Our latest modern tram to be featured in Picture in Time comes from the system now known as Stagecoach Supertram but in this image from 1995 it was still just plain old South Yorkshire Supertram.
The photo shows 15 sitting at the Shalesmoor stop which is now on the Blue and Yellow routes to Malin Bridge and Middlewood but at the time of this photo was acting as a terminus awaiting the completion of construction works. Supertram was opened in several phases over a 19 month period between March 1994 and October 1995 with the section from Shalesmoor through Hillsborough to Malin Bridge and Middlewood the last to open on 23rd October 1995. The section to Shalesmoor had been opened on 17th February 1995 and as can be seen from this image 15 is about to form a service through to Halfway – the line from Gleadless Townend to Halfway had opened on 27th March 1995 – which dates the photo to the period between March and October 1995.
As for the tram itself 15 was one of 25 constructed by Siemens-Duewag in Dusseldorf, Germany and had been delivered to Sheffield via the Rotterdam-Immingham ferry in time for the original section to open in 1994. At this time it was still in the original grey livery but since then has gone through three further liveries – the first white based Stagecoach colours, the revised white Stagecoach livery and the current attractive blue, red and yellow Stagecoach livery.
Photograph by Nigel Pennick