Harpur Hill, Buxton, SK17 9JN Telephone: 01298 218000 Facsimile: 01298 218590 E Mail: [email protected] A survey of UK tram and light railway systems relating to the wheel/rail interface FE/04/14 Project Leader: E J Hollis Author(s): E J Hollis PhD CEng MIMechE Science Group: Engineering Control DISTRIBUTION HSE/HMRI: Dr D Hoddinott Customer Project Officer/HM Railway Inspectorate Mr E Gilmurray HIDS12F Research Management LIS (9) HSL: Dr N West HSL Operations Director Dr M Stewart Head of Field Engineering Section Author PRIVACY MARKING: D Available to the public HSL report approval: Dr M Stewart Date of issue: 14 March 2006 Job number: JR 32107 Registry file: FE/05/2003/21511 (Box 433) Electronic filename: Report FE-04-14.doc © Crown Copyright (2006) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To the people listed below, and their colleagues, I would like to express my thanks for all for the help given: Blackpool Borough Council Brian Vaughan Blackpool Transport Ltd Bill Gibson Croydon Tramlink Jim Snowdon Dockland Light Railway Keith Norgrove Manchester Metrolink Steve Dale Tony Dale Mark Howard Mark Terry (now with Rail Division of Mott Macdonald) Midland Metro Des Coulson Paul Morgan Fred Roberts Andy Steel (retired) National Tram Museum David Baker Geoffrey Claydon Mike Crabtree Allan Smith Nottingham Express Transit Clive Pennington South Yorkshire Supertram Ian Milne Paul Seddon Steve Willis Tyne & Wear Metro (Nexus) Jim Davidson Peter Johnson David Walker Parsons Brinkerhoff/Permanent Way Institution Joe Brown iii Manchester Metropolitan University Simon Iwnicki Julian Snow Paul Allen Transdev Edinburgh Tram Andy Wood HM Railway Inspectorate Dudley Hoddinott Dave Keay Ian Raxton iv CONTENTS 1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 1 2 Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramway......................................................................... 3 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 System details................................................................................................................ 3 2.3 Trackwork ..................................................................................................................... 6 2.4 Vehicles....................................................................................................................... 10 2.5 Operations information ............................................................................................... 12 2.6 Operating Challenges .................................................................................................. 12 2.7 Figures.........................................................................................................................14 3 Croydon Tramlink .................................................................................................. 27 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 27 3.2 System details.............................................................................................................. 27 3.3 Trackwork ................................................................................................................... 32 3.4 Vehicles....................................................................................................................... 37 3.5 Operations information ............................................................................................... 39 3.6 Operating Challenges .................................................................................................. 40 3.7 Figures.........................................................................................................................41 4 Docklands Light Railway ....................................................................................... 59 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 59 4.2 System details.............................................................................................................. 60 4.3 Trackwork ................................................................................................................... 66 4.4 Vehicles....................................................................................................................... 73 4.5 Operations information ............................................................................................... 75 4.6 Operating Challenges .................................................................................................. 76 4.7 Figures.........................................................................................................................77 5 Manchester Metrolink ............................................................................................ 98 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 98 5.2 System details.............................................................................................................. 98 5.3 Trackwork ................................................................................................................. 100 5.4 Vehicles..................................................................................................................... 104 5.5 Operating Challenges ................................................................................................ 107 5.6 Figures....................................................................................................................... 109 6 Midland Metro...................................................................................................... 121 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 121 6.2 System details............................................................................................................ 121 6.3 Trackwork ................................................................................................................. 123 6.4 Vehicles..................................................................................................................... 128 6.5 Operations information ............................................................................................. 131 6.6 Operating Challenges ................................................................................................ 131 6.7 Figures....................................................................................................................... 132 7 National Tramway Museum................................................................................. 147 7.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 147 7.2 System details............................................................................................................ 147 7.3 Trackwork ................................................................................................................. 149 7.4 Vehicles..................................................................................................................... 151 7.5 Operations information ............................................................................................. 152 7.6 Operating Challenges ................................................................................................ 153 7.7 Figures....................................................................................................................... 154 8 Nottingham Express Transit ................................................................................ 162 8.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 162 v 8.2 System details............................................................................................................ 162 8.3 Trackwork ................................................................................................................. 167 8.4 Vehicles..................................................................................................................... 171 8.5 Operations information ............................................................................................. 173 8.6 Operating Challenges ................................................................................................ 173 8.7 Figures....................................................................................................................... 174 9 South Yorkshire Supertram ................................................................................. 196 9.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 196 9.2 System details............................................................................................................ 196 9.3 Trackwork ................................................................................................................. 201 9.4 Vehicles..................................................................................................................... 206 9.5