Tyne and Wear: Metro 40 Years On
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THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com OCTOBER 2020 NO. 994 TYNE AND WEAR: METRO 40 YEARS ON 1980-2020: How the UK pioneer is still breaking new ground VDV Tram-Train tender for 504 LRVs Los Angeles accelerates LRT expansion Phuket light rail delayed until 2026 What does it cost? Rail masterclass £4.60 Pitfalls in preparing Contrasting renewal LRT business cases and repair methods Pre Metro Operations provides rail-based solutions. And we’ve got a proven track record. Our award-winning operation in Stourbridge has industry-leading reliability and future-proof green credentials, so you can breathe easily. We integrate seamlessly with other modes - and you can depend on us to be there. Our light rail model can link into new business and residential developments, connecting people with places easily. Breathing new life into old rail lines can provide new exciting links for congestion-free, hassle-free journeys. Integrated smart-ticketing for simple hopping between modes. No parking worries. Less emissions. A green future for us all. premetro.co.uk [email protected] Say hello and we'll have a chat about how we can bring our cost-effective experience and vision to your area. 01384 441325 THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE Nottingham Operating in SYSTEMS a competitive transport network, the Nottingham UNITED KINGDOM www.lrta.org FACTFILE Express Transit tram www.tautonline.com system has attracted No. Nottingham, significant local support for further 2020 N O. 994 United Kingdom Nottingham OCTOBER 156 expansion. SUB SCRIBE NOW! TYNE AND WEAR: METRO 40 YEARS ON Now in its 83rd year, Tramways & Urban Transit is he East Midlands city Totalling 14.4km (nine miles), the of Nottingham (UK) is The expanded the world’s leading monthly publication dedicated solely to route greatly relied upon access to on Radford Road, is the longer of located around 200km NET system added two sections where NET follows the heavy rail alignments. At the system’s outer residential (125 miles) by rail north route of the city’s first-generation northern end, from NET’s Wilkinson and employment from London’s St Pancras Street depot and control centre to tramway. The other is a short section International.T Mainly situated within centres. On the Hucknall, the tramway was and between the Theatre Royal (Royal the Nottingham City Council area, Clifton line in remains on segregated tracks next to Wilford on 20 July Centre stop) and Old Market Square Nottingham Express Transit (NET) an active railway; the short branch 2020, Citadis 229 where the original electric tramway lines extend to some adjoining from Highbury Vale to Phoenix Park carries the name (1901-36) had a complex junction Nottinghamshire local government terminus used redundant trackbed. of the Clifton-born serving four directions. This area was areas. The 2019 city population Nottingham Forest This contains the only stop on also a convergence of the municipal estimate was 332 900, although 2011 and England single-track serving both directions, trolleybus system which lasted from national census data identified footballer, Viv 19802020: How the UK pioneer is still breaking new ground Cinderhill, the name recalling a 1927 until 1966. 729 977 in the conurbation, then the Anderson MBE. colliery which closed in 1986. Old Market Square and the domed light and urban rail developments. VDV Tram-Train tender for 504 LRVs UK’s ninth-most populous urban area. Today’s system has considerable Council House building represent The current NET network, two street-running and space shared with Nottingham’s civic core. From here north-south routes with a common other traffic, although the first phase track heading south rises then falls Los Angeles accelerates LRT expansion core, was created in two distinct had only around 4km (2.5 miles) on- through parts of the city’s oldest stages with over 11 years between street. This included divergence to a areas. Avoiding conflict with road the two openings. Construction of Phuket light rail delayed until 2026 pair of one-way single tracks between traffic and staying clear of what has ‘Line One’ began in summer 2000, become a redevelopment area, a level £4.60 The Forest and Wilkinson Street stops. opening to passengers in March 2004. The more westerly of these, city-bound Words and pictures is maintained by a 300m viaduct by Neil Pulling. What does it cost? Rail masterclass on the Great Central Railway (GCR) Contrasting renewal Pitfalls in preparing 392 / OCTOBER 2020 www.tautonline.com. www.lrta.org LRT business cases and repair methods 392-396_TAUT2009_SF_Nottingham.indd 1 07/09/2020 13:58 07/09/2020 13:02 369_TAUT2010_cover.indd 1 We deliver comprehensive worldwide news and analysis, incisive technology features and key interviews with leading industry figures each and every month. Either in print or digitally, don’t miss out. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Personal membership with TAUT subscription: For Personal membership online payments: www.lrta.info/personal To December 2021 (14 issues) For details of Student membership and other enquiries please email UK £61.02 Europe £81.55 [email protected] International £85.05 Personal membership with TAUT and Tramway Review: Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms To December 2021 (14 TAUT + 5 TR) Forename........................................................... 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Tramway Review: To December 2021 (14 issues + 5 TR) £58.21 I enclose a cheque for £ ............................................. payable to ‘LRTA Subscriptions’ Please complete this form and send it with your payment to: LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK OCTOBER 2020 OCTOBER CONTENTS T he official journal of the Light Rail 379 Transit Association OCTOBER 2020 Vol. 83 No. 994 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL EDITOR – Simon Johnston 373 [email protected] ASSOCIATE EDITOr – Tony Streeter [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR – Michael Taplin 404 [email protected] NEWS EDITOr – John Symons [email protected] SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR – Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS R ichard Felski, Ed Havens, Andrew Moglestue, Paul Nicholson, Herbert Pence, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Alain Senut, Vic Simons, Witold Urbanowicz, Bill Vigrass, Francis Wagner, Thomas Wagner, Philip Webb, Rick Wilson PRODUCTION – Lanna Blyth NEWS 373 systems factfile: nottingham 392 T el: +44 (0)1733 367604 VDV Tram-Train tender released; Muni Neil Pulling revisits Nottingham to explore [email protected] Metro closed until 2021; LA to accelerate how NET has attracted significant local DESIGN – Debbie Nolan rail projects; Jena chooses Stadler’s Tramlink; support for further expansion. ADVertiSING Phuket LRT delayed by two years. COMMERCIAL ManageR – Geoff Butler W ORLDWIDE REVIEW 398 Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 LRT COST MYTHS BUSTED 377 First rails laid in Liège; Rheinbahn halts new [email protected] Mathew Taylor explains just a few of the fleet deliveries; Olsztyn line 2 contractor PUBLISHER – Matt Johnston reasons why ‘back of a napkin’ costings for appointed; Kazan completes orbital tramline; Tramways & Urban Transit LRT schemes can do more harm than good. Signalling award for South Wales Metro; 13 Orton Enterprise Centre, Bakewell Road, Sacramento expansion rejected; Pandemic Peterborough PE2 6XU, UK HAPPY BIRTHDAY METRO! 379 support donations pour into Crich. Tramways & Urban Transit is published by Mainspring TAUT begins a two-part celebration of the on behalf of the LRTA on the third Friday of each UK’s LRT pioneer, looking at the genesis and MAILBOX 403 month preceding the cover date. recent rebirth of the Tyne and Wear Metro. Can the lightweight VLR model work elsewhere? Alternatives for Tramlink. SECOND CHANCES COUNT... 388 PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION In the third part of our rail masterclass CLASSIC TRAMS: the tatra T II 404 Warners (Midlands), Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK series, Daniel Pyke explores and contrasts Mike Russell begins his chronicles of the life tramway maintenance philosophies. of this significant Eastern European tramcar. LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up members of the Light Rail Transit Association. Spending wisely,