantographs, the only overhead wires are located at the depot. all maintenance is handled in-house by the VLT team, rather than alstom.

BeLow: although the typical image of Rio is of white sands and blue skies, the city is very humid and rain can be forecast for much of the year. Despite this, the LRT system winds along many picturesque routes – an Alstom Citadis 402 is pictured at one of the stops.

A m ODER n b O h E mi A?

Andrew Thompson visits Liberec and Jablonec in the Czech Republic, after the re-opening of the interurban route between the two cities.

On 1 May, the 12km (7.5-mile) interurban tram between the northern Bohemian cities of Liberec and Jablonec reopened after almost 25 months of rebuilding, which included the extensive modernisation of the eastern section between Vratislavice nad Nisou and Jablonec. Both the originally budgeted costs and the planned time frame were exceeded. The final costs amount to the equivalent of around EUR36 million, which are largely covered by

EU funding. The primary aims of the project were to re-gauge the scenic tram route in the Nisa Valley from 1000mm to 1435mm, to enhance flood protection measures and to optimise the alignment. New tracks with Y-sleepers, two new concrete bridges, modern, elevated platforms with a real-time passenger information system, and new power lines are among the extensive infrastructure measures on the only electrified railway in the Czech Jizera Mountains.

In various places the standard-gauge, non-electrified main line railway Liberec –Jablonec – Tanvald runs directly next to the interurban tramway. At Prose č nad Nisou both routes share the same level crossing side-by-side, in addition to a newly built island platform at a common interchange.

As before, the tram route between Jablonec and Vratislavice remains single-track with various double-track passing loops, while the section between Vratislavice Lékárna and the main public transport hub Liberec Fügnerova is double-track. There is still dual-gauge track in situ along this section, but this can no longer be used by metre-gauge vehicles because just before the Fügnerova junction there is a break of gauge with a short new section of concrete slab track that is only standard-gauge. The dual-gauge track that has been left over is a remnant of the Fügnerova –Vratislavice U Lomu line modernisation that was carried out from 2009-11.

Operations on the interurban tram route between Liberec, Vratislavice and Jablonec are designated as line 11 and remain exclusively in the hands of the classic Tatra

TOP: Departing the central tram and bus interchange at Fügnerova, Tatra cars 22+78 roll over the new standard-gauge only section at the start of the interurban route to Jablonec. This break of gauge makes the still-extant dual-gauge track between Liberec and Vratislavice inaccessible for the remaining metre-gauge vehicles All images by Andrew Thompson, 9 May 2024.

LEFT: Running on the remaining dual-gauge track section across the main city centre square Soukenné náměstí just before reaching the main interchange at Fügnerova, the T3 tandem of cars 48+33 is bound for Jablonec with a line 11 service on the re-opened interurban tramway.

Liberec and Jablonec

AbOVE: The EVO2 prototype was delivered by Pragoimex in 2012 and remains the only modern, fully low-floor LRV in Liberec. Previously operating in its original silver-blue livery, it has been covered with vinyls that advertise the city’s rich tramway history and showcase numerous different heritage trams.

LEFT: Served by both the interurban line 11 and as far as the Výhybna loop also by line 5, Vratislavice has a quaint and village-like feel, that is boosted by the presence of several pretty historical buildings. The old stables to the left and the town church to the right provide an atmospheric backdrop along the singletrack section between the Kostel and Lékárna stops.

T3 LRVs, which run coupled in pairs during peak hours. The leading vehicle is always a type T3R refit car with a low-floor centre module. In Jablonec line 11 still terminates at the loop near Tyrš Park, but there are medium-term plans to extend the tramway 800m further into the city centre. Finding a suitable alignment that is politically agreeable and securing finance are the next steps to be taken. Line 11 generally runs every 15 minutes, but in the early morning and evening period this is reduced to a 30-minute headway.

The interurban tramway was originally built after World War Two between 1947-55, and the eastern section between Jablonec and Prose č first opened in 1953. Vratislavice was reached in stages by 1954, and in 1955

Muzeum Galerie Lázně

the tracks were extended as far as Liberec. In 1965, however, Jablonec’s own metregauge tram network, which had originally opened in 1900, was closed. At its zenith it was around 21km (13 miles) long with three lines, but the first branch line was already abandoned in 1950, three years before the launch of the interurban route.

Liberec’s own urban tram network dates from 1897 and was initially only metre-gauge. Since 1990, however, a gradual conversion process has started, as all other Czech tramways have standardgauge and this benchmark is therefore seen as more suitable and sustainable in order to achieve industrial synergy effects with suppliers and for maintenance purposes. Aside from the re-gauging of the interurban

Lidové Sady-Zoo

Botanická zahrada Riegrova

Průmyslová škola

Ulice 5. května

Rybníček Fügnerova Šalvado náměstí

Janův Důl Viadukt

Krkonošská Nádraží

Vápenka Staré Pekárny

Kubelíkova

Dolní Hanychov

1435mm gauge

1000mm/1435mm gauge

Mlýnská Textilana U Lomu

Nová Ruda

Sídlistě Nové Vratislavice

Pivovarská

Lékárna

Vratislavice n. N. kostel

route to Jablonec, metre-gauge cars last ran on the 1km (0.6-mile) section between the Rybní ček junction and the Viadukt turning loop near the main railway station in February 2022. This abandonment of dual-gauge track was due to necessary infrastructure repairs and the installation of modular BKV type panels, which are not available in a dual-gauge version.

Since then, the only remaining metregauge tram route in the Czech Republic has been the last part of the inner-city route from the depot via Rybní ček and Fügnerova to the terminus at Lidové sady, in the northeast of Liberec. This section has dual-gauge track throughout, but is only used by standard-gauge wagons in revenue service. The only metre-gauge cars that are still

Vratislavice n. N. výhybna

Za Tratí

Proseč pošta U. Šamotky

AbOVE: The forest halt of Zelené Údolí is located along the interurban line shortly before Jablonec. The newly-fitted features illustrate the recent infrastructure enhancements, including the new ballast with Y-sleepers, the tall catenary masts with new power lines, the slightly raised passenger platform, and the new station screens with real-time service information.

Brandl

Měnírna

Nový Svět

Zelené údolí

Liberecká

Jablonec nad Nisou

Tyršovy Sady

Kyselka

Liberec and Jablonec

AbOVE: Promoting the local football club Slovan Liberec, car 65 leads car 60 as the double-header departs from the muzeum – Galerie Lázně stop on the dual-gauge section. behind is the north bohemian museum.

RiGhT: Running over one of two newly-built tram viaducts on the remodelled interurban line, Tatra 45+33 cross the River nisa between Za Tratí and Kyselka, as they head westbound to Vratislavice and Liberec with a line 11 service.

“Liberec’s own urban tram network dates from 1897 and was initially only metre-gauge. Since 1990, a gradual conversion process has started.”

used in Liberec are the heritage vehicles of the local preservation society Bovera Club, including the two-axle car 78 (1929, ex-Ústí nad Labem), the East German Gotha car 145 (1964, ex-Jena 131) and the type 6MT 117 from 1953, one of the original cars for the interurban tramway to Jablonec.

The only modern low-floor LRV on the entire, roughly 21km (13-mile) Liberec network is the EVO2 prototype 84, which was delivered by Pragoimex in 2012. This six-axle articulated car is mainly used on line 3 between Lidové sady and Horní Hanychov. In order to supplement the Tatra fleet at short notice and without much cost, the local transport company DPMLJ acquired a total of five 1987-built high-floor T3s from Olomouc in 2018-19. These could be purchased inexpensively for a unit price of just EUR2600 and will strengthen the fleet in Liberec, while further T3Rs will undergo planned overhauls by 2025 in order to remain operational for another 15 years. In North Bohemia, the iconic Tatra T3 will therefore continue to shape the face of the city and the tramway for a long time to come.

LEFT: Running on dual-gauge track southbound along line 3 to horní hanychov, T3 cars 11+13 pass an historic villa in the

museum district of Liberec. These are the former Olomouc cars 180 and 184, and the rear T3 still carries its old Olomouc livery.

who aren ’ t you hearing?

The more people who share information on risks, the safer we will all be. Hearing someone’s safety concerns can give you new knowledge or awareness of a situation and highlight risks that you may not have considered before.

Frontline staff are often the first to identify issues. Their experience and real-world understanding can help you get to the root of a problem before it becomes serious.

Put simply, listening well can save lives. That means active listening – to really hear what someone is saying. At some point, we have all found ourselves thinking about what we are going to say, or listening out for what we want to hear, when we are supposedly listening. When we do this, we are not paying attention.

But people are not always straightforward in bringing forward information. While some may state something outright, others hint at the true problem by asking questions, or even making a joke of the situation that reveals more than it appears to at first. Picking up on this nuance and asking questions about minor concerns can reveal the real issues at play.

You might even feel that something is not quite right, and expect to be hearing more concerns than you are. This is especially true where there is a gap between those situations that you know are high-risk, or which have the most incidents, and the number of concerns being raised about them.

There could be under-reporting.

Offering a wide variety of reporting channels to your staff helps to close this gap, by making it easier for staff to raise concerns, whoever they are. And if someone prefers to raise their concerns confidentially, CIRAS confidential safety hotline can provide extra listening alongside your in-house channels. By listening to workers who speak up

with their identity protected, we can give our members safety intelligence that might otherwise have stayed hidden. Our trained team of listeners ask the right questions so you receive a thorough report.

When you receive a CIRAS report, you can respond to the reporter and ask them further questions through us. Your response lets the reporter know that you are listening. When people believe someone is listening, they’re far more likely to make the right call and report their concerns.

When someone listens, people will make the right call.

Thousands of organisations in the transport sector are members of CIRAS. We build a strong listening partnership with our members to improve safety. Our confidential safety hotline provides extra listening to help staff make the right call and report their concerns even when they feel they can’t use other channels. When we listen, we learn.

Learn how you can build your listening partnership with CIRAS at ciras.org.uk/rightcall.

rail restore first aid for broken rails

A broken rail is not uncommon in ongoing tramway operations and harbours a number of dangers. The breakage forces the tram to travel slowly, as in the worst case it can lead to derailment. Delays as well as personal injury and damage to property are the result. To prevent damage and accidents, tramway companies regularly monitor their rails and use maintenance and monitoring technologies. This means that broken rails can be recognised and repaired at an early stage.

But what happens if a defective rail is discovered? The line has to be closed and the rail repaired. It is important that broken rails are repaired quickly and safely in order to maintain tram traffic and ensure the safety of everyone involved.

In order to restore the original situation as quickly as possible, we have developed a rail break plate for you that allows you to repair the rail quickly and easily.

With the SEALABLE RAILRESTORE, broken rails are repaired to the highest possible standard in the shortest possible time. A costly replacement of the rail is avoided, as is the associated longer-term track closure. Only the section (approx. 0.5 m) around the break needs to be exposed and the moulded parts of the RAILRESTORE fixed in place with two drill holes. Screwing the RAILRESTORE to the rail stabilises it vertically and aligns it horizontally and vertically at the same time. This means that the trams can run on the rails again after just a short installation period. Further repair work, such as welding and insulating the breakage point, is carried out in parallel.

As a rule, the high heat generated during welding destabilises the metal inside the rail around the breakage point, making it easier

“But what happens if a defective rail is discovered? The line has to be closed and the rail repaired. It is important that broken rails are repaired quickly and safely in order to maintain tram traffic and ensure safety.”

for it to break again in the vicinity. The RAILRESTORE is firmly connected to the rail and reinforces it at the repair point so that rail breakage is no longer possible in the area before and after welding.

