Recovery operation begins to remove stricken Sheffield tram-train

A recovery operation has begun to move a tram-train in Sheffield which was involved in a collision with a lorry on the tracks earlier today.Â
The tram-train is now being recovered after it collided with a lorry earlier today (Picture: @SheffieldEyes)The tram-train is now being recovered after it collided with a lorry earlier today (Picture: @SheffieldEyes)
The tram-train is now being recovered after it collided with a lorry earlier today (Picture: @SheffieldEyes)

Engineers are at the scene on the junction of Woodbourn Road and Staniforth Road, where a tram-train collided with a lorry at around 3:20pm today.

The road remains closed off this evening, with a diversion in place around Attercliffe.

The scene earlier today (Picture: Gary Nixon)The scene earlier today (Picture: Gary Nixon)
The scene earlier today (Picture: Gary Nixon)
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The tram-train was full of people who boarded the first passenger service this morning from Sheffield Cathedral to Parkgate, via Rotherham Central railway station.

Steve Barber, Vice president of the Light Rail Transport Association was travelling on the tram-train at the time of the incident.

He estimated it was travelling at around 20mph when the collision took place.

He said: "I was sat in the front seat of the tram and we were approaching the junction and all I saw was a lorry in front and then the bed of it hit the tram.

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"The next minute we were up in the air and my back went. The windows were all smashed and we landed about 6m to the left of the tracks.

"There was a lady quite badly hurt and the ambulance and paramedics attended to her and two or three others who were in complete shock.

"The driver was fantastic and took charge of the situation as did the conductor but then once emergency services arrived they were in floods of tears."

Luckily, nobody was seriously injured during the collision, with reports of one passenger taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The pilot project was originally due to launch in 2015, and has cost around £75 million '“ £60 million more than originally estimated. Â