Tram Power

The City Class tram began life as a research paper in 1987, which addressed the question of LRV models increasing in weight and cost.

A redundant 1930s tram in Blackpool had City Class running gear installed at one end and was tested from 1995 to 1997.

[citation needed] Before this could occur, the prototype was heavily damaged by a fire during testing on 24 January 2007.

A Railway Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) inquiry determined that the fire likely started in the 24-volt electrical system under the floor of the tram.

No evidence was found that the driver or infrastructure contributed to the cause of the fire; the Blackpool Tramway was however rebuked for not having carried out a proper health and safety evaluation of the vehicle including a fire risk evaluation, and for not having in place proper safety management procedures for dealing with new technology.