THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com MARCH 2018 NO. 963 AARHUS LEADS DANISH CLIMATE COMMITMENT Energy efficiency: Battery tech and power saving China – Wuhan opens second tramway Grand Paris project faces tough audit UK to create dedicated LRT safety body M idland Metro M anx marks 125 03> £4.60 Regional growth for MER prepares its UK ‘under-achiever’ celebratory season 9 771460 832067 “The presentations, “The 12th Annual Light Rail networking, logistics Conference quite clearly and atmosphere were marked a coming of age Manchester excellent. There was a as the leader on light rail common agreement worldwide, as evidenced among the participants by the depth of analysis 17-18 July 2018 that the UK Light Rail from quality speakers and Conference is one of the active participation of the best in the industry.” key industry players and simcha Ohrenstein – suppliers in the discussions.” ctO, Jerusalem Lrt Ian Brown cBe – The UK Light Rail Conference and exhibition is the transit Masterplan Director, UKtram premier knowledge-exchange event in the industry. With a wide range of presentations, panel debates “An excellent conference and unrivalled networking opportunities, it is as always. Well done for Voices well-known as the place to do business and build such a well-organised and V from the valuable and long-lasting relationships. highly-informative event.” David hand – Global industry… Lead for Lrt & Divisional There is no better place to gain true insight into Director, Mott MacDonald the workings of the sector and help shape its future. “I had a great time in Manchester. Thank you for everything, the conference t o discuss how you can be part of it, ORGANISED BY was a great success.” ana M. Moreno – visit us online at www.mainspring.co.uk General Manager, or telephone +44 (0) 1733 367600 tranvía de Zaragoza SUPPORTED BY CONTENTS T he official journal of the Light Rail Transit Association MARCH 2018 Vol. 81 No. 963 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL EDITOR – Simon Johnston 98 [email protected] ASSOCIATE EDITOr – Tony Streeter [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR – Michael Taplin 104 [email protected] NEWS EDITOr – John Symons [email protected] SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR – Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS T ony Bailey, Richard Felski, Ed Havens, Andrew Moglestue, Paul Nicholson, Herbert Pence, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Alain Senut, Vic Simons, Witold Urbanowicz, Bill Vigrass, 88 Thomas Wagner, Rick Wilson PRODUCTION – Lanna Blyth NEWS 84 MANX ELEctric RAILWAY at 125 102 T el: +44 (0)1733 367604 Wuhan opens second tramline; Amsterdam Andrew Scarffe examines the remarkable [email protected] completes Noord-Zuidlijn; UK to form light history of the Isle of Man’s tram service and DESIGN – Debbie Nolan rail safety and standards board; Kawasaki looks to this year’s 125th celebrations. ADVertiSING wins MTA Subway order; National auditor COMMERCIAL ManageR – Geoff Butler concerns over Grand Paris Express; New SYSTEMS FACTFILE: MIDLAND METRO 104 Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 homes sought for Helsinki’s Variotram fleet. Neil Pulling explores the tramway’s role [email protected] in realising the potential for one the UK’s PUBLISHER – Matt Johnston TRAMS RETURN TO AARHUS 88 biggest population concentrations. Tramways & Urban Transit TAUT explores the construction and 13 Orton Enterprise Centre, Bakewell Road, operations of Denmark’s first modern light W ORLDWIDE REVIEW 110 Peterborough PE2 6XU, UK rail system – and looks to the future. Ouragla trams on test; Rio starts work on Tramways & Urban Transit is published by Mainspring VLT line 3; Leipzig Mayor proposes new on behalf of the LRTA on the third Friday of each ELSEWHERE IN DENMARK... 95 sub-surface link; Turkey to launch national month preceding the cover date. Reviewing the latest progress on LRT smartcard; Bath confirms tram viability; projects in Odense and Copenhagen. St Louis unveils north-south LRT plans. TRACTION CURRENT EXPLAINED 98 mailbox 115 PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION David Gibson considers how power supply Queries over the RAIB’s Sandilands report; Warners (Midlands) plc, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK can be simplified and made more efficient. high-floor benefits; driver vigilance systems. LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up TRAN SIT BATTERY INNOVATION 100 CLA SSIC TRAMS: W CLASS HEroES 116 members of the Light Rail Transit Association. Dr Nick Mallison appraises the latest Mike Russell’s Australian tour continues with SUBSCriPTIONS, MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES advances in onbard energy storage. a brief history of the iconic W Class tramcars. A ND BACK ISSUES LRT A Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. Rules, regulations and rigorous reporting T el: +44 (0)117 951 7785 [email protected] Website: www.lrta.info In the immediate aftermath of the tragic derailment at Sandilands in London, 14 months ago we echoed the thoughts of many when we called for FOR CORPORATE SuBSCRIPTIONS VISIT a ‘swift and rigorous’ investigation into the causes of the accident that killed www.mainspring.co.uk seven and injured so many more (TAUT 949). It was vital, we argued, to make LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE sure that any learning could be shared as soon as practicable, not just within 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling DA16 2BY, UK. the UK industry but also for the benefit of tramway and light rail operators everywhere. Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 Rigorous the 170-plus-page final report from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch in England and Wales. may be, but its production has sadly not been swift. Occurring on a segregated section of LRTA CHAIRMAN – Andrew Braddock Tramlink, with fewer complexities from external factors at play, this investigation should [email protected] not have been massively time-consuming. Indeed, the various networks did react © LRTA 2018 swiftly to some of the early recommendations – many months before the final version was published in December. This is encouraging, as is the fact that the UK’s Office of Rail Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution and Road is driving the creation of a new safety and standards body for the industry. is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the Hindsight is of course wonderful, but at a time when UK safety and regulation processes opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of are under scrutiny more generally (following the fire in London’s Grenfell residential the LRTA or Mainspring. All rights reserved. tower block and other incidents), it is worth having the debate about where these bodies No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in should sit. I would argue that they need to be independent, but with sensible levels of any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and industry input; and in our case not just a division of either a heavy rail or highways- retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from focused agency where there may be a temptation to apply inappropriate standards. the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the Going back to Sandilands, as we must never lose sight of the impacts of any fatality, magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. there will inevitably be calls for a technological answer to future system safety. But it is once again important to remember that a tram is not a train, or a bus, and that such COVER: Denmark has joined the LRT revolution as solutions might not need to be overly complex (as it appears some are suggesting). There is it aims for a zero-carbon future. Aarhus 1105 uses plenty for a new safety body to consider, to learn, and to share... Simon Johnston, Editor the flyover near the control centre. Aarhus Letbane www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MARCH 2018 / 83 News Wuhan opens its second tramway Guanggu trams run fare-free trials in January he first sections of Six routes will be operated the Guanggu (Optics eventually, using 26 trams. Valley) tram system A southern extension from opened on 18 January Fuzoling is proposed. Tfor fare-free trials: line T1 from This system is separate from Huazhong University to Fuzoling the Auto City line T1 opened in (12km/7.5 miles) and line T2 July 2017 in the western suburbs from Tangxunhu City railway as a feeder to metro line 3, and station to Optics Valley Botanical has a different design of 34.8m Garden (19.6km/12.2 miles). five-section tram from CRRC Optics Valley (Donghu New Changchun (the 21 trams for Technology Development Zone) T1 came from CRRC Zhuzhou); is China’s biggest photoelectrical 20 of the cars were assembled industry site. locally by Wuhan Zhongchang These lines in the eastern Ruian Industrial. The cars are suburbs will feed metro line 2 equipped with onboard energy and have a 2.5km (1.5-mile) storage for operation without shared section that includes overhead. a remarkable partly-covered The network is predicted to A CRRC-built tram on a surface section of the new Optics Valley system in elevated triangular junction. carry 10 000 passengers/day. Wuhan. The lines are on surface private right-of-way or viaduct. CN-Wuhan Amsterdam completes Noord-Zuidlijn New Tyne & Wear fleet After 15 years of work, necessary to ‘anchor’ tunnel construction of Amsterdam’s sections to maintain their to have ‘battery boost’ north-south metro, designated location. Further delays were line 52, was completed on 11 caused by the bankruptcy of The replacement metro trains which have carried passengers January. City transport operator contractors Royal Imtech and for the UK’s Tyne & Wear Metro since the system’s 1980 GVB is to begin passenger Oskomera Group.