Tram/Train – why are we waiting? ….
Tram/Train for our line would be brilliant!
After all the disappointment of having our services downgraded:
- when the line through Sale was handed over to Metrolink in 1990, and then again:
- in December 2008, when the Department for Transport (DfT) allocated more of the line capacity between Stockport and Manchester for “more and faster trains to London”,
tram/train would allow us to keep the hourly service to Manchester via Stockport, and for the other two trains an hour to go into Manchester on the old route through Sale.
They’d be trains whilst on our line, and trams whilst on Metrolink through Sale.
Tram/Train is a concept well known. It’s been running in Germany since the 1970s, and versions of it are seen in France, Germany & USA.
The UK trial started around 2 years ago on the Penistone Line. Two years later, there’s still no visible signs of anything happening.
So, why are we waiting?
Whilst we wait, here’s some pictures I took on my mobile phone last Friday of tram/train in …. England.
Yes, England!
Joining Network Rail tracks from the Tyne & Wear Metro tracks at Pelaw
Not a great day for weather and my mobile phone is not the best camera, plus why are the front windows on the Tyne & Wear Metro so often filthy?
A Class 180 passes at line speed - 70 mph
Almost immediately having joined the Network Rail line from Pelaw to Sunderland, we were passed by a Grand Central empty stock class 180 DMU working back to its depot at Heaton, just north east of Newcastle.
The branch to Tyne Dock
Tyne Dock is busy again, currently being used to load imported coal into block freight trains for use in power stations further south.
A passing Tyne & Wear Metro double set
There’s a tram to South Hilton via Sunderland every 12 minutes, in between which run Northern Rail trains up to 2 an hour, plus the Grand Central empty stock workings, plus the freight trains to and from Tyne Dock.
A class 142 Pacer approaches Sunderland
Behind the filth on the front window you can just see a class 142 Pacer emerging from underneath a bridge prior to crossing the River Wear Bridge into Sunderland.
Then it started raining. Definitely not a good day for pictures!
A Grand Central class 180 train heads for Sunderland, then Kings Cross
Back at Pelaw, the rain’s stopped. First GBRf 66713 waits with empties for Tyne Dock to follow the next tram, whilst a double tram set waits in the turn back sidings for its path to return north through Newcastle. Shortly afterwards, 66714 arrived with another train of empties to await its turn to go down for loading.
First GBRf 66713 waits with empties
Meanwhile, Mid-Cheshire’s economy badly needs tram/train to make commuting from places like Northwich and Knutsford much easier into the Manchester City Region. But we have to wait for a UK trial which currently doesn’t seem to be progressing, to trial something that we’re already doing!
Why are we waiting?
1 comment 
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April 10th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
I’ve had a number of emails about the tram/train delays, but it seems none of the authors want to be quoted on the Blog either because they’re not sure of the real reason why we’re waiting, or else because it’s “political”.
Comments have come back along the following lines:
- Tyne & Wear Metro can’t be considered as a trial as it does not involve street running. In that case, why was the Phase 1 Penistone Line Tram/Train trial (now postponed / abandoned?) to be carried out first, as that wouldn’t have run on streets either?
- Tyne & Wear Metro has “Grandfather Rights”, so can’t be considered as a trial. Why not?
- The whole exercise was just a political fudge to delay the Pacer Replacement Programme by 5-10 years. This needed to happen due to heavy overspending elsewhere in England (the South East) with the new trains for Thameslink, Stansted Express and South West Trains, as well as the Pendolino lengthening programme for trains to/from London Euston.
- It was known well before the start that Phase 1 which relied on an “off the shelf” lease of vehicles to run for 5 years only would fail, as there were no such vehicles to be acquired “off the shelf” and no leasing company would have them built specially to then have to take them back after 5 years and then they might not be used elsewhere.
Any more to add to this? Remember, you don’t have to show your name on the Blog, so long as we know who you are ….
So. Why are we (still) waiting?!!