Sheffield-Rotherham Tram-Train!

[@timosha21]

Ding ding! I'm a tram 🚋 and I approve this video! Great footage!

[@tobeytransport2802]

12:54 I like how it has a barrier to stop you crossing because it’s a railway but the platform is tram heights

[@tobeytransport2802]

16:55 I love how she says “stay well away from platform 1” as if the tram will come in at highspeed and knock you off your feet!

[@davebirch1976]

The reason why the height of the tram platform at Rotherham is lower is because the tram trains have to use the same stops as the regular supertram from tinsley/meadowhall south into Sheffield, because the regular supertram has been in service since the early 90s the new tram trains had to be built to the same low floor specification Also when it joins the train tracks it also has to change voltage as the railway overhead wires are different voltage to the tram ones (you might have noticed the lights dim then go back to normal as it swapped over)

[@johnblack9073]

Actually the voltage (750) is common to both tram and the railway section but the overhead and the trams are designed for 25k ac should network rail electrify the local network

[@fetchstixRHD]

While there's a neutral section there, either side is still 750V as was mentioned. I believe the question was more that Manchester should have had the tram-trains first (seeing as they're the only high-floor tram operator) rather than somewhere like Sheffield - though, with that said, believe there was a deliberate choice to aim for somewhere that had low floor trams...

[@wc2512]

Let's see how long it takes to see tram-trains in Manchester. (plans are for them to go to places such as Stockport and Glossop but how long do we need to wait?)

[@DavidFrankal]

*Laughs in Karlsruhe* Stay tuned for the Karlsruhe Tram-Train, coming soon...

[@thedayandude3621]

Living in Karlsruhe I was about to say those tram-trains look eerily familiar. Nice video!

[@dave8484able]

When do you think these vehicles will be on the streets and lines around Manchester. Bare in Mind Manchester have high platforms. Would they just be a variant of the Bombardier M5000s? Maybe an M5000Tt

[@petermichaelgreen]

The M5000 has served manchester well, but the design is getting rather long in the tooth now and the crashworthyness requirements are substantially higher for tram-trains than for plain trams. I would expect any Manchester tram-trains to be designed based on a newer platform. Perhaps similar to the class 398s that have been built (but not yet entered service) for use in south wales.

[@fazelazar0752]

Quite local to me this system. I'm a lady from Barnsley

[@RWL2012]

Great video!

[@Einstein52]

Hello David, thank you for this excellent video report about Sheffield tram-train system. Very good and interesting informations and lovely nice motion pics along the route and the stations, inside and outside the city. - May be i have not got all of your comments, did you say if the voltage of the electric courrent in Britains railways is the same as the Sheffield tram uses? Or is the railcar of tram-train a double voltage unit? -- So best greetings to you from Germany. Günter.

[@viktorcsanyi726]

It is double voltage.

[@dazzla84_ssfc]

Not the only place actually, the Tyne/Wear Metro shares National Rail tracks between Pelaw and Sunderland

[@bfapple]

They have special arrangements; the metro trains are not National Rail standard.

[@tobeytransport2802]

Why don’t they have separate style of announcements for the trams at Rotherham central, it’s different but it isn’t very practical considering trams come at higher frequencies than trains I think the announcements should go something like this “platform 3 - the next tram is for cathedral”

[@petermichaelgreen]

Even counting the tram-trains rotherham central isn't exactly busy. I think it gets something like 3 tram trains and 1 regular train in each direction most of the day.

[@CJT80]

why does the announcer on the Tram-Train sound familiar?... he sounds like a professional not like the voice used on the Sieman's units....

[@jayzo]

So I'm kinda confused by the train section. The units are capable of using both the standard 750V DC that tramways in the UK use and the 25kV AC standard for Railway lines, but the heavy rail section is electrified at 750V DC despite using the 25kV AC rated S2 style OLE that's one of two of Network Rail's "go-to" types of late.

[@DavidFrankal]

That's because only the trams use the overhead wires, the trains that run through this section are all diesel. The wires were installed specifically for the trams.

[@unconventionalideas5683]

That is because the government intends to eventually electrify this section at 25kV AC. The 750VDC is standard on trams around the world, and these ones are no different.

[@declangaming24]

They have different motor spins on the tram train section

[@petermichaelgreen]

In the short term, there was/is no nearby 25kV supply and procuring 25kV AC railway supplies is non-trivial because of phase balance issues. In the long term, NR doesn't want a non-standard electrification scheme to block a future standard scheme. Hence we end up with electrification built to 25kV specs, but fed at 750V.

[@Black_Forest_Julez]

1:39 seems like the flexity trains are now everywhere in the world. I Know them from my hometown Karlsruhe

[@pinderclips5642]

The livery reminds me of the blue swt one.

[@DavidFrankal]

That's because they were both Stagecoach liveries

[@qwertyTRiG]

@@DavidFrankal Yup. The Citylink bus service in Ireland has the same livery.

[@qwertyTRiG]

Parkgate is tram-only, but it's just off the rail line, and the track doesn't cross any roads, so I assume that it uses train-style signalling there.

[@tobeytransport2802]

TRiG (Ireland) the trams also run on the railway for a bit as well

[@declanelrick6381]

the old fleet of Siemens duelwag could go and be replaced by more 399 tram trains with no train stuff and will boost capacity when each old tram goes they will do special services starting with 101 to 125 in that order but will be there until the new trams arrive

[@bfapple]

declan elrick What on earth does this comment mean.

