Scrapping trams from Birmingham

grahame

Administrator
Hero Member

Posts: 43080

Scrapping trams from Birmingham

« on: February 22, 2018, 08:41:20 »

From the Express and Star

Electric rolling stock scrapped at just 20 years old ... seems such a shame. Would love to have seen some lightweight knitting put up so that they could (perhaps) have run on the Thames Valley branches where speed is not of the essence, and in each case they could be isolated from heavy rail when carrying passengers.

Quote

The original Midland Metro tram fleet has been sold for scrap – but two survivors are set for a new journey

Thirteen Ansaldo T69 trams have been sold for £12,000 via an e-auction by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

However two from the fleet of 15 put up for auction have been found new homes.

One, Tram 7, has been donated to UK^▸ Tram, the British tram industry body. ...


	Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member

JayMac

Data Manager
Hero Member

Posts: 19245

Re: Scrapping trams from Birmingham

« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2018, 08:56:46 »

Perhaps is a bit optimistic.

Every TV branch station would have required major modification, lowering all platforms, to accept these trams. Signalling systems would need changing. Then there's the staff training. That'll go down well with commuters - more disruption as another rolling stock type is introduced to the TV. And then the suitability of the trams. Speed may not be high on the branches but 43 mph max trams would struggle to match current timings. Then passenger comfort. Just 56 seats, versus around 170 in a two car Turbo.

Not the right solution by a long way for TV branches.


« Last Edit: February 22, 2018, 09:02:24 by bignosemac »	Logged

"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."

grahame

Administrator
Hero Member

Posts: 43080

Re: Scrapping trams from Birmingham

« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2018, 09:14:36 »

Quote from: bignosemac on February 22, 2018, 08:56:46

Perhaps is a bit optimistic.

[snip]

Not the right solution by a long way for TV branches.

Indeed - and I'm sure that if they had been the right solution, someone would have spotted how the jigsaw pieces come together and at least suggested fitting them in. But if asking "what if" 5 times about different things brings 4 replies of "don't be silly" and one "yes - hadn't though of that - what a good idea" then it's worth asking!


	Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member

Bmblbzzz

Transport Scholar
Hero Member

Posts: 4256

Re: Scrapping trams from Birmingham

« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2018, 09:19:38 »

Not even 20 years, only 16: 1998-2014 according to that story. Perhaps we could have had them in Bristol for Mayor Marvin's Marvellous Metro? Cheesy


	Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.

grahame

Administrator
Hero Member

Posts: 43080

Re: Scrapping trams from Birmingham

« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2018, 09:35:16 »

Quote from: Bmblbzzz on February 22, 2018, 09:19:38

Not even 20 years, only 16: 1998-2014 according to that story. Perhaps we could have had them in Bristol for Mayor Marvin's Marvellous Metro? Cheesy

Yep - I worded what I wrote carefully - withdrawn after just 16 years in service, stored for 4 years so now 20 years old.


	Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member

Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

Pages: [1]

« previous next »