RAILRESTORE is available for various rail types. Common types such as Ri60, 105C1 or S49 are in stock. If required, we can also manufacture a RAILRESTORE for your rail and support you in selecting and installing the best solution for your infrastructure.

Matthias Klug, Managing Director of SEALABLE Solutions, will be happy to answer any questions you may have about this system. matthiasklug@seal-able.com www.seal-able.com

th E supply ch A i N :

A ll ON t RAc K

Richard Foster surveys the myriad suppliers and new products that will make for greener, quieter and more cost-effective track solutions.

It was pioneering computer programmer Grace Hopper who once said, “The most dangerous phrase in the English language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way’.”

But, on the flip side, is the principle ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

Both schools of thought have come to the fore on the pages of TAUT in the wake of Simon Holden’s look at the experimental Waybeam track system.

Waybeam was detailed in TAUT 1033 but if you missed it, here’s a summary: Vignole flatbottom rail is supported by ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ folded metal ‘troughs’. These troughs are supported on blocks and held to gauge with ties and turnbuckles. The void between railhead and inner trough is filled with compressible rubber to prevent the flangeway from filling up with debris and to minimise the risk of it becoming a trip hazard.

Waybeam has raised eyebrows. What’s wrong with the grooved rail-based systems that have served tramways for well over a century… and continue to do so, across the globe?

However, Waybeam is actually one of a number of similarly innovative systems aiming to solve the two biggest issues with laying tram lines: reducing noise and vibration, and making them easier to lay. Making a tramway as noise and vibrationfree as possible has become a priority with all new tramways. Not only does it make for a more pleasant and comfortable passenger experience but it reduces the impact on local communities.

The Light Rail Safety & Standards Board’s Noise & Vibration Guidance document says: “In the UK, there are no national legal limits to noise and vibration from existing railways (including light rail systems) and in legal terms, noise and vibration are both regarded as a statutory nuisance rather than a specific threat to health or safety.

“Light rail systems can be a source of noise and vibration (N&V). With N&V widely recognised as potentially damaging to human health and wellbeing, managing its impact on the communities where these systems operate is an essential requirement.”

Pandrol is best known for its distinctive fastenings that secure flatbottom rail to sleepers. Qtrack is its answer to fighting potential noise and vibration issues. The rail – be it Vignole flatbottom rail or grooved tramway rail – is held within what Pandrol describes as an “elastic, high quality, resin-bonded rubber profile”. Qtrack can be “tuned to attain different stiffness levels in order to meet the required vibration limits” and suits both tramways and heavy rail.

Early tramway pioneers only faced the problem of disrupting road users, when building new lines. Builders of second generation tramways now have to face dealing with buried cables and utilities. Plus, digging costs money and takes time… and the deeper you dig, the more expensive the project. That’s why New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Christopher Luxon cancelled Auckland’s light rail system (TAUT 1035).

Track systems that require minimal digging offer great advantages. It’s one of the

primary drivers of the Very Light Rail system that’s being developed for use in Coventry (UK). Its track system is just 30cm deep. This should minimise interactions with under-street utilities while, at the same time, bringing construction costs down to under GBP10m (EUR11.7m) per kilometre.

Both Waybeam and Qtrack tick the ‘easy to lay’ box. But they also tick other important boxes too: reducing stray electric currents and a low carbon footprint.

Electrically-powered light rail is one of the greenest forms of public transport but, as Mike Muldoon, SYSTRA’s Business Development Director (UK & Ireland) explained in TAUT 1030: “Tram systems do emit carbon, and the time they do it is in construction”.

Concrete requires cement but global production of Ordinary Portland Cement is responsible for about 10% of all carbon emissions. Systra’s Carbontracker software, unsurprisingly, recommended that the bulk of Lyon’s new T10 tramline should use track supported by a concrete ladder with grass over the top; slab track should be minimised to just road interfaces.

But it’s not just concrete where environmental sustainability is driving innovation. New products that reduce noise and vibration are being created from recyclable materials and these really enhance light rail’s ‘green credentials’.

In fact, the world of light rail permanent way comprises many organisations offering innovative products. Turn the page to find out more…

ABOVE: Many tramways run through city centres, such as here in Dronnings Mauds gate in Oslo, Norway, where noise and vibration can be particular concerns.

Thor Edvardsen / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED

Track technology

ABOVE: the stRAilastic_msW (mini sound protection wall) fastens to the sleeper, and can reduce noise by up to 6 d B(A) on an embankment. STRAIL

ONE-STOP SHOPS

So where does one go to buy track components?

Trackwork Ltd is the UK’s largest permanent way stockist and is able to supply sleepers (wood, steel and concrete), rail, switches and crossings and all manner of fixtures and fittings.

Direct Track Solutions is not only a stockist of track fittings – from chair screws to rail clips – but it also supplies and manufactures point operating equipment, track tools and track telemetry and gauging equipment.

Noise and vibration reduction: Rail

The world of insulating and anti-vibration products is a complex one. To help simplify it, we’ve loosely divided it into two: products for the rails and products for the sleepers and trackbases. They are designed to do the same job – prevent noise and vibration from affecting areas (and in particular buildings) alongside the track.

Rail-specific products are also designed to give additional support to the rail while

reducing stray currents. Quite often, two products will complement each other. edilon)(Sedra’s Corkelast is a pourable, two-component elastomer that, when cured, forms a tough yet flexible insulation around the rail. It’s designed to be used when rails are laid in steel or concrete troughs, working alongside the Trackelast system.

SEALABLE Solutions’ Rail Comfort System involves lining the rails with a thin coat of rubber. It works on grooved

lEFt: trelleborg Rubber level crossing panels have a flexible design that ensures compatibility with all types of rail and sleeper combinations, along with a minimum number of components which means lower track possession time and fewer road closures.

Trelleborg

lEFt: Rhomberg sersa makes the iVEs system which, having a quick installation time, makes it ideal for track refurbishment in tunnel renovation projects that require short track possession times. edilon)(sedra

or plain rail and can be applied to rail that’s embedded in concrete or asphalt or for grassed track areas.

Cornish firm Tiflex also offers a range of insulating products under the Trackelast brand. These include baseplate/chair pads, check rail pads and baseplate packer shims. Tiflex also stocks baseplates from Australian manufacturer Delkor Rail

Trelleborg’s range includes pre-coated rail whereby a polymer coating is applied to the rail to provide rail support and electrical insulation. It also produces rail dampers, which clip to the foot of flatbottom rail and are designed to reduce the noise from passing trains.

Trelleborg’s Vector embedded rail system uses a one-piece, moulded microcellular foam polyurethane ‘boot’ that encases the rail. Vector is designed to offer lateral support, reduce vibration and enhance skid resistance.

Krailburg STRAIL also produces rail dampers. As with nearly all STRAIL products, they’re made from rubber and the German firm estimates that 4.5 million used road tyres are recycled every year to make its products. Another STRAIL product worth mentioning is its mini sound protection wall, which stands just 380mm above the rail head. It’s designed to get “as close as no other low sound protection wall to the place where the noise originates”

Noise and vibration reduction: Sleepers and slabs

edilon)(sedra produces a range of insulating products. Its Trackelast product range consists of elastic strips that are laid under the rails in steel or concrete rail ‘troughs’ up to its Slab Track Mat, that can be laid under pre-fabricated concrete slabs or have concrete poured over it.

Getzner offers a range of synthetic insulating products for track bases. There are pads designed to sit under sleepers and a range of different pads that sit under and around slab sections.

lEFt: sAtEBA M312 sleepers being installed on the crossrail project (Elizabeth line) in london, uK. SATEBA

RiGht: pcM Railone’s plastic fibre concrete has been tested on Berlin’s tram system, pictured here. it is a low-cost alternative to steel-reinforced concrete, and tests have demonstrated that it’s just as durable as traditional concrete and, being plastic-based, doesn’t suffer from stray electrical current.

Billie Grace Ward / Flickr CC

BY 2.0 DEED

Slab track

Slab track is ideal for light rail systems. The rails are supported and held to gauge by section, usually pre-cast concrete. While this makes fine-tuning the position of the rails difficult, it has many advantages. The sections can be made off-site and dropped into position, which accelerates tramway construction. It maintains track geometry for longer than ballasted track and offers smoother running.

PCAT City Metro’s new slabs aim to not only help accelerate tramway construction but add to light rail’s green credentials. Its foundation is just 500mm below the road surface, thus reducing the costs of deep digging. However, it is designed to recycle the existing bituminous road surface to form what it calls a “200mm deep HBM (Hydraulically Bound Material)”. This forms the basis of the concrete slab sections. These sections are designed to be easily removable, to provide access to under-street utilities. But the system also includes provision for manholes between the running rails to access utilities.

Rhomberg Sersa has developed a slab track system called IVES which utilises high quality concrete pre-fabrication and focuses on quick and hassle-free installation. The system is made up of precast concrete blocks that are placed on a paved asphalt surface. The final track geometry is then created with a high-precision direct fastening system. Being aimed at quick construction times makes IVES perfect for track refurbishment in tunnel renovation projects that require working during short track possessions.

Systra has worked with a French pre-cast concrete specialist to develop Slab Track. It uses low carbon concrete and reduces excess concrete use by being cut close to the outside edges of the running rails. It’s designed to have the drainage properties of conventional ballast but can accept higher quantities of flood water (as well as waterbased wildlife, such as frogs). It also allows the position of the rails to be fine-tuned.

It’s worth considering PCM Railone’s plastic fibre concrete at this point. This aims to offer a low-cost alternative to steelreinforced concrete, while also allowing steel resources to be “conserved”. Tests on Berlin’s tram system reveal that it’s just as durable as traditional concrete and, being plastic-based, it doesn’t suffer from any issues with stray electrical current.

Rail and rail services

Some track signalling systems require isolating sections of rail. However, these rails still require joining to other rails.

“Track ballast does two jobs: it allows water to drain away and holds the track in place. There are times, however, when the ballast needs a helping hand.”

That’s where Insulated Block Joints come in. They are rail joiners with electrical insulation properties. They’re offered by HIRD Rail Services and Goldschmidt Smart Rail Solutions.

HIRD also offers ‘cold bolt expansion’ services. When rails are drilled for joiner or fishplate bolts, the heat from the drilling can cause micro cracks to form around the hole –and these cracks can lead to rails fracturing. Cold bolt expansion (CBX) involves inserting a thin sleeve around the hole, which reduces the risk of these cracks forming.

Where rails need welding together, there are plenty of firms that offer this service. One of them is welding pioneer Thermit, which is now part of Goldschmidt Smart Rail Solutions. Washington Metalworks in Gateshead, UK, also offers a comprehensive range of rail welding services.

And what of the rails themselves?

voestalpine Railway Systems is the leading supplier of tramway system turnouts and grooved rails as well as rails for metro and other light rail applications. Its rail production is about to be incorporated into its Greentec steel programme, which aims to make steel production carbon neutral by 2050. The company has developed Intelligent Turnout Systems which are equipped with zentrak, a digital ecosystem to constantly monitor performance and condition of pointwork and turnouts in order to maximise their lifespans and reduce costly repairs and delays.

Speaking of pointwork, the most complex area of a turnout is the ‘frog’ or ‘crossing vee’ where there’s a physical join between the diverging running rails. These are usually pre-made, with Doncaster-based Trackwork Limited being one of a number of suppliers.

Progress Rail is the UK’s largest supplier of permanent way infrastructure offering a bewildering array of frog types for different turnout configurations. As part of global giant Caterpillar, Progress Rail can offer rail

solutions in Europe, Australia as well as North and South America.

