Manchester Metrolink master thread

[familyguy99]

TFGM have confirm that Ashton line will open on 9th October and first tram will set off at Ashton Under Lyne at 5.59am.

Metrolink all set for Ashton

The first Metrolink tram in passenger service from Ashton-under-Lyne will depart at 5.59am on Wednesday 9 October – several months ahead of schedule – subject to final testing.

As part of the final testing phase prior to the launch, trams will start to run on a regular basis from Monday 30 September – but not in passenger service.

Once complete, this will be followed by the public launch on Wednesday 9 October.

It means that, from Monday 30th, the first trams from existing stops on the East Manchester line will change slightly, with the first tram to Manchester from Droylsden leaving at 6.13am.

The launch to Ashton will add four new stops to the East Manchester line: Audenshaw, Ashton Moss, Ashton West and Ashton-under-Lyne.

Park and ride facilities at Ashton Moss (200 spaces) and Ashton West (194 spaces, shared with users of the Ashton Moss Leisure Park) will also open and will be free to use for Metrolink passengers.

Tram journeys from Ashton to Piccadilly will take a little over 30 minutes.

Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, said: “The early arrival of trams to Ashton is fantastic news and a real boon for Tameside.

“I am particularly pleased that the last government committed funding for this project before the last general election. This ensured that the contract was signed before the spending axe fell.

“This will be the second time this year we have delivered a new Metrolink line several months ahead of schedule and I’d like to thank the teams involved for all their hard work in getting us to this point.

“It’s great for the area’s businesses and people travelling to and from all the great things Ashton has to offer.”

Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Transport and Land Use, Councillor Peter Robinson said: “These are exciting times for our borough with the Metrolink line to Ashton providing another piece in the public transport jigsaw for Tameside.

“You can’t fail to be impressed by the new public transport hub we have here now, with the bus station, train station and new Metrolink stop situated right next to each other.

“We have already seen the positive impact the tram service to Droylsden has had on that town and this will be equally positive for Ashton.

“On a personal note, as an avid football fan the fact the new line makes it easier to reach both Old Trafford and the City of Manchester stadium is a bonus.”

Tickets from the new stops to any of the stops in Manchester city centre, up to and including Manchester Victoria or Deansgate-Castlefield, will start at £3.40 for a peak ‘anytime’ single.

An ‘anytime’ peak return ticket will cost £5.40, with the off-peak (9.30am onwards) ticket costing just £3.80.

A range of weekly, four-weekly and annual season tickets will offer even greater value.

Services starting at Ashton will run on through Manchester city centre – calling at the Manchester Piccadilly, Piccadilly Gardens, Market Street, Shudehill and Manchester Victoria stops – before serving all stops on the Bury line.

Passengers will be able to connect with services to Altrincham and Eccles at Manchester Piccadilly or Piccadilly Gardens, and services to East Didsbury, Oldham and Rochdale at Market Street.

This latest 2.1-mile (3.4km) extension brings the total size of the current Metrolink network to 47.7 miles (76.8km), serving 73 stops.

http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_centre/Pages/News.aspx?articleId=322

Also Metrolink have update Time info with Ashton stops on them now.

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/tramtimes/Pages/Ashton-Under-Lyne.aspx
http://www.metrolink.co.uk/tramtimes/Pages/Ashton-West.aspx
http://www.metrolink.co.uk/tramtimes/Pages/Ashton-Moss.aspx
http://www.metrolink.co.uk/tramtimes/Pages/Audenshaw.aspx

 

[pemma]

I noticed today for the first time that between Navigation Road and Altrincham there are tram shaped 10mph signs with a further little sign underneath saying 'M5000 only'

 

[Manchester77]

There used to be one ages ago under the M60 bridge before Dane Road when they were first introduced don't know if it still is. Anyone noticed any others?

 

[rebmcr]

Do we know the reason?

 

[Manchester77]

map at Ashton miss closest my phone would zoom in

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Maps at Ashton off SCC

 

[pemma]

Do we know the reason?

