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Siemens-Duewag Supertram
The trams Sheffield's Supertram opened with in 1994: 25 three-section cars built by Siemens-Duewag in Dusseldorf, 115 ft (35 m) long, with every axle powered for the system's 10% hills. They have low floors at the four doors each side and high floors over the bogies, and have been refreshed once (2006-2009). A life-extension programme is planned to keep them running until a new fleet arrives.
Scale
Siemens-Duewag Supertram · indicative drawing GB Trains · gbtrains.uk/stock/sheffield-siemens/ · CC BY 4.0
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Liveries 1
Sheffield SupertramSupertramDark blue, a red cab end with an orange sweep, amber doors; from photographs of 101 (2025) and 116 (2011)Shown aboveFormer liveries 2
Two-tone greyRan as SupertramFormer1994 to 1998Not drawn yet
Stagecoach white with stripesRan as Stagecoach SupertramFormer1998 to 2006Not drawn yet
- Type
- Tram, three sections, part low floor
- Builder
- Siemens-Duewag, Dusseldorf (Germany)
- Built
- 1992–1994
- In service
- since 1994
- Lines
- Sheffield Supertram
- Formation
- One articulated tram of three sections, 115 ft (35 m) long, on four bogies, every axle powered: one bogie under each end section and two under the centre section, which has no doors
- Trains in fleet
- 25
- Top speed
- 50 mph (80 km/h)
- Power
- 750 V DC overhead; four monomotor bogies, every axle driven · how it works
- Bogies
- Siemens-Duewag monomotor bogies, all four powered, hidden behind the skirts (Sheffield Supertram)
- Train length
- 114 ft (34.75 m)
- Car width
- 8 ft 8 in (2.65 m)
- Profile
- tram
- Seats per train
- 86
- Total capacity
- 86 seats (British Trams Online); standing capacity not found in a checked source
- Status
- In service: all 25, numbered 101-125 (originally 01-25), on the Blue, Yellow and Purple routes (British Trams Online, 10 October 2026). SYMCA plans a life-extension programme from September 2026 until they are replaced by a new fleet.
Sources
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Show the 16 sources from Wikimedia Commons, British Trams Online, Rail Accident Investigation Branch and 5 more
- Refurbishment including corrosion treatment to tram units: planned procurement notice 2025/S 000-081855 South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (Find a Tender service), 11 December 202525 trams manufactured 1994; 115 ft (35 m); three sections; 46.5 t tare; 80 km/h (50 mph); 750 V DC; the life-extension programme
- Rail Accident Report 17/2016: Collision between two trams at Shalesmoor, Sheffield, 22 October 2015 Rail Accident Investigation Branch, August 2016built 1992 by Siemens-Duewag, Dusseldorf; 115 ft (35 m); three sections on four bogies; 52 t; disc, electrodynamic and magnetic track brakes
- South Yorkshire Supertram fleet list British Trams Online, updated 10 October 2026built 1993-94; 86 seats; 50 mph (80 km/h); liveries in October 2026; the 2006-2009 refresh; mixed formations and repairs
- Sheffield Supertram: Trams TheTrams.co.uk (Peter Courtenay), fleet list updated 20 June 2009; page accessed 12 October 2026fleet numbers; four powered bogies, one under each outer section and two under the centre; the high-floor centre section without doors; the livery history
- Sheffield Supertram: fleet list and pictures Light Rail Transit Association (from Lars F. Richter's tramway.com), fleet list updated about 2016renumbered from 01-25 to 101-125 from May 1998
- In Pictures: The new look for Supertram British Trams Online, 30 April 2024the livery kept, Stagecoach's name removed, after public control on 22 March 2024
- Rail Accident Report 10/2026: Collision between a tram and two pedestrians at Staniforth Road, Sheffield, 22 June 2025 (figure 5, tram 101) Rail Accident Investigation Branch, July 2026tram 101 square-on from the front (heights of the front); the operator since March 2024
- Siemens-Duewag Supertram Wikipedia, accessed 12 October 2026114 ft (34.75 m), 12 ft 0 in (3,645 mm), 5 ft 11 in (1,800 mm) wheelbase, 2 ft 2 in (670 mm) wheels (cross-check only)
- 'Supertram 116 , Leppings Lane , Sheffield.jpg' (photograph: 116 whole, three-quarter; CC BY 2.0) Wikimedia Commons (Phil Sangwell), 7 August 2011positions of the doors, windows and joints (indicative drawing)
- '101 Supertram away Centretainment 280825.jpg' (photograph: 101 three-quarter at Valley Centertainment; CC BY 4.0) Wikimedia Commons (kitmasterbloke), 29 August 2025livery and colours in 2025; side heights
- 'Siemens-Duewag Supertram LRV.jpg' (photograph: 123 near side-on at Herdings Park; CC BY-SA 4.0) Wikimedia Commons (Samson Ng), 22 November 2015the pantograph on the centre section; nothing below the skirts
- 'South Yorkshire Supertram - 120 - 23 May 2025.jpg' (photograph: 120 on Church Street; CC0) Wikimedia Commons (Aethonatic), 23 May 2025the front's shape, three-quarter
- Sheffield Supertram: new Stagecoach Supertram livery (pictures) TheTrams.co.uk (Peter Courtenay), 27 January 2006the livery introduced on 115 on 27 January 2006
- The Highway Code: road works, level crossings and tramways (rules 288 to 307), rule 307 Department for Transport (GOV.UK), accessed 10 October 2026, p. rule 307the "In operation" drawing's contact wire: 19 ft 0 in (5.8 m), the normal height of tramway wires over a carriageway
- In Pictures: 399 205 failure causes Supertram delays (news item with photographs by Stuart Cooke) British Trams Online, 26 January 2019the cab coupler stowed behind the front and brought out only for a rescue: 399 205 coupled to Supertram 109 (set BC11, 20 October 2026; layout only)
- The Highway Code: road works, level crossings and tramways (rules 288 to 307), rule 307 Department for Transport (GOV.UK), accessed 10 October 2026, p. rule 307the contact wire in the In operation drawing: 19 ft 0 in (5.8 m) above rail, the normal height of tramway wires over a carriageway
unverified
- Length: 115 ft (35 m; SYMCA, RAIB); 114 ft (34.75 m; Wikipedia, unsourced there), used for the drawing
- Weight: 46.5 t tare (SYMCA, 2025) or 52 t empty (RAIB, 2016 and 2026)
- Built: 1992 (RAIB), 1993-94 (British Trams Online), 'manufactured in 1994' (SYMCA)
- Seats: 86 (British Trams Online); 88 in other secondary sources; standing capacity not found in a checked source
- Motors: 4 x 250 kW (British Trams Online) or 4 x 277 kW one-hour rating (Wikipedia)
- Height, wheelbase and wheels: 12 ft 0 in (3,645 mm), 5 ft 11 in (1,800 mm) and 2 ft 2 in (670 mm) new (Wikipedia, citing an ORR/HSL survey not read); the drawing uses them
- The drawing: indicative, laid out from photographs (positions to about half a metre, heights estimated); the bogies' places are guessed, since none shows below the skirts
- Colours: sampled from one sunlit photograph of 101 (2025); the doors' amber read by eye
- The years of the former liveries come from Wikipedia's class article and the other sources listed, and haven't been checked against a second source.
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