New Tram Boo-boo?

[ClagLover]

At Rochdale Town Centre met stop a couple of weeks ago sat on a tram waiting to depart. A gentleman in an electric wheelchair attempted to board but could not get past the slight step from platform to tram. The driver informed him it was because it was one of the new trams and to try the rear unit which was one of the original M5000’s.
Have any other issues like this been reported with the new ones. I thought they were supposed to be the same unit? The gent got on the rear tram with no issues. The new one was a no go even with myself and another passenger trying to shove him up.

 

[pdeaves]

Might it simply be that on this design the suspension takes time to settle down to the proper height? I don't know, but at least it was a double set and the man could board!

 

[ClagLover]

Possibly yes, I hope they always run a new and an old coupled together for the time being then!

 

[edwin_m]

Could also be new wheels with a slightly larger diameter, although I thought they were supposed to shim the suspension to keep the height about the same.

 

[WatcherZero]

Fresh wheels havent worn down yet. Door height is also affected quite substantially by the volume of passengers on the vehicle.

 

[Mothball]

Does seem a difficult issue to overcome, being wheelchair accessible shouldn't be affected by how much the tyres have worn down, or by the number of passengers on board. Equally it doesn't really seem possible for the platform edge and tram floor to always be perfectly level given the same factors...

 

[507 001]

Fresh wheels havent worn down yet. Door height is also affected quite substantially by the volume of passengers on the vehicle.

Shouldn’t make a difference. The ride height is adjusted with shims to compensate.

When the second wheel lathe was installed at Trafford it became quite common for us to have to take sets over to QRD to be shimmed. QRD is the only depot that can actually lift an M5000.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

By how much does the tram / platform level need to be out of alignment before the issue as reported by the OP becomes a significant problem? 5mm? 10mm? More?

 

[Mothball]

By how much does the tram / platform level need to be out of alignment before the issue as reported by the OP become a significant problem? 5mm? 10mm? More?

It could more be an issue of the size of the wheels fitted to the wheelchair, smaller wheels will find it much more difficult to make the "jump" from platform level to tram level

 

[507 001]

It could more be an issue of the size of the wheels fitted to the wheelchair, smaller wheels will find it much more difficult to make the "jump" from platform level to tram level

To be fair I had 3122 a few days ago and it was out by quite a bit. A good 2 inches.

 

[WatcherZero]

Shouldn’t make a difference. The ride height is adjusted with shims to compensate.

When the second wheel lathe was installed at Trafford it became quite common for us to have to take sets over to QRD to be shimmed. QRD is the only depot that can actually lift an M5000.

But the wheels are only reprofiled what every 80,000 km?

 

[edwin_m]

By how much does the tram / platform level need to be out of alignment before the issue as reported by the OP becomes a significant problem? 5mm? 10mm? More?

Differences in height between tram floor and platforms must not exceed 50 mm at doors which are intended to be used by mobility-impaired passengers

RSP2 Revision Working Document (uktram.com)

 

[ClagLover]

To be fair I had 3122 a few days ago and it was out by quite a bit. A good 2 inches.

There’s definitely a significant step up. I tripped when boarding the same tram but honestly I’m pretty clumsy so could have been that.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

2 inches is roughly 51mm so can imagine that would indeed be a potential issue.

 

[edwin_m]

To be honest I'm surprised the allowed margin is as much as 50mm, I thought it was 25mm until I checked. Even a traditional large-wheel wheelchair might struggle with that.

 

[507 001]

To be honest I'm surprised the allowed margin is as much as 50mm, I thought it was 25mm until I checked. Even a traditional large-wheel wheelchair might struggle with that.

It probably isn’t. It’s probably just been missed. I’ll report it tomorrow.

 

[edwin_m]

It probably isn’t. It’s probably just been missed. I’ll report it tomorrow.

I was commenting more on the figure in the national guidance that I posted further up. I do agree that it's too much, and Metrolink may have a lower tolerance. I commend you for taking the trouble to report it.