Sleepers

The sleeper is a key component for mainline, heavy haul, high speed and light rail applications. European specialist, SATEBA produces sleepers for all of these systems, including shallow depth sleepers especially designed for urban transit. Cast-in levelling inserts in the TW120 sleeper allow for rapid installation and accurate alignment of track, while the M312 sleeper achieves a high level of vibration reduction comparable with standard slab track. Another benefit of shallow depth sleepers is the ability to finish the track in a variety of materials including concrete, grass, asphalt and block paving.

Krailburg STRAIL produces one of the most environmentally-friendly sleepers around. Its fibre-reinforced polyolefin sleepers are not only partly made from recycled materials but are themselves 100% recyclable. Not that they should need re-processing anytime soon for they have an estimated service life of 50 years, which is well above the 15-year lifespan of a softwood sleeper.

Trackwood Limited offers an innovative approach to the sleeper. Its hollow steel sleepers provide a safe conduit for cables and other services to pass from one side of the running line to the other. This protects the cables from ballast tamping and other maintenance work.

PCM Railone Rheda City track system uses modified bi-bloc sleepers and trusses to both support the rails and maintain gauge. It’s designed to be easy to install and easy to disguise. Rheda Green uses the same technology but is, as its name suggests, designed for sections of grassed track.

Ballast

Track ballast does two jobs: it allows water to drain away and it holds the track in place.

Track technology

ABOVE: voestalpine’s rail production is to be incorporated into its Greentec steel programme, which aims to make steel production carbon neutral by 2050. the company’s intelligent turnout systems are equipped with zentrak, a digital ecosystem to monitor performance and condition of pointwork and turnouts. voestalpine

ABOVE: tensar’s triAx geogrids help to maintain ballast drainage properties by holding the chippings together without permanently bonding them, thus stabilising the track foundation. Tensar

There are times, however, when the ballast needs a helping hand. Thermit produces top bars which link sleepers together to reduce the risk of ‘sleeper shift’. Its ballast anchors – a cast frame with anchor plates – fit around sleepers to hold them in position. Thermit’s Trackbond is effectively a glue designed to keep the ballast together on tight curves and on the transition from ballasted to slab track (both particularly useful for light rail applications). It’s also useful for holding ballast together in areas prone to flooding and washouts.

Rail geometry is often lost when the track’s foundations are unstable. Tensar’s TriAx geogrids offer a way to stabilise ballast foundations by holding the chippings together without permanently bonding them, which maintains drainage properties.

Terram, on the other hand, produces trackbed separators. These geosynthetic grids separate the ballast layer from the ground below and prevent finer soils and sands from being pulled upwards where they could pollute the ballast.

Ballast can also transmit noise and vibration and so Trelleborg has developed its Leniter ballast mat system. This closed cell foamed elastomer sits under the track ballast. Getzner also produces underballast mats which do the same job.

Road and rail interfaces

Road and rail interact most on sections of

MAINTAINING YOUR TRACK

One of the universal truths about track, whether tramway, metro or heavy rail, is that you can’t just lay it and then forget about it. Track requires constant care and attention in order to keep it in tip-top condition.

Anything can affect your track, from the passage of vehicles to the underlying geology. Even the weather can affect it.

Therefore, the first stage in track maintenance is to regularly assess the condition of the permanent way. In days gone by, manual inspection would take place. Today, there are many devices and systems that can undertake remote monitoring of track.

At one end of the spectrum is DualInventive ’s CRM3000. CRM3000 fixes to the web and monitors the rail’s temperature because extremes of heat and cold can play havoc with track geometry, which has knock-on safety implications.

PolyChord produces PolyTrack . This is an on-tram track monitoring system that uses bogie-mounted sensors and 5G technology to provide maintenance crews with real-time monitoring of the state of the track. This allows teams to attend trouble areas as soon as a potential problem is detected.

For those monitoring systems, LB Foster ’s Total Track Monitoring portfolio was developed to monitor everything from an imbalance of weight of a train on the rails to rockfalls and flooding. This equipment is largely trackside-based.

Omnicon Balfour Beatty, on the other hand, uses rail-borne camera and lidar systems to make an accurate map of the track and surrounding areas – down to 0.8mm – enabling maintenance teams to be deployed swiftly to fix problem areas.

Once you’ve discovered a problem, you will need the equipment to fix it. Again, these range in size and complexity.

on-street running. There are various issues to contend with, such as road tyres dragging bits of road surface onto the rail head and grinding it into the metal. A slightly raised rail head or an exposed flangeway can present hazards to pedestrians or cyclists. Therefore, Trelleborg’s RX Level Crossing Inserts acts as a barrier between the road surface and the rail head. The rubber insert sits within the flangeway but still allows the passage of flanged wheels. It also produces rubber panels to form complete level crossing systems.

Kraiburg STRAIL produces a comprehensive range of rubber infills for road-rail interfaces. These provide a barrier between rail head and concrete/asphalt road surfaces and can be used at either level crossings or in and around depots. It has even designed a system that allows road markings to be applied to the surface.

Also in the STRAIL range is pedeSTRAIL , a rubber-based foot crossing system. The panels can be fitted with solar-powered LED lighting, which helps pedestrians identify safe walking routes over running lines. Rubber is a common product when it comes to track infill panels. Rosehill Polymers Group also produces level crossing panels and anti-trespass panels made from recycled rubber. Wavetrain’s anti-trespass panels are also made from it. While perhaps a little outside the world of light rail, it’s worth considering

Abtus Ltd supplies a whole range of gauges to check everything from super elevation to track gauge and rail profile. It also offers everything you would need, for example, to undertake Measured Shovel Packing to fix dips in the ballast.

Torrent Trackside ’s product range offers everything from solar-powered inspection lights to disc cutters and safety platforms that enable maintenance to be undertaken on overhead catenary.

Worn rails can often be given another lease of life with some grinding, milling and re-profiling. Linsinger Maschinenbau and Schweerbau offer milling and grinding products, from static devices for the workshop to self-propelled machines.

Some of the most eye-catching machines are ro-railers, specially converted road vehicles that can operate on rails to undertake special maintenance roles. UK-based Aquarius Roadrail Technologies offers converted Land Rover, Ford and Isuzu vehicles that can take maintenance teams and equipment to fix problems where there is no road access. Its Land Rover-based R2R 4x4 can be used, for example, to remove ice on third rails and clear leaves from the railhead.

Zwiehoff turns Unimog lorries into ro-railers that can undertake all manner of different roles, from trimming lineside vegetation to rail grinding and rail welding. It also makes ro-rail overhead catenary maintenance platforms.

Maintaining the safety of those going trackside is just as important as maintaining the rails themselves. Trackworkers on railways, for example, were once protected by a man blowing a horn. This outdated method has been replaced by systems that give an audible warning –often combined with flashing lights – when an approaching train is detected. One such system is Schweizer Electronic ’s Minimel Lynx LOWS warning system.

Wavetrain’s Level Crossing Warning System. Unlike level crossing systems that are tied in with signalling systems, Wavetrain’s system uses acoustic sensors to detect an oncoming train.

Ancillary products and systems

There are all manner of ancillary track products worth considering, in particular cable troughs and walkways. Trough-tec Solutions produces a range of troughs –including elevated troughs – and walkway panels which are made from 100% recycled household materials. Trojan Group is another UK manufacturer making cable troughs from recycled plastics.

And what of the cables themselves?

Datwyler makes different gauges of wire and cable – some rodent proof – that are suitable for different applications alongside the line. Datwyler also specialises in the supply of junction boxes and other electronic accessories.

Frauscher produces a wheel detection and axle counting system that clips to the rail sides and can be installed without affecting track circuitry or signalling systems.

Rowe Hankin, meanwhile, produces its Top of the Rail Friction Modifier System, which applies a bio-degradable lubricant to the railhead, to ease the passage of trains around tight curves. It also makes an on-train version, the Intelligent Wheel Flange Lubrication system.

years of the tramway in

Congratulations to FGV for being a pioneer in Spain in the reintroduction of the tramway, thus improving the mobility of Valencia with a cleaner and more accessible public transport system. Stadler’s TRAMLINK LRVs will soon be part of the FGV fleet for Alicante and Valencia.

Tensar offer a wide range of fast, economical and proven rail solutions for both temporary and permanent works. For more information please scan the QR code.

Tensar® TriAx® TX190L Geogrid PADs No. 057/100470

Ballast Stabilisation

Reduced rate of track settlement and maintain track geometry for longer (extend maintenance cycle approximately x3).

Tensar® TriAx® TX190L-GN Geocomposite (Geogrid + Geotextile) PADs No. 0057/081225

Sub-ballast Stabilisation

Increased bearing capacity to support ballast and limit subgrade deformation, permitting granular thickness reduction.

Tensar® TriAx® TXR Geogrid PADs No. 057/100499

ACCREDITED AND APPROVED BY:

stadlerrail.com Subgrade

Valencia

systems factfile No.201

Valencia, Spain

Metrovalencia’s metre-gauge network combines tram and metro formats, the latter with urban and rural coverage.

P ortugA l

Valencia (population 808 000) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia in eastern Spain. The metropolitan area spreading inland from the Mediterranean coast has around 1.6 million residents. The official languages are Spanish (Castilian) and Valencian, which is elsewhere termed Catalan.

Spain’s third-largest city was the country’s first to implement second-generation tram operations. These integrate with a much longer metro, with the modes jointly branded

as Metrovalencia. Today’s network has six metro lines (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9) and four tram lines (4, 6, 8, 10).

Metrovalencia has helped Valencia to raise its cultural and economic profile, assisted hosting of international events, and supports a year-round, mainly short-stay visitor flow. Little related to mass-market coastal tourism, Valencia (Manises) is nevertheless Spain’s tenth busiest airport, metro-served since April 2007. Like Barcelona in former times, Valencia had been a port city which at the centre gave little impression of being maritime. In both cases,

ABOVE: FGV 4206 leaves Oceanogràfic, one of two stops near La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. The harp-like cable-stayed Assut de l’Or Bridge designed by Valencia-born Santiago Calatrava is another modern city landmark.

high profile events, improved public transport and modern buildings have eroded that separateness. Since January 1987 when it took over from the national FEVE counterpart, the Valencia Community governing body’s railway arm has been Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV). Responsible for metre-gauge rail operations, FGV includes metro and tram operations in Valencia, also for Alicante which is 125km (78 miles) to the south where trams and tram-trains are styled as TRAM d’Alacant. Bus services in Valencia and surrounding towns

SPAIN

Valencia

Words and pictures by Neil Pulling

t HE F l EE t

Changed from as-delivered appearances, red and white predominates on the two tram types although there is a marked difference between them. Both types are air-conditioned and have level access. t he uni-directional, single-sided 3800-series (3801-3825) were mostly received from CAF in 1993-94, with the final four by 1999. t hey are run singly or in pairs. using Siemens equipment, they are part low-floor with three sections and are 23.8 metres long. With longevity prolonged by modernisations, they are now due for replacement by 22 new bi-directional 45-metre trams. t he 44-strong FGV 4200-series fleet – Bombardier Flexity Outlook (Cityrunner) – are split equally between Valencia and Alicante, with some interspersing of fleet numbers, overall being 4201-4244. t he initial batch of 30 was delivered 2007-08, with the remainder between 2011-15. Some trams now in Valencia have also operated in Alicante. t hey are fully low-floor, have five-sections and are 32.4 metres long, 2.4 metres wide with capacity for 275 (44 seated). Metro operations are covered by 42 four- and 20 five-car 4300-series multiple units, built 2006-11 just north of Valencia in Albuixech by Vossloh (Stadler r ail since November 2015). Some earlier 3900-series units have been projected to be upgraded for a return to service.