[@declanelrick6381]

@@bfapple what I think will happen when they phase out the old trams in Sheffield

[@bfapple]

@@declanelrick6381 There's no reason why Supertram has to order new (regular) trams from Stadler. They could order from Alstom or any other supplier. I still have no idea what you mean by "special services".

[@declanelrick6381]

@@bfapple like they would go to medowhall to malin bridge herdings park to middlewood like different places

[@bfapple]

declan elrick So... all the places that they normally go anyway? Bit early to be planning a retirement tour.

[@ascasc9957]

It's pronounced Rother-um rather that Rother-ham.

[@neilmartin1531]

Or Roth-rum.

[@maurice]

It's pronounced any way folks' accents come out. I havs a Canadian accented friend who says Birming-ham. I say Coatbridge with first syllable emphasis, which is more rational + physically easier to say.,

[@improvesheffield4824]

Rov-rum actually.😀

[@rodlaughton2318]

No, I’ve never heard “Rov-rum” other than by cockneys or Jamie Oliver... or Sheffielders having a dig. Always Rother-rum or Roth-rum.

[@davebirch1976]

I've noticed most people just drop the "h" Rother'am meadow'all 😂😂

[@libman2006]

I was wondering how they would solve the floor height problem. I was thinking some kind of lifting mechanism on the tram train to raise it to national rail height when on train tracks but this would probably make them less reliable and more liable to tipping from the higher centre of gravity.

[@DavidFrankal]

That would be an incredibly elaborate piece of kit!

[@CJT80]

@14:19 look a Spracer!

[@teviblekhman1628]

What’s a tram train never heard it.

[@DavidFrankal]

There's a bit of an introduction here if you're curious! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKXYZXqOhpdglaM

[@duckydashcam751]

When are you going to do NET?

[@DavidFrankal]

In - 1 years.

[@DavidFrankal]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZrUqH2eaauem5I

[@duckydashcam751]

Ah yes, my bad 😂

[@arzoshanga3089]

Disil pafrom

[@LMB222]

Almost like Karlsruhe 🤣

[@ultimatejaffacakes6876]

They look like old busses

[@vsvnrg3263]

21:30. i'm not getting on that tram!!! i'm not getting on a girly themed pink thing with anorexic rhinoceroses on it.

[@Mike-77-YT]

The PLT theme is just stupid. And it's the first supertram I boarded.

[@vsvnrg3263]

@@theexcaliburone5933 ,i'm sorry for my outburst. that was 2 years ago. ive settled down now. its because i could no longer buy pink cigarette lighters, my favourite colour. my favourite colour because my mates never accidentally pocketed them.

[@theexcaliburone5933]

@@vsvnrg3263 ok sorry ima delete my comment it was kind of mean

[@pgbaines65]

The Manchester one is more of a tram-train then this as it uses old railway tracks and platforms the only difference is they changed the signaling. 😳🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🤠

[@DavidFrankal]

I know what you're saying, but the term "tram-train" has a pretty strict definition, which is that the trams actively share rails with mainline trains. The Manchester Metrolink may use converted rail infrastructure, but it is strictly segregated from the mainline network.

[@toddhunter3137]

@@DavidFrankal Hi David thanks for clearing that up for me too, I did wonder what the actual difference was. Enjoyed the video btw.

[@allenwilliams1306]

@@DavidFrankal This segregation exists, but south of Timperley to Altrincham, the Metrolink trams are actually controlled by the National Rail Deansgate Junction signal box, so there is a bit of a grey area on this section. See the DJ 506 Deansgate Junction label on the photo below - a tram service under the control of National Rail. ps - the DJ box must be a very busy little place, controlling two level crossings as well as the trams, and the passenger and freight trains on the Mid-Cheshire line passing through Altrincham and on to Skelton Junction and Stockport. flic.kr/p/qHfYiU

[@DavidFrankal]

@@allenwilliams1306 Thank you for that, I didn't know this!

[@andrew_ray]

This sort of service is completely illegal in the US because it's extremely dangerous. If that LRV got in a crash with a freight train, it would crumple like a tin can and good bye to everyone on board.

[@DavidFrankal]

These aren't standard LRVs, indeed that would not be legal in the UK either. Tram-Train vehicles are specified with higher crashworthiness standards for that exact reason.

[@andrew_ray]

@@DavidFrankal Ah, good to hear.

[@Einstein52]

The trams in Germany that go onto railways also must have the full security system which railway trains must have. It is self-evident that they cant go on those tracks "on sight" but have to obey railway signals, with automatical stop if they drive over a red signal (german railway stop system "indusi"), and also must have automatic stop system if the driver falls out bye sudden unconsciousness or so (german railway system "Sifa").

[@unconventionalideas5683]

@@Einstein52 Yes. In the US we have a new equivalent in the form of the comparatively quite draconian "Positive Train Control" which blocks all movement in the absence of a maximum travel speed handed down to the train from the computer, and it disallows excessive speeding even if there is a slower limit installed for construction, for example. Some versions enable complete flexibility in setting speed limits and allow trains to safely follow at time intervals instead of distance intervals, which has capacity advantages and safety advantages. Its rollout has not been entirely to plan, though, with some delays and technical issues, unfortunately. It should make the rails much safer when the installation is finished, though.

[@oforid2227]

The curved tracks are terribly designed

[@zaveexixterteen3841]

Oforid222 Official Returns I am intrigued about your opinion on the flaw of the curved track. Please, enlighten me why you feel so!

[@oforid2227]

Don't need to you can tell why straight away

[@user-sc4vr7cx5c]

@@oforid2227 shut up

[@oforid2227]

@@user-sc4vr7cx5c And if i dont...

[@user-sc4vr7cx5c]

@@oforid2227 🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