| Ansaldo Firema T-68/T-68A | |
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A T-68 tram in Manchester city centre |
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2004 and 1019 crossing at Deansgate-Castlefield |
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| In service | 1992–Present |
| Manufacturer | AnsaldoBreda |
| Built at | Derby |
| Family name | Firema |
| Constructed | 1991-1992, 1999 |
| Refurbishment |
??-2010 midlife refurbishment, T-68 given retractable couplers and covered bogies, 2010-2016 electrical/mechanical upgrades, new interiors |
| Number built | 26 T-68, 6 T-68A |
| Number in service | 32 |
| Formation | 2 cars per tram, articulated centre |
| Fleet numbers | T-68 1001-1026 T-68A 2001-2006 |
| Capacity | 82/4 seats, 122 standing per tram |
| Operator | Manchester Metrolink |
| Line(s) served | Altrincham, Bury, Eccles |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Aluminium |
| Car length | 29 m (95 ft) |
| Width | 2.65 m (8.7 ft) |
| Height | 3.7 m (12 ft) |
| Maximum speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
| Weight | 45 tonnes (44 long tons) per tram |
| Engine(s) | T-68 4x 105 kW (141 hp) separately-excited DC, T-68A 4x 120 kW (160 hp) three–phase AC motors |
| Power supply | 750v DC OHLE |
| Current collection method | Pantograph Brecknell Willis High Reach |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
The T-68 is a type of tram used only on the Manchester Metrolink system in Greater Manchester, England. The trams have unusually high floors, designed to be accessed from standard UK railway platforms: all tram stops on the city streets have been built to a height of 0.9 metres (3.0 ft), for compatibility with converted railway stations elsewhere on the network. The trams were built by the Italian company AnsaldoBreda.[1]
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A single car prototype bodyshell numbered 1000 and given the name The Larry Sullivan[2] was built in Italy in 1990 and delivered to Manchester for public exhibition to promote the system. It featured an orange and white GMPTE livery. The tram was later reliveried in the first Metrolink livery and it is now preserved and displayed at the Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester.
The T68, the first variant of the T-68 design, was introduced to Manchester in 1991. 25 entered service altogether and were numbered from 1001 to 1025. Soon after, an additional vehicle, 1026, was introduced to simplify scheduling problems. When the Eccles line opened, three of these trams, 1005, 1010 and 1015, were modified for use on the Eccles branch by having retractable couplers fitted[3] they were also redesignated T68-M (Modification) however this designation is little used publicly. The other T68s are currently being converted for running to Eccles. Trams 1001–15, 1021-23 and 1025 have been modified. All of these vehicles have been refurbished and had their original white passenger doors repainted to make them more visible.[3]
The T68-A is the second variant on the T-68 design. Introduced in 1999, only six T68-As were built, all for use on the Eccles branch.[3] These have a dot-matrix destination display and have retractable couplers which make the trams more suited for street running. They are numbered 2001 - 2006.
Currently, the trams wear a livery of turquoise doors, white body and grey 'skirts'. This livery was also applied to the stations. This livery has been used since the Metrolink opened.
In October 2008, a new corporate livery was created, in anticipation of the introduction of the new M5000 Flexity Swift trams to the network.[4] The new livery consists of a yellow front, with yellow and silver sides, with black doors. The livery was created by Hemisphere Design and Marketing Consultants of Manchester and is similar in design to the Merseyrail trains in Liverpool. The older trams are also going to be re-painted in the new livery, when they come in for re-refurbishment.[4] All of the city centre stops, as well as the stops on the Altrincham line have been refurbished and now display the new look. The Eccles line is currently being refurbished and Bury line stop refurbishment will occur next year with selected stops such as Bury Interchange occurring this year. Twenty-three of the T-68s have name plates, named after famous Mancunian people, achievements, places or company sponsorship.
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The introduction into service of the new M5000 trams will allow for a programme of thorough refurbishment, all trams will be gradually sent away in small numbers for several modifications to improve reliability and reduce maintenance such as the removal of the problematic retractable steps[5] as well as mechanical and electrical upgrades. The original 1000 series will also all receive the same modifications to the cowlings as the T68a as well as covered bogies and dot matrix displays. Both series will have the internal furnishings stripped out and replaced with a set similar to those on the new M5000 and finally they will be repainted in the new yellow and silver livery. It is expected that the entire fleet will have been refurbished by the time the Manchester Airport and Oldham/Rochdale town centre sections are complete in 2016.
The T-68 fleet is complemented by 12 new trams that includes 4 new trams for the MediaCityUK extension and 8 to improve service on the Bury–Altrincham service. At least 50 more will be delivered for the Phase 3a & 3b expansions. These are not a variant of the T-68 design as GMPTE has opted to purchase Bombardier's Flexity Swift High Floor design.[6]
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