TOp LEFT: Line 4’s eastern limit near the Mediterranean shore is this single-track return loop around the streets: Siemens/CAF 3812 near Les Arenes.

LEFT: Formerly named Ademuz, Empalme is an important metro and tram interchange at the northern end of the initial cross-city tunnel. A truncated platform on the former station site is to the left, with a 4300-series train descending where line 1 tracks have been reconfigured to yield space above a trench.

BELOW: projected for connection by extensions from the more recent line 10 route, this is the Grau-La Marina stop on 6 November 2023. The monument honours the Valencia-born impressionist artist Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923).

Valencia

are mainly run by city-owned EMT Valencia which has origins in the city’s earlier tramway, opened in 1876 and closed by 1970. Street-running trams returned to Valencia in May 1994 when 9.7km (6.1 miles) of line 4 was opened.

Both Metrovalencia modes drew upon existing metre-gauge railway coverage, the Valencia Trenet network. This extended in two groups, being north and south of the city’s historic core. Influencing the creation and operation of these railways, Valencia had a natural and at times perilous divide, the north-west to south-east course of the Turia river. Prompted by the 1957 floods and resulting loss of life, diverting the Turia to an artificial channel south of the city (the ‘Plan Sur’ project completed in 1969) removed an original cause of the separated line groups. It also enhanced the potential for rail coverage across the city centre.

A populous city with a largely freight-handling port, Valencia has a substantial and varied railway presence. Several stations within the urban area are served by the six-line Cercanías Valencia network which is run by the national operator, Renfe. The main station for this commuter service and also for longer distance trains is the exuberantly styled Estación del Norte. Next to Valencia’s main bullfighting arena, this terminus is on the southern edge of the central area; the north in the station name relates to the founding company. It handles Iberian (1668mm) gauge traffic, with the nearby but separate Joaquín Sorolla station opened in 2008 for 1435mm high-speed trains. The first modern tram operation, line 4 is now a branching service

totalling 17km (10.6 miles). It mainly has an east-west route across the north of the city. It is partly based on old railway alignments, as is evident at Pont de Fusta (‘Wooden Bridge’ refers to an old Turia crossing) where former terminus buildings are now in police use.

A through-stop for trams despite appearances, line 4 has a U-shaped installation here. The broad thoroughfare north of Pont de Fusta had accommodated 11 railway tracks, the main concentration for northern Valencia Trenet services.

From October 1988, the traffic on such lines became channelled through a 7km (4.4-mile) tunnel, crossing the city to join the southern line to Castelló. At 45km (28 miles) from the centre of Valencia, this town is the most remote point of Metrovalencia, with line 1 being the network’s longest at 72km (45 miles).

Line 4 trams now have two regular western termini, both opened in 2005 near residential estates, Mas del Rosari and Lloma Llarga-Terramelar.

A third, Fira València (1999), only has event services. With the original uni-directional Siemens/CAF stock still in service on line 4, turning loops remain a feature on this part of the system. Much of the eastern part of line 4 is shared with line 6 which was introduced in 2007, with the latter diverging at Trinitat.

In short succession, line 6 passes a football stadium, the Machado metro works and, near a stop of that name, Sant Miquel dels Reis. Once with rural surroundings, this former monastery was later a prison and is now the main Valencian Community Library.

The stub-track terminus, Tossal del Rei, is in a mature housing area.

Opened: metro 1988; tram 1994

Depots: metro 2; tram 2

Approx. weekday hours: 06.00-23.00

Frequency: wide variations

Gauge: 1000mm

Power: tram 750V dc; metro 1500V dc –both overhead supply

Fleet: tram 62; metro 62

Network/operator: www.metrovalencia.es

Civic information: www.valencia.es

Tourist information: www.visitvalencia.com

ABOVE: East of Trinitat, lines 4 and 6 share tracks until the latter’s route extends south from near Canyamelar, a stop previously named Mediterrani. Terminus layouts mean that line 6 can only be worked by bi-directional trams.

ABOVE: The original livery for Valencia’s Flexity Outlook fleet: car 4220 leaves Tossal del Rei line 6 terminus on 22 August 2011.

LEFT: Set beneath the former Turia river bed with overhead natural light, Alameda station is on a central section which hosts four of the metro lines.

Mas del Rosari

La Coma Tomás y Valiente

Parc Científic À Punt

ll. Larga Terramelar

Fira València (special events only)

V. Andrés Estellés

La Granja Sant Joan Campus

Empalme Palau de Congressos Florista Tossal del Rei

Trànsits

Garbí Benicalap

Marxalenes

Reus

Sant Miquel dels Reis

Estadi Ciutat de València

Orriols

Alfauir

Pont de Fusta Trinitat Sagunt

Benimaclet

V. Zaragozá

La Carrasca Tarongers Ernest Lluch

Beteró Universitat Politècnica

La Cadena Cabanyal

Platja Les Arenes Platja Malva-rosa Dr. Lluch

Line 6 was built for operation by double-sided, bi-directional stock. The Bombardier Flexity Outlook FGV 4200-series trams introduced with this phase also became standard for lines 8 and 10, also being used in Alicante.

For tram lines 4, 6 and 8, the depot and works, Naranjos (‘Orange Trees’ – a feature of the city) is away from revenue tracks with access from near Beteró stop. Line 6 trams leave the line 4 route south of that line’s uni-directional single-track loop which turns between the stops Platja les Arenas and Dr Lluch. The track through Canyamelar stop (renamed from Mediterrani in 2022) shadows but does not use the old railway alignment into Grau district, which in places can still be discerned between houses. This eastern part of lines 4 and 6 is a short distance from a long and broad beach, a resort area which originated to cater for a wealthy clientele.

Grao/El Grau district includes the north of the old harbour which had functioned as the operational centre for the 2007 America’s Cup and is now a marina. Nearby is Neptú, the eastern terminus of line 8 which is the

Amado Granell/ Montolivet Russafa Alacant

Ciutat Arts i Ciències / Justícia

Quatre Carreres

Canyamelar

Mańtim

Neptú Grau-La Marina Francesc Cubells

Natzaret Morenes Oceanogràfic

shortest on the system at 1.2km (0.75 miles). This area also included part of the street circuit used for the 20082012 Formula 1 European Grand Prix. Neptú replaced the stop’s Marina Reial Joan Carles I name following a fall in the reputation of the former Spanish king. Joining near Grau-La Marina stop, lines 6 and 8 both have subsurface Marítim-Serrería as a terminus, as does the core east-west metro line. Originally with free circulation for cross-platform connections, there are now ticket barriers between the modes. ABOVE: Marítim-Serrería in November 2023. previously there was no gate-line for cross-platform transfers between the two modes here.

Tram

is one of three underground stops at the western end of line 10. It is projected to also serve future lines 11 and 12.

StADl E r IN VA l ENCIA

Stadler and Ferrocarrils de la g eneralitat Valenciana (FgV) signed a contract in March 2023 for the supply of 16 tr AM l INK vehicles. t he contract provided for a up to 12 additional trams, in two batches of six units, in a contract valued at E ur84.3m. t he 4 500 series trams for FgV were designed and manufactured by the Stadler plant in Albuixech, with the units being incorporated into the fleet of Metrovalencia and tr AM d’Alacant. Iñigo Parra, CEo at Stadler Valencia, said: “We are very proud that FgV, strongly committed to green and sustainable mobility, has chosen our tr AM l INKs for its expansion projects in Alicante and Valencia. t he highly innovative tram family set trends in terms of performance, universal accessibility, comfort and safety”. www.stadlerrail.com

Line 10 is separate in time and place from the rest of the tram system. It is part of what was intended to be a cross-city link, with the completed surface-running northern end adopted for a western section of line 6. With construction already advanced, the project suspension stopped Metrovalencia being represented at the city’s historic core which includes the cathedral, Plaça de l’Ajuntament (city hall square) and Mercat Central (main market). Restarted works in 2019 completed a southern 2.3km (1.4-mile) tunnel section running east of Alacant terminus, part of the 5.3km (3.3-mile) route of line 10 which opened in May 2022.

Alacant has two surface entrances somewhat hidden amongst narrow streets. To improve access, a pedestrian underpass is due to link Alacant with Xàtiva (metro) and Estación del Norte (main line), effectively being the same location. Alacant already has an underground connection with Bailén, a metro station added to line 7 in 2005.

The eight-stop line 10 restored a fixed link with the port district of Natzaret which had been lost to the 1957 floods. The 2022 opening was over a decade after infrastructure works were largely complete around a modern Valencia symbol which was then in construction, La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. The visually striking City of Arts and Sciences

complex spreads along the seaward end of the abandoned Turia river channel. The nearby ‘El Saler’ retail and entertainment site adds to this area’s traffic.

Detached from the main system, line 10 has what is designated as a temporary depot at Natzaret, with seven 4200-series trams allocated. It is near where the line ends in a narrow street, with stub tracks ending at a covered market building. An eight per hour frequency applies between Alacant and Ciutat Arts i Ciències-Justícia, with alternate trams (not using the turn-back platform) proceeding to Natzaret. Long ramps take the tramway and cycle/footpaths over the coastal main line railway.

Currently well-used although of limited utility for Metrovalencia connections, line 10 features strongly in tramway expansion plans announced in February 2024. Separate connections would be made with existing tracks at GrauLa Marina: a line 10 extension past Natzaret depot, with new line 11 extending north-east from Ciutat Arts i Ciències-Justícia. Also partly using today’s line 10 infrastructure, line 12 will head south to La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital.

The convergence of metro lines gives central Valencia an intensive service. Equally, the branching nature of lines whereby different services may use the same platform

ABOVE: Line 4’s southward dip towards port de Fusta is in space vacated by re-routing the formerly local railways to cross-city metro tunnels.

ABOVE: The capacious Alacant terminus

means that observing destination information is important. The central metro structure includes a pair of north-south lines meeting at Jesús, formerly a surface terminus for southern Valencia Trenet services. Now represented as the access point for Joaquín Sorolla station, Jesús was near the site of a metro derailment in July 2006 which cost 43 lives. For a time, Jesús station officially carried other names. The main east-west metro axis is between Aeroport and Marítim-Serrería stations.

A brief convergence of lines makes the section between Colón and Alameda the network’s busiest point, with up to 16 trains per hour in each direction. Alameda is likely to become more significant under plans to extend the metro format. Metrovalencia services beyond the main urban concentration retain some aspects of their earlier existence such as singletrack sections, single-platform stations and at-grade road crossings.

“currently well-used although of limited utility for metrovalencia connections, line 10 features strongly in tramway expansion plans. ”

local travel: t he Metrovalencia website has an extensive English language version. Main staffed information point at Xátiva metro station, access from the Estación del Norte forecourt. t he free ‘Plànol de Metrovalencia’ combines a network diagram (with zone boundaries) and a map giving the city context. Central Valencia is best covered on foot, but otherwise public transport is recommended. t ransport zone

A fares will meet most visitor needs, although the airport (Aeroport station, lines 3 and 5) has its own zone. Single fares from E ur 1.50 – see the Metrovalencia website for the more economical and cross-mode Su MA rechargeable card permutations, also for prevailing fares. Valencia tourist Card (24, 48 or 72 hours – see www.visitvalencia.com) includes airport journeys as well as venue reductions/offers.

What is there to see? Historic sites, flamboyant buildings as at the City of Arts and Sciences, beaches and a lively atmosphere in a Mediterranean climate make Valencia outstanding for short and longer stays. Claimed as the home of Paella, the city’s wider reputation for food and drink is also evident at the central market which is also an architectural showpiece. t he course of the t uria river is now a multi-use linear park. o pposite a so-named line 10 stop, o ceanogràfic is Europe’s biggest aquarium. Near Neptú stop, the somewhat shabby ‘Veles e Vents’ building created for the Americas Cup remains an excellent free viewpoint, notably for sunsets over the city.

