Running from Glenelg this morning and then as the city shuttle, the first of the new trams impressed passengers with the use of space and the working airconditioning, but they say the real test will come with weekday peak-hour trips when the festive season is over.

Commuters who spoke to The Advertiser said increased peak-hour trips would be better served by the increased standing space.

More doors allowed faster entry and exit and ticket machines were situated in the middle of the floor in front of doors.

One of the drawbacks was steps up to seats which some felt could cause issues for elderly and when school children were on board crowded services.

As for a smooth ride, most felt it was improved, although some felt the new tram was noisier than the old.

On the whole, the reaction was positive and people could actually see out the windows without looking through graffiti. The verdicts:

PATRICK KENNY, Seacliff Park.

It’s fantastic, longer and wider. They were made in France so the real test will be how they cope with the air conditioning when it’s 40 degrees. I didn’t notice much noise at all.

ENRICO VARRICCHIO, Glandore.

Too much noise. It is nice inside and looks like it has the same seating, it is smoother than the old ones but it is noisy, more noisy.

BRODIE PAPARELLA, Eden Hills.

It’s really nice, spacious, you don’t feel so cramped up inside and I’m really happy because when you sit down, you’re not touching everyone anymore. It’s a lot better than the old ones where you could barely move inside.

JAZ PUNGERCAR, Melbourne

It’s quite nice, very much like the trams in Melbourne and definitely better than some of the old rattlers. It is pretty good for room, it’s nicely laid out and there’s enough standing room.

PENNY BAKER, Lyndoch.

One thing I have noticed is that there’s too many steps, when it’s crowded with school children it could be a problem with someone falling and hurting themselves. It’s very comfortable, but I do kind of miss the old trams and the noise.

JALPA GANDHI, Kurralta Park

It’s fabulous compared to the old trams, the air conditioner is circulating better, there are more doors so people can get on and off easier without pushing and taking a long time. It is very smooth. The seating is less, but the standing room is more.

IDA ZURAIDAH, Wayville.

It looks very modern. There seems less seating and maybe they will need to adjust the airconditioning for very hot days. I noticed a little noise. The windows are very large.

The French-built Alstom Citadis tram – one of six bought from Spanish capital Madrid’s transport authority MINTRA for $36 million – took tram enthusiasts on a jaunt from Moseley Square to the Glengowrie depot on Monday night, and morning commuters from Glenelg to the city yesterday.

But today’s hot weather and large numbers of commuters returning home after work or post-Christmas-sales shopping will give the best indication yet whether the new trams will avoid the problems that plagued the German-made Bombardier Flexity Classic trams when they replaced the old H-Class fleet in January, 2006.

Within days of their introduction, the Bombardier trams drew strong criticism for having fewer seats than the historic trams, and many passengers thought the airconditioning units were unable to cope with Adelaide’s extreme summer.

The new trams have 54 seats – 10 fewer than the Bombardiers – but have a capacity of 186, compared to 173 for the Bombardiers.

Acting Premier Paul Holloway said the Government did not expect problems similar to those experienced with the Bombardier fleet.

“These models were built in Madrid, which has a climate similar to Adelaide,” he said.

The new trams will initially be used as peak-hour sweepers – immediately following regular Bombardiers operating on the current timetable – to provide additional capacity.

They will be incorporated into a new timetable introduced once the tramline extension to the Entertainment Centre is opened in February or March.

Two of the new trams are undergoing final commissioning works at the Glengowrie depot. The other three are getting minor modifications in Melbourne and will arrive from January.

AdelaideNow

The first of six Spanish trams has been delivered to the Glengowrie tram depot in Adelaide.

Simon Pisoni from the electricians’ union says workloads are already too high.

“With our members struggling to cope with the service requirements of the current fleet, we don’t see what hope they’ve got to commission and maintain an additional fleet of trams from a different manufacturer,” he said.

