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Sheffield Supertram

Sheffield's tram network: 51 stops and 21 miles of route on four routes from the city centre to Middlewood and Malin Bridge in the north-west, Meadowhall in the Don Valley, and Halfway and Herdings Park in the south-east, with tram-trains running on over Network Rail's line to Rotherham. It opened in stages in 1994 and 1995. Stagecoach ran it from 1997 until March 2024, when it returned to public control. The tram-train line, Britain's first, opened in 2018.

1994Opened
21.1 miles (34 km)Route, with the tram-train line
51Stops
8.5 millionJourneys a year, DfT (2025–26)

Facts

Opened
21 March 1994
Routes to
Middlewood, Malin Bridge, Meadowhall, Halfway, Herdings Park and, by tram-train, Rotherham Parkgate
Type
light rail: street tramway and reserved track, with tram-trains on to Network Rail's line to Rotherham
Depots
Nunnery, beside Nunnery Square stop
Operating company
South Yorkshire Future Trams Ltd, trading as Supertram, an arm's-length company wholly owned by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), which owns the tramway; in public hands since 22 March 2024, after 27 years of Stagecoach operation
Shares track
The Tram Train route only: Network Rail's line from Tinsley, joined by a short new chord beyond Meadowhall South, through Magna and Rotherham Central to Parkgate, used by main-line trains too. It is electrified at the tramway's 750 V DC for the tram-trains, which were specified as dual-voltage, to take 25 kV AC too if the main line is electrified. It was the first service in Britain to run on both a street tramway and the national rail network.

unverified Some of these figures haven’t yet been checked against an official source or a published history. What’s in doubt ↓

Siemens-Duewag Supertram · Siemens-Duewag, Dusseldorf (Germany) · indicative: some dimensions are estimated, from photographs and published figures.
3 sections, about 114 ft (35 m)
Class 399 Citylink · Vossloh España (Stadler Rail Valencia from 2016), Albuixech, Valencia (Spain) · indicative: some dimensions are estimated, from photographs and published figures.
3 cars, about 122 ft (37 m)