ESSEN t IA l FAC t S

ABOVE: Line 10’s temporary Natzaret depot, here to the left of 4206 leaving the terminus, handles a small sub-fleet. The line 10 extension will pass near the depot building.

ABOVE: On a short branch opened in 2007, the year when Valencia hosted the Americas Cup, Neptú is about 350 metres from a promenade where Arenas beach adds another 250 metres to reach the sea.

ABOVE: The FGV area at València Sud includes its head office, control centre, metro works and the station, here stabling 3900-series stock dating from 1995.

BELOW: Serving the Burjassot Campus of the University of Valencia, Vicent Andrés Estellés stop extends from an underpass running beneath a return loop.

2023’S GroWTH for aNGErS, fraNCE

Neil Pulling reports from the western French city of Angers, where 12 years after the re-introduction of trams, the system has expanded substantially.

NEW SCHEMES for THE UK?

Richard Foster provides an update on the new schemes mooted for the UK –from Bath, Cambridge and Network North, to other grand ideas.

The 2024 Summer Olympics is putting international attention on the French capital. TAUT looks at transport developments across wider Paris.

+ Zűrich and the Limmatalbahn

+ Classic Trams: Gent celebrates 150 years

+ The latest news and analysis, system and technical development

Worldwide Review

AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE. The Pakenham Line commuter railway was extended by 2km (1.2 miles) from Pakenham to a new station at East Pakenham on 3 June. The extension was included as part of a plan to remove level crossings on the city’s rail network. However, delivery of the AUD13bn (EUR8bn) airport rail link will be delayed until 2033 because of state infrastructure funding cuts. IRJ PERTH. The 14.5km (ninemile) extension of the Joondalup commuter rail line from Butler to Yanchap is due to open on 15 July. urbanrail.net

AUSTRIA

line 12 throughout the summer. Single-ended PCC operation was due to end on 28 June. OR BRUXELLES (Brussels). New Alstom low-floor trams entered service on line 51 from 26 April. Turnout renewal is to affect Woluwe depot until 31 August. Scrapping of first-series metro cars has started. T-2000

DE PANNE – KNOKKE

(De Lijn). A CAF tram has been fitted with sensors that use AI technology to detect potential hazards and thus improve safety.

IRJ

LIEGE. Driver training started between the depot and Coronmeuse in April. T-2000

BRAZIL

GMUNDEN. Celebrations to mark 130 years of the tramway are scheduled for 16-18 August. See www.stern-verkehr.at for further details. M. J. Russell GRAZ. Work to modernise Eggenberg depot started at the end of March; a new connection has been laid to lines 4 and 7 in Karwoche. BS INNSBRUCK. Line 6 to Igls has been rebranded the Waldstrassenbahn . It is due to be extended to Claudiaplatz on 15 June and then to Mühlauer Brücke once road works are complete. Operator IVB’s emergency winter timetable had to be extended beyond 31 March because a driver shortage is still not yet fully resolved.

PORTO ALEGRE. Metro services were suspended when the Guaíba river burst its banks. Heavy rain caused widespread flooding throughout the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul in early May. CNN

CANADA

TORONTO. The Finch West line’s 18 dedicated LRVs were tested over its 10.3km (6.4-mile) length on 23 May. Tunnelling is complete on a further 9.5km (5.9-mile) extension for Eglinton West.

BS

JENBACH – MAYRHOFEN (ZB). Plans to adopt hydrogen power on the 760mm-gauge Zillertalbahn have been abandoned after the operating costs had been underestimated by EUR5m per year. The Tirol parliament had decided to investigate battery/hybrid propulsion as an alternative to diesel. SV SALZBURG. The Lokalbahn is to introduce a 15-minute service in December 2028 following the delivery of 20 Stadler tram-trains. salzburg24.at WIEN (Vienna). Delivery of Alstom Flexity trams reached 379 by late May. The temporary closure of Wiedner Hauptstrasse from 2 April led to line 1 being diverted via Belvedere Quartier and line 62 being cut back to Dörfelstrasse. The WLB is to terminate at the old Südbahnhof loop until early November. orf, BS

BELGIUM

ANTWERPEN (Antwerp). Following technical difficulties with the new double-ended CAF trams, the ex-Gent PCCs are likely to continue working on

Our May report on the Queens Quay East tramway should have said that it was the Transit Project Assessment that had started and not physical work on the tramway (TAUT 1037).

D. Drum, S. Munro

CHINA

GUANGZHOU. The Guangdong inter-city commuter rail service to Foshan was extended from Foshan West to Dongguan West on 26 May. urbanrail.net

HEFEI. Metro line 4 was extended south by 14km (nine miles) from Belyanhu to Shaomaigang on 1 May. urbanrail.net

QINGDAO. The 30.5km (19-mile) metro line 6 opened from Hengyunshan Road to Lingshan Bay on 26 April. There is an interchange with line 1 at Wangjiagang. urbanrail.net

SHAOXING. The 4.1km (2.5mile) Huangjiu - Daqingsi metro line 1 extension opened on 1 April. BS

CZECH REPUBLIC

MOST – LITVINOV. A CZK48.9m (EUR1.9m) order has been placed with Pragoimex for six EVO2 low-floor articulated trams, to be delivered by April 2026. cs-dopravak

PRAHA (Prague). The latest T3R.PLF to enter service is 8752. It comprises a new Krnov body with low-floor centre on the underframe and bogies of T3R 8212 (originally delivered as T3 6599 in 1966). Tram 8756 ( T3R 8306/ T3 6431) is undergoing the same rebuild. Škoda 15Ts 9424/9425 are being used to test Bosch’s anti-collision system. W. Robb, dopravacek.eu

FINLAND

HELSINKI. Rautatientori metro station is closed from 3 June until 1 September for renovation work. A temporary line 9B (Ilmala to Linjat) has been introduced. Helsingin Uutiset TAMPERE. The next tramway extension, from Santalahti to Lentävänniemi, is due to open on 7 January 2025. urbanrail.net

FRANCE

LYON. The route of the planned EUR800m Tram Express de l’Oeust Lyonnais was announced on 29 April after completion of the consultation period. Line T2 will be extended from Hôpital Montrochet to Alaï via CharvotProvimces and Libération; two stations will be in subway. Completion is not expected until 2032. skyscrapercity MONTPELLIER. The extension of line 1 from Odysseum to Gare TGV Sud is due to be completed in September 2025. The first of 60 CAF Urbos 100X 43.3m sevensection 100% low-floor trams is scheduled for May 2025. lineoz.net NANTES. TFS trams 321-334 have been withdrawn after new Citadis vehicles entered service. The withdrawn trams did not receive a mid-life overhaul. lineoz.net PARIS. The public inquiry for the 5.7km (3.5-mile) EUR272m extension of line T8 from St-Denis to Rosa Parks started on 21 May.

The last day of operation of MP59 stock on metro line 11 was 23 May.

Line 11’s 5.4km (3.4-mile) extension from Marie de Lilas to Rosny Bois-Perrier is to open on 13 June.

It costs EUR11.50 to use Line 14’s new extension to Orly airport. This is the only metro station with a special fare.

DS, urbanrail.net, actu.fr

GERMANY

BERLIN. Transport Senator Manja Schreiner, who resigned at the end of April, has been replaced by Ute Bonde, Managing Director of Verkehrsverbund BerlinBrandenburg since May 2023. BOCHUM – GELSENKIRCHEN. LRV 6103 (formerly Stadtbahn-B 6003) became the first Stadtbahn-B80 neo conversion to be delivered from Stadler Berlin. Rebuilding of 25 units is costing EUR50m.

BRAUNSCHWEIG. A tender has been launched for 12 (plus an option for ten more) 36m lowfloor trams, to be delivered in 2028-29. They will replace the 1995 AEG cars.

Tramino 1453 has been fitted with body extensions to check the feasibility of using 2.65m-wide trams on the network. DS, BS DARMSTADT. Following the arrival of Tina low-floor trams, ST12 vehicles 9118/19/23 have been scrapped. BS DORTMUND. Plans have been announced to renew and extend the H-Bahn suspended monorail system. The 3.4km (2.1-mile) line is now 40 years old and the renovation could include a new connection to U42 at TheodorFliedner-Helm as well as renewal of the fleet and control system.

The first new Stadtbahn cars ran in passenger service on U42 on 23 April. BS

150 years of trams in the Belgian city of Gent were celebrated on 18-19 May. Preserved PCCs 01 and 25 date from 1971. R. Hodges

Worldwide Review

LATVIA

DRESDEN. After completion of works to repair flood damage, trams returned to Laubegast from 21 May via two temporary lines: 44 to Strassbuger Platz and 46 to Niedersedlitz. This arrangement is expected to continue until late 2025.

DS DUISBURG. Operator Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft has taken up the option for 13 more Alstom GT8ND trams, bringing the total fleet up to 67 (including two provided ‘free’ by Alstom as recompense for late delivery).

BS DÜSSELDORF. Alstom HF6 Stadtbahn cars 4338-44 have been delivered.

The 24 trams which are to have liveries depicting the qualifying teams for the Euro 2024 football competition ( TAUT 1037) have received their new colour schemes. However, the U81 Stadtbahn extension to the airport that was supposed to open in time for the tournament has been delayed until 2025. BS

ERLANGEN. The referendum on the planned EUR730m, 26km (16-mile) light rail line from Nürnberg Am Wegfeld to Herzogenaurach was to be held on 9 June. UTM GERA. Public transport carried 15.9m passengers in 2023, 79.5% of them on trams and 20.5% on buses. This represents a 10.6% increase on 2022, largely due to the availability of the DeutschlandTicket (TAUT 1038).

BS HAMBURG. U-Bahn line U2 started using the new platform at Horner Rennbahn from 6 May. The last of three new Gmeinder departmental battery locomotives, 01-33, has entered service. DS KÖLN (Cologne) . A test of three-car K4500 trains on the east-west axis took place on 14 April. Line 4 is cut back from Schlebusch to Im Weidenbruch

until 18 August for infrastructure renewal.

BS

LUDWIGSHAFEN. The Adenauerbrücke Rhein bridge is closed until 21 July. Lines 4/4A, 7 and 8 have been diverted. BS MANNHEIM (RNV). Delivery of the first 59.7m Skoda 38T, 1501/2, is imminent. It has been billed as the world’s longest tram. By the end of May, eight of the 40.6m 37T cars had been delivered. UTM MÜNCHEN (Munich). Lines 12 and 28 have resumed service to Scheidplatz after five months of infrastructure work. When the 2025 timetable is introduced in December 2024, line 12 will be extended from Scheidplatz to Schwabing Nord.

BS

PLAUEN. The tramway network now operates as follows: Line 1, Reusa – Preisselpöhl; Line 2, Preisselpöhl – Waldfrieden; Line 3, Neuendorf – Oberer Bahnhof; Line 5, Waldfrieden – Plamag; Line 6, Plamag – Reusa. BS RHEIN-RUHR (VRR). DB Regio has been awarded a new contract to provide S-Bahn services until December 2032. BS SAARBRÜCKEN. The first Saarbahn Bombardier LRV to be delivered in 1996 has been scrapped. The first four Stadler VDV tram-trains are now expected in the second half of 2025. BS SCHÖNEICHE. Ex-Heidelberg Düwag tram 48 was damaged in an accident on 6 May and will be scrapped. DS ULM. A EUR45.9m contract was signed with Siemens on 17 May to increase the passenger capacity of 18 Avenio trams. Adding two modules to create seven-section 44m trams will increase capacity from 185 to 256. The work is to be completed in 2027-28. A further EUR28m will be spent modifying the depot and workshops to cope with the longer trams. DS

WOLTERSDORF. New Modertrans low-floor tram 41 carried passengers for the first time during the 111th anniversary tramway celebrations on 19-20 May.