In the case of approaching/leaving Altrincham I think it's down to the M500s swaying more than the T68s on non-street runnng sections so they have run more slowly to not scrape against the platform, which was built to be long enough for an 8 car EMU.

 

[Midlandman]

The one under the motorway bridge at Dane Road was still there last week, limiting M5000s to 30mph. Doesn't seem to apply in the reverse direction, though.

 

[Shrimper]

Also one between Timperley and Brooklands inbound, 45mph so not as noticeable but also only applicable to M5000s

 

[507 001]

The one under the motorway bridge at Dane Road was still there last week, limiting M5000s to 30mph. Doesn't seem to apply in the reverse direction, though.

Still there, likely to be for some time. And yes it Only applies in the inbound direction and to M5000s.

The 10mph at Alti has also been there for some time and is indeed to do with clearances.

 

[familyguy99]

Ghost service have start running on Ashton line since Monday (picture that I took of ghost service running in Ashton line come be found at bottom this page) and it took day and half for car driver to drive they car onto tracks in Ashton Town Centre.

Motorist drives onto new Metrolink tracks in Ashton - and gets stuck there

The Metrolink line to Ashton opens to the public next week - but this driver decided she couldn't wait that long.

A gold Citroen was driven onto the tracks outside the new Ashton-under-Lyne stop opposite Ikea and became lodged on the line.

Police were called at about 3pm today but were unable to budge the car so a recovery vehicle was called and it was finally freed an hour later.

The line has been in a testing phase for over a month but is set to open on October, adding four new stops at Audenshaw, Ashton Moss, Ashton West and Ashton-under-Lyne.

Surveyor Paul Hadfield captured the calamity on camera from his office at New Charter Housing.

He said: "The driver was really shaken and she came into our office for a cup of tea. There's a left turning at the junction opposite Ikea and signs say don't turn left, but I suppose drivers can get caught on the track and follow it round.

"I think it's a combination of confusing signs and a confused driver. I do think the Metrolink coming to Ashton will be good though."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...ws/motorist-drives-onto-new-metrolink-6122362

Also from next week they going to be more tram testing for Oldham Town Centre line and once they complete night-time testing they are going to start running in daylights on Oldham Town Centre line.

Oldham town centre – upcoming tram testing

Work is progressing to build the new Metrolink extension through Oldham Town Centre. Through October you will see an increase in activities along the route as we move closer to opening this new extension to the Oldham and Rochdale Metrolink line.

Activities due to take place will include:

• Overnight dynamic tram testing between Westwood Business Park and Oldham Mumps commencing 6th October: This involves checks to ensure the tram management system is fully functional and interacting with the new traffic signalled junctions correctly. Testing will initially take place overnight and will involve minor road restrictions at tram junctions as the tram passes through them under the escort of Greater Manchester Police and the supervision of the tram testing team. Junctions will only be restricted for a very short period of time and noise will be kept to a minimum during this period.

• Daytime dynamic tram testing: After the junctions have been checked, further dynamic testing with trams will be carried out during the daytime without the need for a Greater Manchester Police escort.

During the testing stage, the tram service is not open to the public. You will be able to continue to use the road and pedestrian crossings as you currently do.

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/pages/news.aspx?worksID=60

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I imagine the testing of the Oldham town centre line will be slightly more awkward than the previous new lines, it being a diversion rather than an extension. The 'Ghost-running' as seen on the Ashton and East Didsbury lines won't be possible I'd have thought. Presumably trams will run OOS from the City Centre in between the in-service Rochdale trams but diverge at the junction to run through the centre of Oldham before rejoining the current (former heavy-rail) route to turn back at Shaw & Crompton?

 

[Manchester77]

As this is just testing traffic signals and TMS it'll most likely just be a tram brought onto the Town Centre line at night and stored at new Mumps when not in use. That way theres no reversals while the main line is operational.

During ghost running it's possible the same will be done except instead of it just being 1 tram it'll be a few more. when it comes to the line opening there'll have to be a closure while they disconnect the tracks before the tunnels

 

[edwin_m]

I imagine the testing of the Oldham town centre line will be slightly more awkward than the previous new lines, it being a diversion rather than an extension. The 'Ghost-running' as seen on the Ashton and East Didsbury lines won't be possible I'd have thought. Presumably trams will run OOS from the City Centre in between the in-service Rochdale trams but diverge at the junction to run through the centre of Oldham before rejoining the current (former heavy-rail) route to turn back at Shaw & Crompton?

