Trampower City Class Trams

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TRAM Power Ltd

A British Company

CITY CLASS TRAM

The City Class tram is a lightweight modular rail vehicle, exploiting cost effective components off the shelf (COTS). A single vehicle can be between 2400 mm and 3500 mm wide and between 16000 mm and 38000 mm long.

The body is designed around interchangeable modules 1500 mm long, which can have window or door units. The vehicle may be customised by front end design.

We have registered international patents for this technology.

There is also a power point presentation on the City Class Tram website,
http://www.trampower.co.uk/powerpoint/powerpointlist.html

Advantages of City Class trams

Proven design concept

Use of components off the shelf (COTS) reduces initial cost and in service maintenance costs in comparison to traditional tram designs.

TRAM Power bogie (2200 kg) with low track forces

All wheels individually rotate - eliminating curve squeal

Wheels individually removable for maximum life (>300,000 km)

Integral body fabricated from rustless steel (long life > 30 years)

Body mounted traction unit - easy maintenance

Timoshenko crash worthy cab, with driver survival zone

Equipped with all modern passenger facilities

Easy mid life modification and upgrade

Low floor (300 mm) or high floor (760 mm) options

No equipment inside passenger saloon - full width flat floor

High passenger capacity (e.g. 200 in 29 metre articulated vehicle)

Ultra comfort resilient wheels

Through low initial cost, low maintenance cost and low whole life cost the City Class tram provides a highly efficient and economic public transport vehicle able to compete with buses on operating costs and match other rapid transit modes for speed and comfort.

The light weight of the City Class tram reduces power consumption, which over the life of the tram will save more in electricity costs than the initial purchase price. Also this has significant cost benefits with much reduced infrastructure maintenance requirements.

The original design brief was a tram which would have a lower operating cost than a bus. The design was encouraged by Blackpool Transport Services Ltd, who consider that the present generation of new trams are too expensive to buy and who face increasing difficulty in maintaining a tram fleet with an average age of 60 years.

The Tram Power concept is based on an academic paper by Professor Lesley in 1987 and was patented in 1993. The design concept includes an innovative powered bogie, where the 3 phase AC motor is body mounted and the motive power is transferred to the bogie, by a modified HGV prop shaft and axle combination. Successful trials were held during 1994 to 1997 at Blackpool running the new powered bogie on an existing 1933 tram.

A full scale 29 metre long 22 ton prototype based on low floor design, incorporating the new bogies, was tested at Blackpool between 1998 and 2000. The original prototype has been substantially refurbished and is now being tested with HMRI consent on the Birkenhead tramway prior to transfer to Blackpool for fare paying passenger service. Current photos of the tram can be found on the photo pages.

TRAM Power Ltd
Registered office:
99 Stanley Road
Bootle
Merseyside
L20 7DA
www.trampower.co.uk