DAUGAVPILS. Lines 2 and 4 returned to Maizes Kombinats via their normal routes from 1 May. J. Carpenter

DS

WUPPERTAL. The planned reconstruction of Vohwinkel depot and workshop is likely to lead to the closure of the Schwebebahn for 12-15 months from 2029. DS WÜRZBURG. GT-N 259 returned to service after repair on 2 May. The 20 new trams were withdrawn in November 2023 because of technical defects. There is as yet no date for the re-instatement of the normal timetable. InFranken.de ZWICKAU. Preserved trams 7+17 (built in 1912) and 125+233 (from 1960) ran in passenger service between Pölbitz and Stadthalle on 20 May, to mark 130 years of tramway operation. DS

INDIA

KOLKATA. A successful trial on the 4.4km (2.7-mile) Orange Line extension to Beleghata took place in April. As yet, no date has been given for its opening. RGI

ISRAEL

JERUSALEM. The effect that the war in Gaza is having on the Israeli economy has been blamed for the delay in opening the extensions to Line 1. These won’t now open until early 2025. RGI

ITALY

MILANO (Milan). New Stadler low-floor trams are expected to enter service on line 31 this summer. BS NAPOLI. The contract with Bozankaya for 20 five-section low-floor articulated trams was signed on 20 May. Delivery is planned for May 2025. cs-dopravak, S. J. Morgan

LUXEMBOURG

LUXEMBOURG. The first trial run over the new section of tramway from Boneweger Lycée to Stade de Luxembourg took place on 15 May. Passenger services are due to start on 7 July.

NETHERLANDS

AMSTERDAM. After a public campaign, three stops are being equipped with information displays acknowledging the part played by the tramways in the deportation of Jewish citizens during World War Two. The last BN stock on the metro was withdrawn on 3 April. A farewell event took place on 13 April using 59+66. OR DEN HAAG (The Hague). The weekend/holidays Tourist Tram service will run until 13 October. OR

NORWAY

OSLO. The arrangement whereby line 13 shared metals with the T-bana metro between Lilleaker and Bekkestua ended in March and not July as expected (TAUT 1037).

CAF has won a NOK1.7bn (EUR150m) order for 20 threecar M4000 Inneo metro trains. They will be delivered to the new 8km (five-mile) Fornebru line from 2027; the line is due to open in 2029. BSA

POLAND

BYDGOSZCZ. PESA has delivered ten new Swing vehicles. Delivery of the remaining 30 will be completed in January 2025. TP KATOWICE. The newly rebuilt turning circle at Chebziehas has led to route changes: Line 9 runs

The first test run on the new extension of the Luxembourg tramway. Passenger service was to start on 7 July. R. Birgen

The new CRRC-built LRVs are now in service on the Porto system. Car 207 is at Trinidade subway station. R. Hodges

SAUDI ARABIA

Chorzów Stadion – Bytom Plac Skierskiego; 10 Chebzie Petla –Bytom Medical School; 17 Chebzie Petla – Chorzów Rynek. Lines 29 and 56 have been withdrawn, while lines 30 and 41 do not run on Saturdays. TP

ŁÓD Ź Tenders have been issued for 15 single-ended, lowfloor air-conditioned trams, with an option for a further 15. They will be between 28m and 33m long. Plans to re-open the Konstantynów Lódzki to Lutomiersk section of line 4 (closed in 2019) have been abandoned. However, trams were to start running to Konstantynów again as an ‘island operation’ on line 43 from 1 July. A tram parade from Brus depot on 29 June will celebrate the re-opened line. TP TORU Ń . A pair of bids are being evaluated for 20 new single-ended trams; PESA’s at PLN13.7m (EUR3.2m) per car and Bozankaya’s at PLN13.3m (EUR3m) per car. TP

WROCŁAW. Tenders have been issued for the modernisation of the 31 Škoda 19T low-floor double-ended trams dating from 2010-11. TP

PORTUGAL

LISBOA (Lisbon). This year’s tram parade, featuring cars from the Carris Museum, is scheduled for 21 September.

A tender for 24 three-car metro trains has resulted in two bids: CRRC Tangshan bid EUR115m and Stadler bid EUR134m. The order had not been placed by late May. IRJ

ROMANIA

BUCURESTI (Bucharest). Bids have been invited to design and build a 15km (9.3-mile) extension to metro line M4 from Gara de Nord to Gara Progresul. Alstom is delivering 13 six-car metro trains to line 5. RGI

CLUJ-NAPOCA. The construction permit for the 21km (13-mile) metro line 1 (Floresti –Muncii) was issued on 21 May. The consortium that will carry out the project includes Gulermak, Alstom and Arcada. skyscrapercity TIMI Ș OARA. The first of 17 Bozankaya 100% low-floor trams was delivered on 18 May. They carry a yellow and black livery; the previous batch was purple. TP

RUSSIA

KALININGRAD. Track renewals in Festivalnaya started on 15 May. Single-line running will be required for three months.

J. Carpenter MOSKVA (Moscow). PKTS 71-911EM tram 30630 began testing of the driverless system on line 10 on 23 May. Passengers could be carried on radar-equipped trams before the end of 2025. Moskva Metro SANKT PETERBURG (Saint Petersburg). Metro stations Udelnaya and Frumzenskaya were closed from 1 June for renovation, until May 2025 and June 2027 respectively. transphoto.org

TOMSK. Five new Ust-Katav 71-628 low-floor bogie trams (220-224) were delivered in early May. transphoto.org

VOLGOGRAD. PKTS delivered three more 71-911 bogie trams in April, bringing the total to five. The next new trams will be from TEMZ at Tver. transphoto.org YAROSLAVL. Ust-Katav delivered the first 71-628 100% low-floor bogie tram in May. transphoto.org YEKATERINBURG. The prototype Ust-Katav 71-639 Kastor articulated low-floor tram, originally delivered to Chelyabinsk, arrived on 1 May. It carried its first passengers on the Verkhniaya Pyshma interurban tram line on 8 May, where it is expected to work. transphoto.org

JEDDAH. Alstom is to upgrade the Innovia automated people mover at King Abdulaziz International Airport with four additional cars, new platform doors and a new control room. RGI

SLOVAKIA

BRATISLAVA. Škoda has delivered the last of ten 30T double-ended trams (7531-40). DPB now operates 90 Škoda 100% low-floor trams. Škoda

SPAIN

CERCEDILLA – COTOS. The 18.2km (11-mile) metregauge Ferrocarril Eléctrico del Guadarrama, which opened in 1923, closed for modernisation on 5 May. The work, which includes CAF building six new two-car sets, is expected to take a year to complete. UTM MADRID. Metro line 12 is closed between Los Espartales and Juan de la Cierva until 30 September, to permit infrastructure renewal. BS SEVILLA (Seville). Construction has started on the 7.6km (4.7-mile) metro line 3. It will link Prado de San Sebastián in the city centre with the northern suburb of Pino Montano via the San Lázaro Hospital. The line is expected to carry 13.3m passengers/year when it opens in 2032. RGI

SWEDEN

STOCKHOLM. Line 21 was inaugurated on 26 May across the new Lidingö bridge at Ropsten. C. Visser

SWITZERLAND

CHUR – AROSA (RhB). The line was closed for two weeks from 13 May to permit the demolition of the Castiel Viaduct and the sliding into place of its replacement. GRHeute.ch

GENEVE. Be4/6 817 has been scrapped after an accident involving a lorry. BS LAUSANNE. New metro line M3 will now not serve Flon but run direct from Gare CFF via Chauderon to Blécherette. It is not to open before 2034. rts.ch

LAUTERBRUNNEN – MÜRREN (BLM). The CHF63m (EUR65m) modernisation of the mountaintop railway is nearly complete. Stadler Be4/6 101 was delivered over the mountain road from Lauterbrunnen to Winteregg on 13-14 May. The new trains will be welcomed at a festival in Mürren on 9 August. Swiss Railways ZÜRICH. Alstom continues to deliver new Flexity trams. Tram2000 2032/74/97 were sent to Vinnytsia in Ukraine in April. Tram 2053 will follow after derailment damage is repaired. New Be1/2 1 has entered service on the Dolderbahn . The city’s trams and buses carried 298m passengers in 2023, an 11% increase over 2022. BS

TURKEY

ISTANBUL. The heritage trams on the 1.6km (one-mile) Taksim – Tünel tourist tramway (T2) are being replaced by new heritagestyle battery trams. Testing of the first, 34, has started. DS

UKRAINE

DNIPRO. The German city of Leipzig has sent 26 Tatra T4D trams to Dnipro. There are already 63 T4Ds in the city. cs-dopravak KHARKIV. Tramway service resumed from 11 April after repairs to the war-damaged electrical supply. BS

UNITED KINGDOM

BLACKPOOL. A trail of elephant sculptures, led by children’s character Elmer the Elephant, will lead visitors on a tour through Blackpool. Aside from

One of the new batch of double-ended Skoda 30T trams for the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, on the Danube bridge. DPB

Transporting new cars to the mountain-top Mürren tramway (Switzerland) required closure of the access road and use of a carrier vehicle. jungfraubahn.ch

Worldwide Review

Elmer, each elephant reflects a part of Blackpool’s heritage, with one sculpture carrying a traminspired ‘livery’. The trail closes on 9 June and the elephants will be auctioned for charity.

GLASGOW. On the Underground , a song written by the late Scottish composer Harry Barry to celebrate the launch of the subway’s Met-Camm trains in 1980, has been re-released on social media.

NOTTINGHAM. Nottingham Express Transit services were replaced by buses between Phoenix Park and Bulwell on 18-19 May to enable replacement of track around the David Lane stop and turnout infrastructure at Highbury Vale.

SHEFFIELD. Track renewal took place on South Yorkshire Supertram between 25 May and 2 June, on Commercial Street, High Street and Netherthorpe Road. Trams were temporarily stabled in an underpass close to Sheffield University.

WEST MIDLANDS. The 25th anniversary of the West Midlands Metro was marked on 30 May. All operational trams carried an anniversary logo designed by nine-year-old Pargunn

Kaur Birring. Sadly, the day was marred by a power supply issue.