Route 51 stops

Blue route: Malin Bridge – Halfway 33
Blue route: Malin Bridge – Halfway: schematic, not to scale Malin BridgeMalin Bridge Hillsborough — change for Other Supertram routesHillsborough Bamforth StreetBamforth Street Langsett/Primrose ViewLangsett/Primrose View Infirmary RoadInfirmary Road Shalesmoor for Kelham IslandShalesmoor for Kelham Island Netherthorpe RoadNetherthorpe Road University of SheffieldUniversity of Sheffield West StreetWest Street City HallCity Hall Cathedral — change for Other Supertram routesCathedral Castle SquareCastle Square Fitzalan Square — change for Other Supertram routesFitzalan Square Sheffield Station — change for National RailSheffield Station Granville RoadGranville Road Park Grange CroftPark Grange Croft Park GrangePark Grange Arbourthorne RoadArbourthorne Road Spring LaneSpring Lane Manor TopManor Top HollinsendHollinsend Gleadless Townend — change for Other Supertram routesGleadless Townend White LaneWhite Lane Birley LaneBirley Lane Birley Moor RoadBirley Moor Road HackenthorpeHackenthorpe Donetsk WayDonetsk Way Moss WayMoss Way Crystal PeaksCrystal Peaks Drake House LaneDrake House Lane WaterthorpeWaterthorpe WestfieldWestfield HalfwayHalfway
Yellow route: Middlewood – Meadowhall Interchange 25
Yellow route: Middlewood – Meadowhall Interchange: schematic, not to scale MiddlewoodMiddlewood Leppings LaneLeppings Lane Hillsborough ParkHillsborough Park Hillsborough — change for Other Supertram routesHillsborough Bamforth StreetBamforth Street Langsett/Primrose ViewLangsett/Primrose View Infirmary RoadInfirmary Road Shalesmoor for Kelham IslandShalesmoor for Kelham Island Netherthorpe RoadNetherthorpe Road University of SheffieldUniversity of Sheffield West StreetWest Street City HallCity Hall Cathedral — change for Other Supertram routesCathedral Castle SquareCastle Square Fitzalan Square — change for Other Supertram routesFitzalan Square Hyde ParkHyde Park Cricket Inn RoadCricket Inn Road Nunnery SquareNunnery Square Woodbourn RoadWoodbourn Road AttercliffeAttercliffe ArenaArena Valley CentertainmentValley Centertainment CarbrookCarbrook Meadowhall South — change for Other Supertram routesMeadowhall South Meadowhall Interchange — change for National RailMeadowhall Interchange
Purple route: Herdings Park – Cathedral 14
Purple route: Herdings Park – Cathedral: schematic, not to scale Herdings ParkHerdings Park Herdings/Leighton RoadHerdings/Leighton Road Gleadless Townend — change for Other Supertram routesGleadless Townend HollinsendHollinsend Manor TopManor Top Spring LaneSpring Lane Arbourthorne RoadArbourthorne Road Park GrangePark Grange Park Grange CroftPark Grange Croft Granville RoadGranville Road Sheffield Station — change for National RailSheffield Station Fitzalan Square — change for Other Supertram routesFitzalan Square Castle SquareCastle Square Cathedral — change for Other Supertram routesCathedral
Tram Train: Parkgate – Cathedral 15
Tram Train: Parkgate – Cathedral: schematic, not to scale ParkgateParkgate Rotherham Central — change for National RailRotherham Central MagnaMagna Meadowhall South — change for Other Supertram routesMeadowhall South CarbrookCarbrook Valley CentertainmentValley Centertainment ArenaArena AttercliffeAttercliffe Woodbourn RoadWoodbourn Road Nunnery SquareNunnery Square Cricket Inn RoadCricket Inn Road Hyde ParkHyde Park Fitzalan Square — change for Other Supertram routesFitzalan Square Castle SquareCastle Square Cathedral — change for Other Supertram routesCathedral

Schematic, not to scale. Ringed stops are interchanges. One strip for each of the four routes, in its own colour. All four run through the city centre, by Cathedral, Castle Square and Fitzalan Square, and they share track beyond it in pairs: the Blue and Yellow to Hillsborough, the Blue and Purple to Gleadless Townend, and the Yellow and Tram Train to Meadowhall South. Ringed stops are those the operator's map marks for changing routes, and those beside a National Rail station. From Meadowhall South the tram-trains leave the tramway for Network Rail's line through Magna and Rotherham Central to Parkgate. The Purple route runs about once an hour, the Tram Train about every 30 minutes. Stop order from the operator's network map and timetables (see Sources).

StopInterchanges
Malin Bridge
HillsboroughOther Supertram routes
Bamforth Street
Langsett/Primrose View
Infirmary Road
Shalesmoor for Kelham Island
Netherthorpe Road
University of Sheffield
West Street
City Hall
CathedralOther Supertram routes
Castle Square
Fitzalan SquareOther Supertram routes
Sheffield StationNational Rail
Granville Road
Park Grange Croft
Park Grange
Arbourthorne Road
Spring Lane
Manor Top
Hollinsend
Gleadless TownendOther Supertram routes
White Lane
Birley Lane
Birley Moor Road
Hackenthorpe
Donetsk Way
Moss Way
Crystal Peaks
Drake House Lane
Waterthorpe
Westfield
Halfway
Middlewood
Leppings Lane
Hillsborough Park
Hyde Park
Cricket Inn Road
Nunnery Square
Woodbourn Road
Attercliffe
Arena
Valley Centertainment
Carbrook
Meadowhall SouthOther Supertram routes
Meadowhall InterchangeNational Rail
Herdings Park
Herdings/Leighton Road
Parkgate
Rotherham CentralNational Rail
Magna

Stops from the operator’s published routes, entered by hand (see Sources).