TransAdelaide says the industrial action has not affected the first tram’s arrival and it expects it to be on the rails by Christmas/New Year.

ABC News

Former MetroLigero Citadis tram 167, built in France for Madrid, has been modified at Preston Workshops, Melbourne and departed on board a lowloader yesterday bound for Glengowrie tram depot bearing the number “T204″ printed on a sheet of paper in the driver’s cab window. Arrival of the tram is expected in Adelaide by the end of the week at earliest.

The 200 class trams (affectionately known as Amigos) will supplement the existing 100 class Flexity trams by offering a greater overall capacity despite having fewer seats overall. The Citadis design is popular with commuters in Melbourne, who have embraced the ‘Bumblebee’ trams, sisters to the forthcoming Adelaide fleet.

Unlike the famous Monty Python sketch, it is hoped that these trams will not attract “diabolical laughter”, despite being more than put the test with Adelaide’s pre-summer heatwave. Airconditioning is expected to be able to cope with Adelaide’s Madrid-like mediterranean climate despite the use of large glass panels throughout the bodywork. Climate control has been an ongoing sticking point for commuters with the Flexity tram fleet delivered in 2005.

Modifications taken out at Preston have included the removal of all signage associated with MetroLigero as well as Alstom-related wording; however the Blue, White and Red livery is likely to remain with the Amigos in Adelaide in the short term at least.

The trams are being delivered as part of a State Government deal announced earlier in the year for the purchase of 6 near-new secondhand trams from the Madrid operator, which had stored a large number of trams due to economic factors. MetroLigero 169 was sighted being delivered to Preston today as former-167 was departing.

RailSA

Three of the trams, purchased in Europe, arrived on the docks in Melbourne this week. Three more will arrive next month in a $36 million international deal.

The trams were built for Madrid transport group MINTRA for a major light rail project.

They were deemed surplus to requirements when the project was scaled back because of concerns over the global financial crisis.

Transport Minister Patrick Conlon said the $6 million cost for each tram was around the same as buying them new.

The deal, however, would help solve capacity problems much quicker than ordering new trams and waiting for them to be built and then to be delivered to South Australia. The French-made Alstom Citadis 302 trams hold 186 passengers each.

That is a slight increase on the trams in the existing fleets which have a 170-person carrying capacity.

Mr Conlon said the trams would begin arriving in Adelaide in November for trials before starting passenger operations over the festive holiday period.

“They will increase TransAdelaide’s modern tram fleet by 50 per cent and be running in time for the start of extended services to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre early next year,” he said.

Each tram is being brought to Australia in two halves for modifications at Melbourne’s Preston tram depot before being transported to Adelaide by road and then reassembled here.

AdelaideNow

The trams were built for Madrid transport group MINTRA for a major light rail project but were deemed surplus to requirements when the project was scaled back because of the global recession.

Mr Conlon said the $6 million cost for each tram was around the same as buying them new, but the deal would help solve capacity problems a lot quicker than ordering new trams and waiting for them to be built.

The low floor trams are being shipped over from Madrid and, after minor modifications, will go into full service in the Christmas/New Year period.

“It’s been a great saving in time,” he said. “We were looking at increasing capacity in the short term and we thought we’d have to do that with slightly older trams so were really pleased. It’s bad news for Spain but it’s good new for Adelaide.”

He said the trams had been built for Madrid’s hot climate and the air conditioning was “as good as it gets”.

Mr Conlon said the trams were “for all intents and purposes brand new” and five of the trams had never left the depot, and one had been used for just two weeks.

The Alstom Citadis 302 trams hold 186 passengers each, which is a slight increase on the existing fleets’ 170 person capacity.

The State Government also intends to purchase 50 new electric trains and an unspecified number of new trams in 2012, he said.

Premier Mike Rann said the trams were a very good buy.

“These trams can each carry more passengers than our current trams and will provide extra capacity during the busy morning and evening peaks on the Glenelg and City West tramline,” he said.

AdelaideNow