In this week’s news from the light rail sector – Award for Edinburgh Trams engineer, Goose Fair returns to Nottingham, timetable revisions in Sheffield and essential works at Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester.
A bold and ambitious strategy aimed at securing a sustainable future for light rail in the UK is in the running for a prestigious international award.
Published by UKTram, it is shortlisted in the Vision of the Year category at the Global Light Rail Awards, which are set to be presented at a gala event in London next week.
James Hammett, UKTram Managing Director, commented: “We’re delighted that the strategy has caught the eye of award judges and to be shortlisted for an award at such a prestigious event will surely raise the profile of this landmark piece of work.”
Drawing on expertise from across the sector the strategy document can be downloaded here, and you can read the full story on its inclusion on the awards shortlist here.
In other light rail news:
Edinburgh Trams
An Assistant Engineering Manager at Edinburgh Trams has been named Frontline Employee of the Year at a prestigious awards event that recognises excellence in the Scottish transport sector.
Stuart Mearns has already been hailed as a ‘lifesaver’ by colleagues for administering first aid to a member of the public involved in a collision with a fast-moving train.
Last night (September 29) his performance was recognised at the Scottish Transport Awards during a gala event that also saw Edinburgh Trams being Highly Commended in the Operator of the Year category. Click here to read the full story.
NET
As Nottingham prepares for the return of the iconic Goose Fair the city’s tramway has outlined some of the ticket deals, extra services and updated park-and-ride arrangements that will be in place to help residents and visitors enjoy ‘all the fun of the fair’.
After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, Goose Fair returns to the Forest Recreation Ground today and will run for an extended ten-day period.
NET is putting a range of measures in place to support the fair’s triumphant return to the city and further details can be found here.
Sheffield Supertram
Yellow, Blue and Purple routes are to see some minor timetable changes from 9th October.
Although the times that services depart and arrive at stops will vary during the day and particularly in the late evening, the actual frequency of services will remain unchanged.
Trams on Yellow and Blue routes will operate up to every 12 minutes during the day, Monday to Saturday, and up to every 20 minutes early morning and Sunday daytime. Trams will operate every 30 minutes in the evening.
Tram Train will remain at two services per hour and Purple services will also remain unchanged. Full details can be found here.
Manchester Metrolink
From Sunday, October 23 until Saturday, October 29, essential points renewal work will take place at Piccadilly Gardens tram stop.
During the works, no trams will serve Piccadilly Gardens, Market Street and Shudehill and a replacement bus service will operate between the affected stops.
Click here for further information.
Tyne & Wear Metro
The first new Tyne and Wear Metro train has been captured on video being put through its paces at the Stadler test track in Switzerland.
The new train, one of the first in the new £362m Metro fleet to be completed, can be seen here running along a special test track.
It is being put through a process of what is known as dynamic and static testing at Stadler’s train test facility in Erlen and you can read more here.
Extension Projects
New drivers set to operate trams to Newhaven, once the line is open next year, are already in training, thanks to a state-of-the art, custom-built simulator.
A bespoke, full-size replica cab unit is in place at Gogar Tram Depot in Edinburgh, where prospective drivers can experience almost five kilometres of new track as well as the existing route from Edinburgh Airport to St Andrew Square, complete with lifelike imagery and landmarks along the route.
As part of ‘The Academy’, Edinburgh Trams’ new purpose-built learning and development facility, the simulator will help trainees increase hazard awareness through inbuilt scenarios and you can read the full story here.
LRSSB
Plans to further develop a comprehensive, sector-wide risk model have received a major boost with a key appointment by the organisation responsible for driving light rail safety.
Laura Reardon has joined the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board as Head of Safety Risk Management and will also be responsible for working closely with individual networks on the administration, development and implementation of their own models, as well as the national project.
Having worked in the rail industry for 13 years, she brings a wealth of experience to the new role. Previously Laura has worked for Atkins SNC-Lavalin and you can read more here.
To be included in the next round-up, or the Members News section of the UKTram website, send your press releases to info@uktram.org.