British Rail Class 399
| Supertram Citylink British Rail Class 399 |
|
|---|---|
Supertram 202 inside the depot, June 2016
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|
| In service | "Spring 2017" |
| Manufacturer | Vossloh España |
| Built at | Valencia, Spain |
| Family name | Citylink |
| Constructed | 2014–2015 |
| Entered service | 2017- |
| Number under construction | 7 units |
| Fleet numbers | 399201–399207 (TOPS) 201–207 (Supertram) |
| Capacity | 88 (seated) 150 (standing) |
| Operator(s) | Sheffield Supertram |
| Depot(s) | Nunnery depot |
| Line(s) served | Supertram network Dearne Valley Line |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 37.2 m (122 ft 5⁄8 in) (3 sections) |
| Car length | (?) |
| Width | 2.65 m (8 ft 8 3⁄8 in) |
| Height | 3.6 m (11 ft 9 3⁄4 in) |
| Doors |
Plug 4 per end section |
| Articulated sections | 3 |
| Maximum speed | 100 km/h (62 mph) |
| Weight | Approx 66 t (65 long tons; 73 short tons) |
| Traction motors | 6 x 145 kW VEM |
| Acceleration | 1.15 ms−2 |
| Deceleration | 1.2 ms−2 |
| Electric system(s) |
25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLE 750 V DC OHLE |
| Current collection method | Pantograph (AC/DC) |
| Safety system(s) |
GSM-R TPWS/AWS OTMR |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Notes | |
| Data Sheet | |
The Class 399 Citylink is a type of rail vehicle being built by Vossloh for operation by Sheffield Supertram. Although the type will be a low floor tram, it will be operated as the United Kingdom's first tram-train type, as part of an initial pilot of the operation of such vehicles.
In 2008, the Department for Transport announced plans to operate a trial tram-train service using the Penistone Line in South Yorkshire. This route is an unelectrified route that would have required the procurement of a number of specially built vehicles, which would have required them to be diesel powered, as there were no plans to include electrification as part of the trial. The trial was intended to start operating for two years from 2010, but, in 2009, the proposal was changed, as the original plan did not include any on-street running. The revised proposal envisaged the use of the Supertram network, with a new link constructed to connect it to the Dearne Valley Line to Rotherham, that would then allow trams to operate on both heavy rail and light rail lines. As part of the project, the line would be electrified, allowing more cost-effective electric vehicles to be procured. Approval for the tram-train trial came from the DfT in May 2012, with a commitment of £58m to go towards the construction of a 400m chord between the Network Rail and Supertram networks, electrification of 8 miles of the route to Rotherham and the purchase of seven new tram-train vehicles.
In 2013, it was announced that Vossloh España had been selected to construct the new tram-trains for Supertram, with the first scheduled for delivery in September 2015, although this was subsequently put back to December 2015. Under Supertram's numbering system, the seven units were numbered as 201-207; however, because part of their operation is on the National Rail network, they are required to be registered under the Total Operations Processing System used for main line rail vehicles, which led them to be allocated under TOPS as Class 399. The first Class 399 unit finally left the factory at Valencia in November 2015, and was due for delivery to Sheffield by the beginning of December. The last class 399 vehicle was delivered overnight on 20 November 2016.
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