It seems to have been a long-time coming, but it has now been confirmed that the new tram-train station at Magna will open on Thursday 9th April 2026 – the first additional stop to be added to the network since the start of tram-train services in 2018.
The stop has long been planned and has been delivered through the South Yorkshire Combined Authority (SYMCA) in partnership with Network Rail and Supertram. It has cost £10.1 million with funding coming from the UK Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.
The stop will obviously provide excellent access to the Magna Science Adventure Centre (one of the region’s most popular family attractions) but will also strengthen public transport links between Rotherham and Sheffield. It will offer quick and more convenient connections for residents, visitors and workers.
It is located near to Templeborough and Tinsley and will improve access to two of South Yorkshire’s busiest employment corridors and support wider regeneration ambitions for the Don Valley Corridor. The surrounding area is home to hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs across manufacturing, logistics, green industry, retail and hospitality.
The stop features fully accessible platforms, a new pedestrian overbridge and step free access via lifts. There is also a 100 space free Park and Ride site, and there is cycle parking and electric vehicle charging available.
It has been designed to help address long-standing congestion and air quality challenges in the Lower Don Valley and along the A6178 corridor.
Whilst located on Network Rail infrastructure, from 9th April it will be exclusively served by all tram-train services. It becomes the second intermediate stop on the tram-train extension, with the route now consisting of stops of Magna, Rotherham Central and Rotherham Parkgate.
Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, said: “The opening of Magna station is a proud moment for South Yorkshire, showing the progress we’re making as we build the South Yorkshire People’s Network. I can’t wait to welcome passengers at Magna when the Tram Train services start next month. This is exactly what taking back control of our public transport looks like; us building the future.”
Sean English, Managing Director of Supertram, added: “Magna is an important addition to the Tram Train network, and we are excited to connect passengers to this fantastic venue and its events. Our colleagues, including trained drivers, are ready to serve this stop, and we thank everyone involved in the project. The new Park and Ride facility also offers great opportunities for people travelling between Rotherham and Sheffield.”
SYMCA don’t plan this to be the end of new infrastructure for the Supertram network either. £7.5 million worth of funding from the DfT has been obtained to allow feasibility work to take place looking at potential extensions in the future.
Let me highlight the important part of this article… £10,100,000 for just ONE tram stop! In what world is that anything even approaching value for money? Somebody somewhere is having to pay for all this nonsense!
A ridiculous amount of money agreed but its effectively a railway station with all associated infrastructure.
It is not ‘just a tram stop’ but the equivalent of a new railway station with accessible footbridge
We will happily let you once again highlight your lack of understanding and reading skills…
1. As stated in the article, this stop is served by the Tram-Train service on the Network Rail Heavy Rail line so needs to meet NR construction & safety standards meaning different arrangements to a simple 2 low platforms and ground level crossing particularly segregated pedestrian crossing in this case by over-bridge (which of course these days means lifts for accessibility)
2. As it is on Network Rail, there will have been an element of cost for other operators during closures to allow construction.
3. As it is on Network Rail, there will have been some changes to signalling systems (even if only minor timing changes) to allow for the Tram stopping in a place not expected by other services on the line.
4. As stated in the article, the cost also includes a 100 space car park, cycle parking and electric vehicle chargers.
5. For a sensible bench-mark, compare to the cost of Bedlington Station on the Northumberland Line opened this weekend – That had a budget of £298m
6. It states in the Article who the “Somebody somewhere” who paid for this very sensible addition to the network was!
Having just received my Council Tax bill for the coming year, I know who that ‘somebody, somewhere,’ is!
Is there any chance of restoring the 20 minute frequency to the Tram-train and Herdings Park lines, which seems to have been abandoned since Covid? A half hourly service is not “turn up and ride”, yet it prevails across the entire network in the evening! As a visitor, it is difficult to see any improvement since Stagecoach relinquished the operation, in spite of all the SYPTE promises.
Bedlington station most certainly did NOT cost £298M. The whole Northumberland line reopening to passengers, including much new infrastructure (redoubling, new loops, turnback platform line at Ashington), relaying most of the track and pointwork, resignalling, level crossing work (some were replaced by bridges) and SIX new stations mostly with large car parks, resulting road alterations and access for all requirements came in at £338M for the lot. The initial estimate was £200 but inflation and unexpected problems were encountered (particularly old mine workings at Northumberland Park, a very expensive station to build as they had to hack out a cutting and support adjacent houses) put the cost up. It is always expensive to do construction work on a live railway too as for most of the time freight trains ran and latterly passenger trains. Paul Stewart, Branch Line Society News Editor.