No pointwork will ever be installed at the divergence of the town centre section at Werneth, and the junction at the Mumps end will remain as a single temporary point on the outbound track until the town centre route is in service. So for the time being one or more trams trams will reverse onto the Mumps end of the town centre route then run back and forth between the crossovers at Mumps and near Werneth. These crossovers are permanent but their positions were chosen partly to allow this testing and training. A tram leaving the Oldham section can run out to Shaw and Crompton and reverse there to return to depot, though they may prefer to park them somewhere in Oldham protected by fencing as has been done on other routes.

Once all bugs are ironed out and drivers familiar with the route, there will be a shutdown of the Rochdale line - don't know how long but I guess a weekend would do it - while the temporary section through the tunnels is disconnected both ends and the tracks are connected to the town centre instead. I think the temporary point at Mumps will also go at the same time. I'm not sure whether the shutdown will be lengthened to allow drivers to have a few goes at driving right through before passenger service starts, but it would be pretty much impossible to resume passenger service to Rochdale without also opening the four new tramstops in Oldham, so passenger service will follow immediately after the shutdown. The temporary section will then be removed with some equipment re-used on the Airport line.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Thanks for the explanation, both of you. I had automatically assumed that full junctions had been provided at both ends, though when I think about it that would be rather wasteful given that the 'old' route is not being retained.

 

[snowball]

A tram leaving the Oldham section can run out to Shaw and Crompton and reverse there to return to depot, though they may prefer to park them somewhere in Oldham protected by fencing as has been done on other routes..

There has already been some parking at the new Mumps station when the first gauging tests on the Oldham town centre line were done several weeks ago.

Until now I have been expecting Rochdale town centre to open before Oldham, but the fact that further testing in Oldham has now been announced, suggests the possibility that they may be aiming to open both simultaneously.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Until now I have been expecting Rochdale town centre to open before Oldham, but the fact that further testing in Oldham has now been announced, suggests the possibility that they may be aiming to open both simultaneously.

Was that not the original intention ?

 

[snowball]

Was that not the original intention ?

I don't know whether it was or not. Both have always been said to be 2014. For about a year now the work in Rochdale has looked more advanced than Oldham. Rochdale has reached every milestone first, such as completion of tracklaying, overhead wires, first test tram.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I don't know whether it was or not. Both have always been said to be 2014. For about a year now the work in Rochdale has looked more advanced than Oldham. Rochdale has reached every milestone first, such as completion of tracklaying, overhead wires, first test tram.

That line already has had three part-openings to date, to Oldham Mumps and then to Shaw and then to Rochdale Railway station.

 

[radamfi]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the Rochdale town centre stop can't open until the old bus station is demolished.

Can I ask for clarification of this statement, as the line singling was only effected from Shaw to Rochdale. Shaw to Manchester Victoria, via Oldham Mumps, was always a double track section until heavy-rail line closure was effected.

I didn't see this post until now. Yes, the track was only singled between Shaw and Rochdale.

 

[snowball]

I don't know whether it was or not. Both have always been said to be 2014. For about a year now the work in Rochdale has looked more advanced than Oldham. Rochdale has reached every milestone first, such as completion of tracklaying, overhead wires, first test tram.

That line already has had three part-openings to date, to Oldham Mumps and then to Shaw and then to Rochdale Railway station.

I was referring specifically to the section from Rochdale railway station to Rochdale town centre, compared with the line through Oldham town centre.

 

[familyguy99]

Rumour on SCC thread is that Rochdale Town Centre line will open before Christmas (this year) and Oldham Town Centre line will open Spring 2014, all station on Oldham Town Centre line now have signs up (I not to sure about Oldham Central as I haven't been down there for while) and all station have now got totems up next to stops, like it said on here they still need to put tracks down and connect wires from 3A to 3B line at Werneth and Mumps.


