London Tramlink Orders more Variobahn Trams

The UK tram operator London Tramlink has ordered four additional 5-carriage Variobahn trams, thereby exercising its option to receive further vehicles. These vehicles will come into use from 2015 in the London Borough of Croydon, and will supplement the existing Variobahn fleet. Six vehicles have been in operation in Croydon’s tram network since spring 2012.

“We are happy to continue our cooperation with Stadler Pankow because this company convinced us with their delivery to the agreed timescales, the high quality product and a great deal of personal commitment of the employees on site in Croydon,” says Sharon Thompson, Director of London Tramlink. “We are continuing to expand our modern transport system with these additional vehicles.”

Michael Daum, Director of Stadler Pankow GmbH, explains: “We are delighted with the high level of satisfaction with the Variobahn. The four additional trams will be built at our factories in Berlin, before being transported to London, where they will be in use from 2015.”

Thanks to its modular construction, the Variobahn can be adapted to suit the infrastructure and individual needs of the operator. The trams are particularly flexible in terms of length, width, track gauge and contact wire voltage. In addition to this, the vehicles for Croydon also offer an additional benefit for passengers with limited mobility in particular: with low floors throughout, at a maximum level of 385 millimetres, these trams are easier to board. The bidirectional vehicles have 72 seats and standing room for 134 passengers, and can reach a maximum speed of 80 km/h. The Variobahn is 32,370 millimetres long and 2,650 millimetres wide. In addition to its modern interior design, the vehicle is equipped with facilities such as air-conditioned passenger and driver areas, and an ergonomic driver’s cab design. What is more, the tram meets the fire-safety requirements for vehicles used in tunnels in accordance with DIN 5510.

Source & Photo : Stadler Rail PC