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Metrolink Overhead snaps......

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northernrail

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The Metrolink faced more delays today as the Overhead wires snapped at Old Trafford, as a result a tram windscreen was smashed by the wire, heres the MEN report.

Stunned passengers described the moment a live electricity cable snapped and shattered a tram driver’s
window.

The incident led to widespread Metrolink delays between Manchester city centre and Altrincham.

A full service was resumed after two hours of repairs.

Passenger Drew Fitzgerald, 33, was on board the tram to Timperley from the city centre.

He said: “I was sitting at the front of the tram because the side windows were open.

“Just as it pulled into Old Trafford there was a massive bang and a judder. There were sparks coming off the top of the driver’s window and the driver looked very shocked. All the glass was shattered. It was really some force. The whole tram juddered then it pulled slowly into the station.”

Passengers were ordered off the tram and walked to catch a replacement bus, the 263 to Timperley.

Metrolink confirmed a fault with overhead power lines and apologised for delays.
 
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exile

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I was once on a tram on the MER on the Isle of Man which brought down an overhead wire - didn't seem any obvious reason for it to break.
 

pemma

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Would the current long spell of hot weather had anything to do with the tensionicity of the overhead cable ?

Basic Physics states that metals expand and contract as temperature changes. OHE cables obviously contain metal and are held up in the air by metal.

Any infrastructure should be designed to cope with normal temperature changes, you don't for instance expect a metal bridge to close because it's 25oC.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Manchester is apparently 33.7oC, now if it was that hot you could say it was designed to cope with a temperature that high but we expect a few days every day where it gets up to 25oC.

Similar hot spells of weather used to lead to many cases of heavy rail trackwork being deformed.

I forget who it was that said it but someone posted on here that the new OHE cables for Metrolink has thinner insulation than the original heavy rail cables due to the lower voltage carried. On that basis it would seem logical that the metal part of the cable is more affected by external temperatures on Metrolink.

With heavy rail remember we have some old infrastructure and sometimes where there are problems the advise seems to be for trains to run at reduced speed until the problem is properly fixed. With Metrolink the trams are really running at reduced speed already, you don't get trams running 60mph between Sale and Altrincham when in service like semi-fast trains used to because trams can't do 60mph.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I was once on a tram on the MER on the Isle of Man which brought down an overhead wire - didn't seem any obvious reason for it to break.

When did the Isle of Man electrics last get completely replaced?
 

WatcherZero

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Tension failures really arent that uncommon in hot weather anywhere in the country.
Just from memory there was one at Charing Cross less than a month ago and several in Essex last month.
 

dggar

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I forget who it was that said it but someone posted on here that the new OHE cables for Metrolink has thinner insulation than the original heavy rail cables due to the lower voltage carried. On that basis it would seem logical that the metal part of the cable is more affected by external temperatures on Metrolink.

Can someone explain what this means? I can't follow the logic here.
 

futureA

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24 May 2010
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OHLE cables do not have insulation. Although they are electrically isolated with insulators when they are need to be attached to a structure.

I doubt that either insulation or insulators played a part in this incident.
 
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