In this week’s news from the light rail sector – West Midlands Metro names new tram after entrepreneurs, free books on Manchester Metrolink, enlargement of DLR depot given the green light, tram ticket offers for rugby fans in Edinburgh and the LRSSB appoints a data analyst. 

UKTram

The management and replacement of embedded track assets was the key topic at a recent, well attended meeting, of light rail engineers from across the UK.

In total, 37 members of UKTram Light Rail Engineering Group took part in the event, either in person or online, that was held at the Manchester Metrolink depot and Transport for Greater Manchester offices. Further details about the meeting and an associated best practice workshop can be found here.

In other light rail news:

Docklands Light Railway

Plans to enlarge the DLR’s Beckton Depot to provide a new maintenance building and expanded stabling capability have been given the green light to proceed.

As reported here, Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that Morgan Sindall Infrastructure will be the main delivery partner for these major works.

The expansion of the depot and the additional sidings forms part of the larger DLR train programme that will see 54 new, five-car DLR trains start to enter service from 2024.

West Midlands Metro

A new West Midlands Metro tram has been named after twin entrepreneurs and philanthropists who established a West Midlands business that now invests in real estate and growth capital around the world.

Roy and Don Richardson’s development activity, which famously included the Merry Hill Shopping Centre and Star City in Birmingham, has created tens of thousands of jobs in the region over many years.

As well as being business giants, Roy, who is 92, and Don, who passed away in 2007, are also being recognised for their work through the Richardson Brothers Foundation and you can read the full story here.

Edinburgh Trams

With some of the greatest rugby rivalries being played out at BT Murrayfield this month, fans are being urged to avoid being stuck in traffic on matchdays by making the most of the city’s tram system.

Edinburgh Trams is planning to boost its service frequency to every three minutes before and after Scotland take the field against two of Europe’s top rugby teams.

The first match kicks off on Sunday, March 12, with the Scots taking on Ireland and anyone heading for the game can take advantage of the operator’s special rugby ticket offers, which have already proved popular with fans travelling for previous internationals. To read more, click here.

Manchester Metrolink

Commuters travelling across Manchester’s Metrolink network enjoyed a special treat last week as thousands of free books wer given away on the city’s trams to celebrate World Book Day® and help promote a love of reading amongst children and their families.

The book give-away – a partnership between charity World Book Day®, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the National Literacy Trust (NLT) and Manchester City Council saw thousands of free reads placed on tram seats.

For the full story, click here.

Heritage

To say thank you for the £30m raised for good causes every week by players, The National Lottery is offering free entry and special offers at a range of venues it supports, including Seaton Tramway.

As part of The National Lottery Open Week, from Saturday 18th – Sunday 26th March, anyone with a valid ticket or scratchcard can enjoy exclusive offers at Lottery-funded venues and attractions and you can read more here.

LRSSB

The upgrade of a comprehensive Tramway Accident and Incident Reporting (TAIR) system has been boosted with the appointment of a dedicated data analyst by the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board.

Mohamed Hefny joins the organisation responsible for enhancing light rail safety having recently completed an MSc in Business Analytics at Aston University. His studies built on his previous experience as a software engineer working with a global team developing human-machine interface systems in the automotive industry.

Following a significant investment by the LRSSB, a major upgrade to TAIR is now nearing completion, and the appointment of a dedicated data analyst will help ensure that operators are able to make the most of the pioneering system. The full story can be found on the LRSSB website 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.