From what I can see the Sheffield Supertram is possibly the worst light rail system to test out tram trains, first of all the trams are low floor which means that platform height is not the same as National Rail.
Not at all, as I said above, tram-trains are ideal for extending existing tram networks onto heavy rail infrastructure - Manchester is unusual in its use of high floors as a tramway, something that fits badly with city centre running, but clearly works well for its original application using previously heavy rail platforms. Tram-trains are not replacements for heavy rail, contra to what many local authorities are thinking in the Yorkshire region - I see tram-train being ideal for extending supertram to Dore via a new four track section between Sheffield and Dore, I also see it being ideal for taking trams to the northwest of Sheffield - Stocksbridge potentially.
Secondly I find the Sheffield Supertram is run more like a bus than light rail with request stops and very short branches such as Mallin Bridge. Both of these I feel make the Sheffield Supertram unsuitable for tram trains and the Manchester Metrolink would have been a better choice.
It has a bus feel about it because of the constant presence of the conductor - the use of request stop is a tad misleading, if there is someone on the platform the tram stops, there are several minor stops where the tram will pass through if there is no one at the platform and no one has requested internally. To be fair, at night when your steamed up on a few beers, it's great that the tram runs through quickly, in the peak, it generally stops at all platforms. The short branches were future proofing, the original aspiration being to continue onwards to Stannington and to the (then) planned hospital site at Norton Aerodrome - Southern General was planned in the 70's when the network was first developed, it was still an adaptation in 1986 when the alignment was laid before parliament - a further change made late on was to remove the small diversion via Wulfric Road and Fairleigh which was a good idea in 1986, but by the early 90's was a bad idea due to the vast clearance of homes near Manor Top.
Also this may seem a dumb question but when riding the supertram I always feel that the interiors feel like something out of the Soviet Union as they are really bleak and the jingle before the announcements seems dated. Does anyone else thing the insides are bleak?
Disagree completely - the Siemens units still look contemporary in my opinion, the refresh a few years back helped freshen the interiors up too - the seats are unusual in terms of being benches rather than individual seats though - that may have influenced your view.
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