Rolling stock

History 22

  1. Sheffield's last first-generation tram runs.
  2. After a transport study in the early 1970s, the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) and South Yorkshire County Council deposit a Bill in Parliament for a light rail system.
  3. Parliament passes the South Yorkshire Light Rail Transit Act 1988, the first of the Acts authorising the system; more follow in 1989, 1990 and 1993.
  4. Construction begins, the line to Meadowhall first: off the street once out of the city centre, much of it on the alignment of a freight railway.
  5. Supertram opens, from Fitzalan Square in the city centre to Meadowhall, run by South Yorkshire Supertram Ltd, a company owned by SYPTE.
  6. Trams run from Fitzalan Square to Spring Lane.
  7. The line is extended from Spring Lane to Gleadless Townend.
  8. Trams reach Cathedral from Fitzalan Square.
  9. The line is extended from Cathedral to Shalesmoor.
  10. The line from Gleadless Townend reaches Halfway.
  11. The branch from Gleadless Townend to Herdings Park opens.
  12. The last lines open, from Shalesmoor to Middlewood and Malin Bridge, completing the network.
  13. SYPTE sells South Yorkshire Supertram Ltd to Stagecoach for £1.15 million, with the concession to run and maintain the tramway until 2024; SYPTE keeps the track and infrastructure.
  14. The government chooses Sheffield to Rotherham for a pilot of tram-trains, to run from the tramway on to the national rail network.
  15. The Treasury approves the tram-train pilot.
  16. Work begins on a £32 million programme to replace worn-out track across the network, starting on Park Grange Road.
  17. The tram-train pilot opens: Britain's first tram-trains enter service between Sheffield and Rotherham, leaving the tramway beyond Meadowhall South by the new Tinsley Chord for Network Rail's line to Rotherham Parkgate.
  18. SYMCA votes to bring Supertram back under public control when Stagecoach's contract ends in March 2024, with a £100 million government grant to renew it.
  19. Supertram returns to public control after 27 years of Stagecoach operation, run by South Yorkshire Future Trams Ltd, a company owned by SYMCA.
  20. A renewal programme begins, replacing rails and overhead line equipment more than 30 years old.
  21. Magna opens on the tram-train line, between Meadowhall South and Rotherham Central, with a park and ride: the first new stop since 2018.
  22. The delta junction at Park Square, where the lines to Meadowhall, Halfway and the city centre meet, is renewed after 32 years, in a £3.5 million project.

Sources 20

How we source figures →  ·  Spotted a mistake? Tell us → (opens in a new tab)

Show the 20 sources from British Trams Online, Travel South Yorkshire, for Supertram, Rail Accident Investigation Branch and 8 more
unverified
  • The 1994 and 1995 openings: the dates of the stages from one enthusiasts' reference site (thetrams.co.uk); British Trams Online agrees on the first (21 March 1994) and the last (23 October 1995). No SYPTE or SYMCA source found
  • 1960, 1985 and 1991 (the last old tram, the first Bill and the start of construction): thetrams.co.uk only
  • Stagecoach's purchase in 1997 (thetrams.co.uk: "at the end of 1997", for £1.15 million); British Trams Online says Stagecoach ran it from 1997
  • Route length: the DfT's 34.0 km (21.1 miles) for the year to March 2026, counting the tram-train line; the operator's 2024-25 accounts give "a 28km light rail network", which may leave out Network Rail's line
  • 51 stops: Kyle's April 2026 map, and the operator's own home page ("four tram routes serving 51 stops", read 11 October 2026; the page has no saved copy, as the site blocks automated downloads); the DfT counts 50 for the year to March 2026, before Magna opened
  • Stop names: the April 2026 map's large print; the operator's tram guide gives some longer ("Fitzalan Square / Ponds Forge", "Arena / Olympic Legacy Park", "Meadowhall South / Tinsley", "Beighton / Drake House Lane", "Rotherham Parkgate")
  • The depot: "the depot next to Nunnery Square tram stop" (RAIB, 2017); "Nunnery Road depot" (RAIB, 2026)
  • The route colours: sampled from the April 2026 map as rendered, not published values; the system's colour is the Blue route's

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