USA

CHICAGO – SOUTH BEND (IL/ IN). A ribbon-cutting ceremony on 13 May marked the completion of the USD650m (EUR598m) project to double-track the 42.5km (26.6 miles) between Gary and Michigan City. An additional 1475 park-and-ride spaces were created and 22 level crossings rebuilt. The new timetable now features 53 trains/day over this section. J. May DALLAS, TX. The eight Stadler Flirt DMUs destined for the Silver Line (DFW – Plano) are now being tested on Trinity Rail Express tracks on Sundays. The 46km (26-mile) Silver Line is likely to carry passengers in late 2025. J. May

HONOLULU, HI. Hitachi has delivered the last of the 20 four-car Skyline light metro trains. So far, 12 have been fully commissioned. J. May

MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL, MN. Metro transit was to increase the frequency on the light rail line from four to five trains/hour from 15 June, by shortening sets from three to two cars. J. May

NEW ORLEANS, LA. New Orleans Regional Transit Authority has been awarded more than USD5m (EUR4.6m) in federal grants to make the St Charles Line Perley Thomas trams compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design. Mass Transit

PHILADELPHIA, PA. The rapid transit system is being rebranded as ‘Philadelphia Metro’, with renumbered and colour-coded lines: L Market–Frankford (Blue); B Road Street (Orange); T1-5 Subway-Surface trams ex-10/34/13/11/36 (Green); G1 Surface tram ex-15 (Yellow); D1-2 Media/Sharon Hill light rail ex-101-2 (Pink); M1 Norristown line (Purple). SEPTA

PHOENIX, AZ. Valley Metro is consulting the community over a potential 1.2km (0.75-mile) light rail extension from Third Ave/ Washington St to the Arizona State Capitol area. J. May

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. The Federal Transit Administration has allocated USD500m (EUR460m) to Bay Area Rapid Transit’s extension from Berryessa to Santa Clara. FTA WASHINGTON, DC. The last 2000-series Breda metro cars (built 1983) were withdrawn on 10 May; two will be preserved. The 1987-built 3000-series will remain in service until 2027. The 8000-series , which Hitachi will deliver from 2026, will feature Hübner gangways. J. May

MUSEUM NEWS

BEAMISH (UK). Beamish Tramway Group is working to align ex-Lisbon tram 730 with the museum’s “standard practices for trams… defined in our Safety Management System”. Cabling has been traced and labelled (some of it replaced) and a number of fuses/protection devices have been installed.

DARMSTADT (DE). The tramway museum at Marburger Strasse depot opened for the first time on 9 May. Its 13 trams are available for viewing on Sundays. DS CRICH (UK). Chesterfield 7 returned to service on 8 May, followed by Blackpool 166. They became the 12th and 13th trams to run in service this year. TMS

A programme of special events for the summer season has been released – see www.tramway.co.uk/ whatson/list for details.

HALLE (DE). Tatra T4D 931 has been restored to 1980s condition as 1067. It carried passengers for a special event on 30 April. BS KRAKÓW (PL). Restoration of 1930s Wismar centre-entrance

two-axle trailer 506 is complete. TP

LOFTUS (AU). The restoration of D-class California Combination 117 (built in 1899) has won the prestigious National Trust Award. Withdrawn in the mid-1920s, it survived as a track scrubber before being preserved by the Sydney Tramway Museum. G. Sutherland MOUNT PLEASANT (US). ExMilano (Milan) Peter Witt 1640 is being restored by GOMACO. Originally intended for the Delmar Loop Trolley in Saint Louis, it will move to the Midwest Electric Railway. P. Ehrlich SAN FRANCISCO (US). ExBlackpool Boat 226 has been transferred from the Western Railway Museum to the Market Street railway collection, where it joins classmates 228 and 233. Car 233 should enter service this summer. P. Ehrlich SKJOLDENÆSHOLM (DK). The Danish Tramway Museum plans to offer a ten-minute service on 27 July using every operable tram. BS WEHMINGEN (DE). The Hannover Museum Tramway resumed operation on 1 May for the first time in three years after the theft of overhead wires. The museum is open on Sundays (11.00-17.00). Public transport access is by bus 330 from Hannover-Gleidingen. HSM WASHINGTON (US). The National Capital Trolley Museum is offering its two-axle 1924 Berlin tram 5954 to any group able to ensure its preservation (send offers to wesley@dctrolley.org). Although 5954 has been at the museum since 1969, it has not worked for over 20 years.

W. Paulson

CONTRIBUTORS

Worldwide items for inclusion should be sent to Michael Taplin at Flat 8, Roxan Villa, 33 Landguard Manor Rd, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 7HZ, UK. Please fax: +44 (0)1983 862810 or e-mail miketap@mainspring.co.uk UK and Ireland items: please e-mail uknews@lrta.org

Acknowledgements are due to actu.fr, Blickpunkt Straßenbahn (BS), BSA, CNN, cs-dopravak, dopravacek.eu, Drehscheibe (DS), FTA, GRHeute.ch, Helsingin Uutiset, HSM, InFranken.de, International Railway Journal (IRJ), lineoz. net, Mass Transit, Moskva Metro, Op de Rail (OR), orf, Railway Gazette International (RGI), rts. ch, salzburg24.at, skyscrapercity, SV, Swiss Railways, Tram-2000 (T2000), transphoto.org, Transport Publiczny (TP) urbanrail.net, and Urban Transport Magazine (UTM).

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adding up the cost of light metro in

I read with interest a short update from Vancouver regarding the SkyTrain light metro system, especially the lines that use the proprietary Movia Automatic Light Metro (MALM). The name SkyTrain was chosen in a radio contest in 1985, prior to the opening of the ALRT Expo Line.

MALM has been the sixth rebranding of the dated proprietary, Linear Induction Motored (LIM) light metro system, first built by the former province of Ontario’s Crown Corporation, the Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC).

Previous marketing names were Innovia Rapid Transit; Advanced Rapid Transit; Automated Light Metro; Advanced Light Rail Transit; and Intermediate Capacity Rapid Transit System. In total, only seven such systems have been built, in the past 45 years, with six remaining in operation.

The previous three owners of the proprietary light metro system were the UTDC, Lavalin, Bombardier, and now Alstom has acquired the orphan system when it purchased Bombardier’s Rail division.

The ‘five-car trains’ have been available under the former Bombardier Innovia line of light-metros for almost 20 years. The problem was that cars had to be

Where has first generation skill gone?

On a shopping trip today (20 April) to Manchester, I was shocked to find still no trams from Victoria to Exchange Square due to a broken rail that was first reported in February. A similar situation went on for weeks at Piccadilly Gardens, halting services wishing to turn left into Mosley Street.

Although I do not remember the original tramways in this country, extensive reading about them has led me to believe that routine track repairs were carried out ‘in house’, usually within hours, using skills among the depot workforce and the stock of spare rail lengths kept by each operator.

The throwing away of skills along with first generation tramway systems has long been lamented, but does a broken rail nowadays have to spell out weeks of travel chaos?

Phil Bott,

Bradford, UK

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configured to accommodate the Linear Induction Motor (LIM) steerable axle bogies or trucks. As one professional told me some time ago; “you just cannot slap a LIM bogie on a passenger car and expect it to work”.

Currently the province is spending over CAD11bn (EUR7.5bn) extending the LIM lines (Expo and Millennium Lines) a mere 21.7km (13.5 miles). The provincial government is very shy in admitting the true costs of the extensions and omits the CAD1.47bn (EUR997m) resignalling programme (contract with Thales); an estimated CAD2bn (EUR1.4bn) for the electrical upgrade of the aging Expo line; the switch replacement programme on the Expo line where all switches must be replaced with longer ‘high speed’ switches, all needed for the capacity increase of 17500 for the Expo Line. There is also no mention of the up to CAD1bn (EUR678m) for the Operations and Maintenance Centre #5.

The 16km (ten-mile) Expo Line Extension’s advertised cost is CAD4.01bn (EUR2.7bn), but that was announced in 2021 and has not been adjusted for inflation for 2024. Today the cost is near CAD4.5bn (EUR3.05bn) and with the price of cement now more than

Vancouver

CAD450/m3 (EUR3.05/m3), the cost of the extension may top CAD5bn (EUR3.4bn), NOT including cars, switch replacement programme, and signalling and electrical rehabs.

The CAD11bn (EUR7.5bn) price tag also includes the 5.7km (3.5-mile), CAD2.7bn (EUR1.8bn) Broadway subway to nowhere, being built for strictly political prestige.

It is also worth noting, according to Thales’ News Release, that after resignalling the maximum capacity of the Millennium Line will be only 7500 passengers per hour, per direction, and this line includes the Broadway subway!

The province’s and TransLink’s anti light rail – pro light-metro planning may come back to haunt them as Canada’s Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has said, if elected, the federal government’s cost sharing programme for new transit systems will cease, meaning local taxpayers will either pay the difference or see many transit projects abandoned.

And then there is the Canada Line, the only heavy-rail metro in the world, built as a light-metro, having less capacity than a modern tramway, costing a fraction to build; but that is another expensive story!

Malcolm Johnston, British Columbia, Canada

Classic Trams

SANTOS HERITAGE TRAMWAY

Santos, a city of around 418 000 inhabitants facing the Atlantic Ocean, is Brazil's principal port. Quite remarkably, it retains a tourist-based heritage tramway line –as Mike Russell found last November.

On 28 February 1971 a sadness fell upon Brazil’s principal port city. For this was the last day of operation of its electric tramway, which had developed from the city’s original horse-drawn tramway launched in 1871.

It was doubly sad as this was the last major urban tramway closure in Brazil, and to the end Santos had retained a distinct Scottish connection. Much of the final rolling stock had survived from deliveries in 1911 from the Hurst, Nelson factory at Motherwell, and Santos had remained loyal, still buying spare parts from it as late as 1951. By that time it was the manufacturer’s last tramway customer anywhere.

Some of the rolling stock was put aside and some track – but not all – was lifted.

In a surprising move, in June 1984 the then Mayor of the city inaugurated a shortened tram route of about 2km (1.2 miles), using a couple of the Hurst, Nelson cars. This was popular but lack of maintenance of both cars and track owing to its remoteness from the original depot led to deterioration, and the operation ceased in October 1986. That, it seemed, was that – but not to a devoted band of locals who developed a workable plan to open a permanent heritage tourist tram line.

Their plan involved a circular single-track line, laid to the original Santos electric gauge of 1350mm, based on the Valongo district. Although much of the proposed line followed that of the last urban tram routes, most of their track had by then been lifted and replacement (secondhand) rails had to be laid. The circular route featured a short link line between outward and return tracks, giving a short-working facility which has proven very auspicious. After work was completed on some of the surviving

authentic city tramcars and acquisitions made of suitable cars from Europe and Asia to supplement the local fleet, operation of the Tranvia Turistico del Casco Historico de Santos commenced in 2000. It has been in almost continuous service ever since.

These days Santos has been one of several South American cities to have rediscovered the benefits of urban rail transport, and it has acquired a new light rail system to assist in reducing congestion.

At the time of the writer’s visit in November 2023, work on an extension had reached the point where a new crossing with the heritage line had to be constructed, as a result of which the full, longer route was suspended for several months. Here the short-working link line in Rua Augusto Severo came into its own, enabling a foreshortened heritage service to be operated over the smaller loop during construction work.

Hourly operation

The line operates as a closed loop service, with passengers boarding and alighting under a portico outside the repurposed former railway station building, which dates from 1867. Departures are scheduled hourly, on the hour, from 11.00 to 17.00 daily except Mondays, but extra journeys are slotted in to the timetable in accordance with passenger demand. The round trip journey on the shorter loop line takes around 15 minutes, and unusually for an urban heritage tramway the line is laid entirely as street track. The standard adult fare is BRL7 (about EUR1.28) and tickets are purchased in advance from a box office within the Pelé Museum opposite the departure point.

The line appears to be very popular, and visiting tourist groups of youngsters make up a good percentage of the clientele.

The fleet comprises nine tramcars, not all of which are serviceable. The most regular performer is Hurst, Nelson 32 (formerly 38) of 1911, a splendid cross-bench saloon entirely suitable to the Santos climate, hauling a short trailer (numbered 1) reconstructed in the style of an original 1871 horse car. Car 32 has been in operation on the line since 2012.

Other cars from this manufacturer’s 1911 delivery are 38, rebuilt at a very early stage as a two-axle trailer car and now carrying a fully-enclosed saloon body. Another car, 40, has also been rebuilt with a fullyenclosed body and is exhibited on a plinth within gardens at the seaside as a tourist encouragement.

