South Yorkshire Supertram are still unable to run to Halfway as a result of the discovered of a well/mine shaft at Birley Lane on the Blue route. The hole first made itself known on Sunday 23rd August and the latest update from the SYMCA has given no estimate for when services may be able to resume again.
The newest statement (released 10th September) says: “Since the last update, specialist engineers have been busy carrying out studies and reviewing historical records. The evidence suggests the structure dates back to the late 1800s and may have been linked to a former coal mine. Some records also describe it as a well used for farming purposes.
“We are now carrying out the next phase of investigations to understand exactly what’s happening beneath the track. This includes drilling boreholes and using specialist scanning technology to build a detailed picture of the shaft and the surrounding ground.
“The challenge is that because of the age of the structure, there are still a number of unknowns. We do not yet know its full depth or the condition it’s in. We’re working closely with the Mining Remediation Authority and other experts to make sure we fully understand the risks and develop a solution that is safe, permanent and robust.
“Once the surveying is complete, we should have a much better understanding of the design solution and the time we think it’ll take to install and get the trams back up and running. We will continue to update as the surveys are undertaken over the next couple of weeks.”
Until these surveys are completed – and any repairs/remedial action is taken – Supertram will continue to run a revised service:
- Blue route – Malin Bridge to Herdings Park
- Purple route – suspended
- Yellow route – Middlewood to Meadowhall (normal service)
- Tram-Train route – Cathedral to Rotherham Parkgate (normal service)
A replacement bus service – which has recently been enhanced – will also continue to run from Gleadless Townend to Halfway.