In service 2000 – present Constructed 1998–2000 | Family name Flexity Swift | |
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Manufacturer Bombardier Transportation and Vossloh-Kiepe Built at Bautzen, Germany
Vienna, Austria
Assembly and testing Refurbishment 2008–2009, Deep cleaned, new livery and new seats | ||
The Bombardier CR4000 is a 76% low floor model of Flexity Swift tram built by Bombardier Transportation in Bautzen and Vienna between 1998 and 2000 and operated by London Tramlink. They are based on and very similar in appearance to the K4000 built for use on the low-platform routes of the Cologne Stadtbahn network. The entire fleet is maintained at Therapia Lane depot, alongside the newer Variobahns. The trams are numbered beginning at 2530, continuing from the highest-numbered tram, number 2529 on London's former tram network, which closed in 1952.
Contents
Overview
The trams are six-axle single-articulated double-ended cars, with four doors on each side. The low floor section stretches between both the outer doors through the articulation (which rests on an unpowered bogie). Between the outer door and each car end is a higher-floor section, accessed up a step and situated over the car's two power bogies. The low-floor section is 40 cm (16 in) above rail-level, sloping down to 35 cm (14 in) in the doorways, a height that matches the platforms at tram stops, and each car has two wheelchair positions.
The trams are 30.1 m (99 ft) long and 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) wide, with 70 seats and a total capacity of just over 200 passengers. They operate from an overhead power supply at 750 V DC, and have a maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). They were originally fitted with destination blinds, which showed the route number, ultimate destination and intermediate points. These were replaced during 2006 with electronic destination indicators which show only the route number and final destination.
Each tram has an integral traction braking controller with deadman's handle. While stationary, the tram is immobilized until the driver's hand is on the controller: if the driver's hand is removed from the controller while moving, an alarm sounds immediately and the driver's hand must return to the controller to disarm it. If a three-second countdown passes and it is not disarmed, the track brakes are applied.
2535 was named Stephen Parascandolo 1980-2007 at a special ceremony at Beckenham Junction on Saturday 21 October 2007. It is named after the webmaster of the Unofficial Croydon Tramlink website who died at the age of 26 following a road accident.
Refurbishment
All 24 trams were refurbished between 2008 and 2009, which involved a deep clean, installation of new seats and a new lime green, blue and white external livery. The fleet is also progressively being fitted with new front LED lights. 2534 was the first to receive them following a collision with a Warburtons Lorry. Since then, cars 2531-2536, 2536-2544, 2546 and 2548-2553 have been fitted with the new front lights. 2553 was involved in a serious road traffic accident and was taken out of service for a number of months. It has recently returned to service after being repaired at the Therapia Lane depot, and during the repair a "refresh" was also carried out. The "refresh" involved a deep clean of all floorings, as well as a full interior repaint and repaint of all handrails and overhead handles.
Incidents
Tram crash was under investigation for the type of glass used on the CR4000. Bombardier did not respond to requests for the type of glass that could have been the cause of fatalities in this derailment.