Metrolink work in Werneth area 2


Metrolink line for Oldham 3B line

^^ As you can see on that picture they will use track that already in places to run tram onto 3B line from 3A line at Mumps like they did back at end of August.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I suppose that the usual dedicated followers of the Manchester Metrolink system will be up and about before the dawn breaks this coming Wednesday in order to be on their way to catch the first tram on the East Manchester line to celebrate the final line extension to Ashton-under-Lyne.

 

[table38]

I doubt I'll be bothered enough to get up at ridiculous o'clock to be on the first tram, but I certainly plan to be down on Wednesday at some time to have a go!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I doubt I'll be bothered enough to get up at ridiculous o'clock to be on the first tram, but I certainly plan to be down on Wednesday at some time to have a go!

I suppose that first tram will be full of those from the SSC website...

 

[WatcherZero]

Probably the ones who live close :P I went to a NASA event at Mediacity at 5am last year and that was a pain to get too.

 

[familyguy99]

I suppose that the usual dedicated followers of the Manchester Metrolink system will be up and about before the dawn breaks this coming Wednesday in order to be on their way to catch the first tram on the East Manchester line to celebrate the final line extension to Ashton-under-Lyne.

I suppose that first tram will be full of those from the SSC website...

They are Paul I think is 05:14am from Victoria they are catching. (first tram to Ashton) I be going to Ashton on Wednesday but it probably be afternoon ish.

Here link of picture that I took today from New Oldham Mumps stop to Werneth showing Metrolink line for Oldham 3B line.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/sets/72157632535235149/

Tram testing for Oldham Town Centre is expect to begin tonight and hopefully daylight dynamic testing may start next week (14 Oct)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I doubt I'll be bothered enough to get up at ridiculous o'clock to be on the first tram, but I certainly plan to be down on Wednesday at some time to have a go!

Having to wake up in the early morning to set off from Prestbury in early October is not my idea of fun and I too will savour the first delights of the four "A's", Audenshaw, Ashton Moss, Ashton West and Ashton-under-Lyne, at a far more civilised time of the late morning.

How kind of the authorities to lay on a Christmas closure period at Manchester Victoria to educate all the new East Manchester line passengers into the nuances of service disruption..

 

[HowardGWR]

This web site has not had any news for over a year.

http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/Consultations/Metrolink2cc/Pages/second_city_crossing_news.aspx

Application is hereby made by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) of 2 Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester M1 3BG for an Order under sections 1 and 3 of the Transport and Works Act 1992 in the terms of the draft Order accompanying this application.

The proposed Order, if made, would authorise the construction and operation of a further tram route in the city of Manchester as an extension of the existing Manchester Metrolink system.

The proposed new route would join existing tramway routes from a point close to the Manchester Central Convention Complex on Lower Mosley Street to a point near Victoria Station on Corporation Street.

The Order includes provision for the acquisition, compulsorily and by agreement, of land and rights in and to use land, and provision for the construction, operation and maintenance of the tramway system

Anyone know what's holding the job up? It also says the Inquiry closed on its home page -has the report emerged?

 

[Manchester77]

Utility diversions and investigations are underway however no parliamentary approval yet. Will probably open in 2017 until then limited to 25tph through the city zone, enough for a six minute service on Shaw-SML services if MediaCity services are ever cut back to Cornbrook. Airport services will probably terminate at the remodelled Deansgate until 2CC opens

 

[WatcherZero]

They are still waiting on the TWAO approval before they can start construction a process that takes ages. In the meantime theyve done a second bout of utilities investigation and in the next few weeks they are starting building fabric inspections for where OHLE will be anchored to buildings. 2016 is still the target completion and a planning app has been made for the Deansgate-Castlefield refurbishment and third platform. Phase 1 of those works would be completed before St Peters Square stop is relocated during which the third platform allows it to act as a temporary terminus, they plan some more landscaping works at DGC after St Peters reopens.

Theyve applied for a European Union grant for the Exchange Square-Victoria track, if they win that grant it requires that works be completed by end of 2015.