Transport leaders for the Greater Manchester PTA have revealed the new livery which will be carried by the new trams when they start to arrive in 2009. The livery will be mainly silver with yellow on the front and sides immediately behind the cab. The livery, which was unveiled on a model, seems to include a very pale yellow and the silver looks grey but GMPTA are saying that the trams “will bring a splash of yellow to Greater Manchester”.
Cllr Matt Colledge, Chair of GMPTA, said: “The new look trams will be just part of the improvements we'll be making to Metrolink over the next few years. In fact, the expansion of the network will see it nearly double in size so the new trams will soon be running across Greater Manchester."
The new colours of yellow and silver will also be used internally and full length glass double doors will make them feel lighter and brighter.
Cllr Keith Whitmore, Vice Chair of GMPTA, said: “It's amazing how much people associate Greater Manchester with trams. This new design will really make the trams stand out, with the exciting new livery giving an impression of speed and movement. I'm looking forward to seeing the first of the new look trams arrive next year."
Cllr Richard Knowles, Chair of GMPTA’s Development and Operations Committee, added: “The Metrolink network is now more than 16 years old but the new look trams will take it firmly into the twenty-first century. The vibrant new colours look great and are highly visible, helping to improve road safety."
The livery was designed by Manchester based design agency Hemisphere. Grant Windridge, their Creative Director, said: “Our aim has been to create a bright and iconic tram that is easily recognisable on the streets. We chose yellow not just because of its high visibility but also because its traditional association with confidence and optimism echoes Greater Manchester's attitude and values."
The trams are currently being built by Bombardier in partnership with Vossloh Kiepe in Bautzen, Germany and Vienna, Austria. The same model of tram already operates in Cologne, Bonn, Rotterdam and Stockholm.
The 1.6 metre model tram which was unveiled with the new livery is to taken to London next week to show politicians and transport industry experts with a special event being organised by the GMPTA at the House of Commons to promote Greater Manchester’s future public transport network.
The model carries fleet number 3001 - although there is no guarantee the new trams will be numbered in this series – and the general layout is almost identical to the existing rolling stock.
* To view an image of the new livery on the model follow the link below to the GMPTE website.
Source: GMPTE & Gordon Ferguson