On 13/4/24 19:56, 'bblunt3473@yahoo.com' via TramsDownUnder wrote:
> Apparently CAF is playing silly buggers with supplying support and spares to leverage getting the maintenance contract from KDH.

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One of the Pyrmont cars was out of service for months after running through flooded tracks in Hay St that damaged the connectors on one of the motors. Apparently CAF would not sell the need part signally but only as a set. This was not a cheap part. The standoff went on for months. Story is that eventually Transdev parallel imported the part via one of their other European operations.

This is part of the reason why the L1 ceases operating every time there is heavy rain, they are scared of damaging another car. Depth of water over the tracks that the Variotrams just shrugged off can cause expensive to repair critical failures on a Urbos.

I did not thate the Newcastle cars had different motor connectors to what I saw at Pyrmont. CAF obliviously realised there was an issue and changed the design. This may mean that the 4 new cars have bogies that are incompatible with the original 12.

So CAF have a history of playing games over the supply of parts to 3rd party maintenance contractors.