European latest – Croydon, Reims & Bordeaux

Stadler wins London Tramlink tram order Railway Gazette http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/stadler-wins-london-tramlink-tram-order.html 18 August 2011 Ai??Impression of Stadler Variobahn LRV for Croydon Tramlink UK: Stadler Rail has won a contract to supply six Variobahn trams to increase capacity on the Tramlink light rail system in south London, Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced on August 18. The first […]

Before & after – TOD French Tramway style

Angers: before and after the coming of the Tram Taken from http://www.lineoz.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19049&p=317604#p317604 Ai?? The series of images shows the improvements in the urban environment that the introduction of an at-grade tram system can bring. 1. Rue de la RoAi??Ai??Ai??- before and after Ai??2. Alsace – before and after Finally a link to a `drivers eye’ […]

US, UK, French & Australian Light Rail & transport news

Plans for New Eco-Trams In Bristol Ai?? Wednesday, May 4th 2011 13:17 http://www.jackbristol.com/newscentre/bristols-news/plans-for-new-eco-trams-in-bristol-6013 Ai?? An artistai??i??s impression of a tram in Bristol Ai?? A consortium has put forward plans for a new eco-tram system in Bristol that would run between Ashton Meadows and Temple Ai??Meads station. If it is given the go ahead, the route […]

Tram projects planned in northern France

Railway Gazette 14 April 2010 France, Artois-Gohelle http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/tram-projects-planned-in-northern-france/browse/2.html A consortium comprising Systra, Inexia, Eccta, Ilex and Urbanica has been appointed to manage two tram projects in northern France. The contract was awarded by the Artois-Gohelle local transport authority, which is responsible for public transport in an area comprising 115 towns and villages with a total […]

Opening of Reims Light Rail/Tramway system

On April 16th the 11.2 kmAi??Ai?? Light Rail/tramway in the city of Reims, in the French region of Champagne-Ardenne was opened with much publicity. Reims is the twenty secondAi??Ai??of the new generationAi??Ai??of tramways to be opened in France since 1986 http://champagne-ardenne.france3.fr/evenements/Inauguration-tramway-reims/ Ai??Ai?? Details on the following sites: http://www.tramwaydereims.fr/start.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reims_tramway http://www.subways.net/france/reims.html Ai??Ai??

Light Rail news from around Europe

HK order low-floor trams from Transtech Rail.co April 1 2011 http://www.rail.co/2011/04/01/hkl-orders-low-floor-trams-from-transtech/ Helsinki City Transport (HKL) and the Finnish Rail rolling stock manufacturer Transtech signed an agreement to purchase 40 new trams on 24 March. The contract comprises of 40 trams and a possible further 90, if the tram extensions of Helsinki go to plan. The […]

First interconnected tram-train service!

On 12 December 2010, the first tram-train service in the French region of Alsace commenced. 5000 daily passengersAi??are be able to travel from Mulhouse to Thann on an innovative, ecomobile transport route. read the article: http://www.sncf.com/en_EN/html/media/CH0004-Everyday-life/BR1122-Tram-train-Mulhouse/MD0005_20101206-Read-article.html Photograhs of the track system, internal & external views of the Alstom Citadis Tram-Trains Images courtesy of: http://www.tc-alsace.eu/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=87

Allez le Tram, the Politics & Financing of the French Tram

The Cardinal has reported on the success of French Light Rail/Tramways, regularly on the Rail for the Valley blog. In this article the history, development, style, politics & importantly financing will be outlined. With a light rail renewal France has gone full steam ahead to become a leader in technological design and leading style. Howard […]

First tram-train arrives in Lyon

France: Lyon Tram-Train Railway Gazette 22 February 2011 http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/first-tram-train-arrives-in-lyon.html The first of 24 Citadis Dualis tram-trains for the TER network west of Lyon arrived at the L’Arbresle maintenance centre on February 18, having left Alstomai??i??s assembly plant in Valenciennes two days earlier. Two more vehicles will be delivered to SNCF in Lyon during the next […]

New French Tramways

Reims Tramway is under test:- http://www.lunion.presse.fr/article/marne/le-tram-a-lepreuve-du-feu http://www.tramwaydereims.fr/start.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reims_tramway and http://www.lineoz.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10893&sid=66eedf4b75d814adaceb51ca2f60e00f&p=306994#p306994 Map of the system:- http://www.mars-reims.fr/images/Panneau%20CITURA%20(800×1200).pdf Information on French Light Rail/Tram systems at: http://www.transbus.org/dossiers/tramway_projet.html Images of the new Alstom Citadis 302Ai??LRV’s