A 1953-built bogie saloon car from Nagasaki, 206, has also been in the running fleet since 2019 and there are two cars from Torino: Fiat bogie car 3265 of 1959 and articulated car 2840. The latter is one of those rebuilt in 1958 from two of the 1933 batch of Peter Witt bogie cars and subsequently rebuilt again in the late 1970s with less austere body styling; it was donated by the City of Torino in 2009 and functions as a party tram, with dining and toilet facilities. Porto has also proved to be another rich source of suitable cars and 137, 171 and 193 are in the fleet, though 171 has been renumbered 224 in Santos.

Tramway-orientated visitors to South America are understandably rather thin on the ground, but for those who do make the journey a visit to Santos will provide rich rewards, both from the present-day and heritage operation perspectives. When the full heritage circuit reopens to traffic and more than one car or set is in operation on the line, perhaps it may prove possible to publish an update featuring the full line and other cars in service.

STUTTGART’S LONG-AWAITED RE-OPENING

Tuesday 26 December 2023 was a red-letter day for friends of tramways in the German city of Stuttgart, with the ceremonial reopening of the historic tram line 21. This had been closed for seven years owing to major construction works in the city centre.

The works centred around the building of the new Stuttgart 21 main railway station. Staatsgalerie Stadtbahn station had to be relocated, with new tunnels and other diversions. Continued operation of the standard-gauge lines (though not the turnoff to the main station) was made possible at considerable expense. However, the metre-gauge museum line had to be closed.

Line 21’s lengthy shutdown finally came to an end by Christmas 2023 and its formal re-opening was celebrated with a procession of historic cars through the city centre from the Bad Cannstatt tramway museum, passing Charlottenplatz and reaching Berliner Platz. To close the circle in the city, Arnulf-Klett-Platz went back into service and the underground connection to Staatsgalerie is again part of the line. A total of nine historic cars took part in the parade and solo vehicles continued operating throughout the day.

Participating cars in the parade were: 418 (two-axle car built by Maschinenfabrik Esslingen in 1925); 851+1390+1369 (two-axle Gartenschau motor car built by Uerdingen in 1939, with two twoaxle trailers built by Fuchs in 1950); 276 (two-axle motor car built in 1952 by MF Esslingen); 802+1547 (two-axle motor car built in 1957 by MF Esslingen – the last series of two-axle cars ordered by Stuttgart – with 1955 Fuchs-built two-axle trailer); and 629+632 (four-axle articulated GT4 cars built by MF Esslingen in 1963).

A special surprise was the first appearance of standard-gauge cars 3539+3540, which have been externally transformed into a ‘retro tram’ with side panels advertising the tram museum. This set has subsequently operated over the whole standard-gauge network.

After a long wait, the impressive Stuttgart historic metre-gauge network is at last back to full strength and – along with line 23 serving the Panoramastrecke – is to operate every Sunday throughout the 2024 season.

With thanks to Jörg Zimmer and Rainer Vogler.

1. One of the two tramcars acquired from Torino is this articulated car from series 2800, many examples of which are still in service in Italy. There were two batches, all reconstructed from pre-war Peter Witt bogie cars.

2. Reconstructed trailer car 1 and Hurst, Nelson cross-bench motor car 32 are here seen negotiating the single track in Rua Tuiuti at the beginning of their tour through part of the old docklands district.

3. One of the three former Porto four-wheel cars acquired in 2005 was 171, which has been renumbered 224 in Santos. It is seen undergoing maintenance in the covered workshop and depot.

4. Standing beneath the portico of the old station building, a point which now serves as the boarding and alighting point for passengers on the Santos line, is cross-bench Hurst, Nelson car 32 of 1911 with trailer 1, reconstructed to resemble a former horse car, behind.

5. Ex-Nagasaki bogie car 206 seen here at the depot.

6. The mainstays of the service – Hurst, Nelson cross-bench motor car 32 with trailer 1 in tow – seen entering Rua Cidade de Toledo in the course of their circular tour of Santos city centre.

In the lead of the tram parade in December 2023 is Esslingen-built car 418 of 1925, with others following as described in the text. Rainer Vogler

The standard-gauge set of cars 3539+3540 has been revitalised with displays advertising the Bad Cannstatt tramway museum. Rainer Vogler

LRTA members enjoy day at Dublin’s LUAS

Anumber of members had the opportunity to ride the LUAS system in Dublin and visit one of the depots on a visit to the city in May.

An update on the network was provided first by Manager Graham Fitzgerald. He spoke of the current passenger levels that had now surpassed pre-COVID levels, and said that with only two lines LUAS was now the busiest in the British Isles (apart from the DLR). Graham told the group that tenders were out to replace the fleet on the Red Line, and that further extensions

to the system were in the planning phase, including an expansion of the depot and control room.

After a tour of the depot, members were given passes to ride the expanded system.

In the evening Dublin LRTA member Mike Walsh gave a fascinating talk on the LRTA tour of Ireland’s railways in the 1950s. He has kindly agreed to repeat this for one of our online talks later this year (see www.lrta.org for a full list of online meetings).

The visit concluded with the AOC meeting in Wynn’s Hotel on the Saturday.

MEETINGS & EVENTS

JULY

Thursday 4. Brentford 14.30. Alan Holmewood: Switzerland part 2. London Museum of Water and Steam, TW8 0EN. Contact: thamesvalley@tlrs. info. GBP5 inc. refreshments. (TLRS)

Saturday 13. Coatbridge, 13.00. Scottish trams show and tell & talk TBC. Summerlee Museum, Heritage Way, Coatbridge ML5 1QD. Contact: scotland@tlrs.info. (TLRS) Tuesday 16. London 19.00, James

Willis: TramForward: The LRTA’s campaigning arm. The Model Railway Club, Keen House, Calshot Street, London, N1 9DA. GBP2. (LRTA) Saturday 27. Nottingham 14.00. Visit Nottingham Tram depots. Beeston Scout Hut, NG9 1GA. Contact: alo@tlrs.info. (TLRS) Saturday 27. Westhoughton 14.00. Arthur Dawson: Garden Tramway Visit, G scale. Westhoughton, BL5 2ED. Contact: alo@tlrs.info GBP2.00 inc. light refreshments. (TLRS)

AUGUST

AGM Charleroi: Now available for booking

Details of the AGM weekend and a booking form can now be found on the LRTA website (www.lrta.org). The bookings are being handled by Mapmaker and include details of accommodation, travel, and trips planned for the weekend.

Members can book for 2-4 days and the booking includes breakfast, reception and the AGM dinner.

The AGM itself will be held in the Novotel from 14.00 on Friday 27 September.

Reports and the accounts will be available on the website in the members’ area from 13 September.

The following members of Council and positions are up for election: Treasurer (currently Tim Kendell), plus three ordinary members (Carl Isgar, Jim Harkins and Mike Willsher).

Any members who would like to nominate or stand for the Treasurer and ordinary member roles must send details with a proposer and seconder, plus agreement to stand, to the Secretary at: lrta.london.area@ gmail.com by 12.00 on 26 July.

Members wishing to submit resolutions to the AGM must do so together with the required number of signatures by 26 July.

Any member not able to attend may do so by video, but will not be able to vote. Any member wishing to vote by proxy must submit the proxy form (available on the website) to the Secretary by 25 September.

To keep up to date with announcements for the 2024

Saturday 31. Nottingham 14.00. Modelling Session – Bring along what is on your bench. Beeston Scout Hut, NG9 1GA. Contact: alo@tlrs.info. (TLRS)

SEPTEMBER

Thursday 5. Brentford 14.30. Alan Murray: USA including heritage sites. London Museum of Water and Steam, TW8 0EN. Contact: thamesvalley@tlrs.

please see: https://www.lrta.org/

info. GBP5 inc. refreshments. (TLRS) Saturday 21. Coatbridge 13.00. Scottish trams show and tell & talk. Summerlee Museum, ML5 1QD. Contact: scotland@tlrs.info. (TLRS) Saturday 28. Nottingham 14.00. Paul Coles: The TLRS Archive – East Midlands. Beeston Scout Hut, NG9 1GA

Contact: alo@tlrs.info (TLRS) Saturday 28. Garstang 14.00. Model builders’ workshop. St. Thomas’ Church Hall, PR3 1PA. Contact: alo@ tlrs.info. GBP2 inc. refreshments. (TLRS)

A report on the 2023 AGM in Sunderland, UK, featured in the December 2023 issue of TAUT (1032).

AGM,

LEFT: LRTA Chair Paul Rowen (right) and Treasurer Kim Kendell (left) together with two of the LRTA members who enjoyed a tour on Dublin’s LUAS system in May.

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The Tramways of Upper Silesia A Guidebook

Tells the story of a truly remarkable network in a region of Poland rich in mineral resources, which has survived the risk of closure and become an important player in the regional transport infrastructure.

> A4 softback, 240 pages, 300+ black & white and colour pictures plus large-scale folding track plan.

£38.50 (UK); £45.00 (outside UK); £49.50 (Airmail Z1); £55.00 (Airmail Z2/3); LRTA Members: £3.50 discount

Japan Tram Atlas

A comprehensive review of the tramways and trolleybuses of Japan with superb track maps for every system. Details of the car types operated and the routes on which they run are covered. English and German text.

> A4 softback; 272 pages, 423 colour and black & white pictures, 48 track maps.

£36.50 (UK); £46.50 (outside UK); £56.50 (Airmail Z1);

£61.50 (Airmail Z2/3); LRTA Members: £3.25 discount

Urban Rail in Canada

Metro, Subway, Light Rail, Tram, Streetcar, Commuter Rail

This Robert Schwandl handbook covers all the urban rail networks across this vast country, contrasting the Montréal and Toronto systems with newer lines in smaller cities. German and English text.

> B5 softback, 160 pages, 300+ colour pictures, 21 maps.

£26.00 (UK); £31.50 (outside UK); £36.00 (Airmail Z1);

£40.00 (Airmail Z2/3); LRTA Members: £2.30 discount

Tramways in Milan in

Colour (1954-1978)

I tram di Milano – Immagini a colori (1954-1978)

Third in the series of colour albums exploring the fascinating combination of urban and interurban tramways in and around Milan. The variety of rolling stock is amazing and is richly illustrated. English and Italian text.

> A4 hardback, 144 pages, 176 colour pictures plus two maps.

£33.50 (UK); £40.00 (outside UK); £47.50 (Airmail Z1);

£52.50 (Airmail Z2/3); LRTA Members: £3.00 discount

Might Have Been Trams and Tramways

This fascinating book details all the UK tram schemes that failed to see the light of day.

> A4 softback; 192 pages; 116 colour and 119 black & white pictures; 117 maps.

£23.00 (UK); £30.00 (outside UK);

£37.50 (Airmail Z1);

£42.00 (Airmail Z2/3); LRTA Members: £2.00 discount

Tram Atlas Türkei | Turkiye

The latest new volume in the useful series of Robert Schwandl handbooks, covering the metro, light rail and tram networks of the 14 principal cities of this fast-growing country. Includes descriptions for each line plus rolling stock details. German and English text.

> B5 softback, 80 pages, 133 colour pictures, 25 maps.

£18.00 (UK); £23.50 (outside UK); £28.00 (Airmail Z1);

£32.00 (Airmail Z2/3); LRTA Members: £1.45 discount

For further details of all these books go to our website.

Order direct from the website shown (not from the LRTA)

Aberdeen by Tram

In photographs by E N C Haywood

An enjoyable album featuring the trams of Scotland’s third city during their final years, contrasting the handsome streamlined bogie and two-axle cars with the elderly pre-war fleet and second-hand acquisitions.

> B5 softback, landscape format; 48 pages; 53 full-page colour and black & white pictures. Available from:

£12.95 – www.stenlake.co.uk