Manchester Metrolink (Non speculative discussion)

[JJmoogle]

As far as I recall it went Croydon Tramlink, then when TfL took it over it became Tramlink, and it's now London Trams.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

As far as I recall it went Croydon Tramlink, then when TfL took it over it became Tramlink, and it's now London Trams.

At least that area is proud of its geographical area served and not afraid to show it.

 

[JJmoogle]

I actually believe at the time it caused a bit of a kerfuffle dropping the Croydon.

 

[py_megapixel]

Looking at the original area of London that never saw de-regulation and is the one that Mr Burnham said he is emulating, what has that area done in the way of tram renaming that will ignore the geographical area in which it runs?

Metrolink trams have never actually carried any reference to Manchester, unless you count the tiny TfGM logos on signage. If anything "Bee Network" is more relevant to the geographical area!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Metrolink trams have never actually carried any reference to Manchester, unless you count the tiny TfGM logos on signage. If anything "Bee Network" is more relevant to the geographical area!

It is the name that has been used for many years to describe that operation on many media sources. Say you lived a distance away, such as Doncater or Peterborough, what geographical name is suggested by " Bee Network" to those people?

By the way, have you seen the title of this thread?

 

[JJmoogle]

I reckon they wouldn't notice, no one I know far away calls it Metrolink or Manchester Metrolink, they call it the trams in Manchester, everyone I know in Greater Manchester just calls it The Tram.

 

[Winthorpe]

To avoid confusion, it is important to differentiate the Manchester version from the Metrolink network in Southern California.

 

[Bungle965]

Manchester just calls it The Tram.

Growing up and now living in Manchester it's simply been known as "The Met" for me and others

 

[WatcherZero]

We just call it 'The Tram'

 

[DoubleLemon]

I suspect it will become:
Bee Network: Tram
Bee Network: Bus
Bee Network: Cycle
Etc.

 

[Trackman]

We just call it 'The Tram'

When I'm in Manchester, I always call it 'The Tram'
Funny, I knew someone who was visiting Manchester and wanted to go Bury or wherever and I said use the 'Metrolink', in which they replied - 'what is that?'

 

[duffield]

As we're discussing naming, the Nottingham tram is called "NET" (Nottingham Express Transit), but I've never heard anyone refer to it other than as "the tram".

NET was a pretty stupid choice IMHO. "You should catch the NET to the station"? "There's a NET stop nearby"? It just sounds wrong and weird to me. Substitute "tram" and it's fine.

Anyhow, back to Manchester!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Again, I remind all contributors what the name of this thread is called. Who was it in an official capacity who actually named the tramway as such in the first place?

 

[JJmoogle]

Perhaps we should have the thread renamed to its actual official title of 'The Greater Manchester Light Rapid Transit System'

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Perhaps we should have the thread renamed to its actual official title of 'The Greater Manchester Light Rapid Transit System'

But Mr Burnham will wonder what happened to the Bee... .....Perhaps he has it in mind to call the city "Beechester"!!!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Again, I remind all contributors what the name of this thread is called. Who was it in an official capacity who actually named the tramway as such in the first place?

Believe the term "MetroLink" was first used to describe West Yorkshire's local rail service network back in the late 1970s.

As regards Manchester's supertram network, the "Metro Link" name was one of two names being looked at in early 1988, the other name considered at the time was "Man Trak". Believe "Metrolink" got the nod in April 1988 just before phase one was put out to tender to various consortia in / around June that year.

Don't know who came up with the name, but every chance that David Graham, the then Director General of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, and who was perhaps the most important player in bringing the project to fruition, would have had something to do with it.

 

[sprunt]

But Mr Burnham will wonder what happened to the Bee...

I'll direct him to your bonnet if he asks.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'll direct him to your bonnet if he asks.

Tell him I only wear bonnets at Easter...

 

[MCR247]

As we're discussing naming, the Nottingham tram is called "NET" (Nottingham Express Transit), but I've never heard anyone refer to it other than as "the tram".

NET was a pretty stupid choice IMHO. "You should catch the NET to the station"? "There's a NET stop nearby"? It just sounds wrong and weird to me. Substitute "tram" and it's fine.

Anyhow, back to Manchester!

To be fair, I believe the intention was for it to be said N-E-T, like NCT. Regardless, it is a daft name, ‘express transit’ sounds very American.

Anyway, back to Manchester like you said!

 

[WatcherZero]

Believe the term "MetroLink" was first used to describe West Yorkshire's local rail service network back in the late 1970s.

As regards Manchester's supertram network, the "Metro Link" name was one of two names being looked at in early 1988, the other name considered at the time was "Man Trak". Believe "Metrolink" got the nod in April 1988 just before phase one was put out to tender to various consortia in / around June that year.

Don't know who came up with the name, but every chance that David Graham, the then Director General of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, and who was perhaps the most important player in bringing the project to fruition, would have had something to do with it.

Interesting you use the word 'supertram' as that was a marketing brand created specially for the Sheffield system. It opened as the "South Yorkshire Supertram" then when it was bought by Stagecoach was retained as the 'Stagecoach Supertram'.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Interesting you use the word 'supertram' as that was a marketing brand created specially for the Sheffield system.

Not necessarily. The Sheffield Supertram came in to being a few years after the one in Manchester, didn't it?

"Supertram" was certainly the phraseology used in the local press in early 1988 as the Manchester project was starting to gain momentum, but in the months before the term "Metrolink" had, in due course, been decided upon.

Possibly the term "Supertram" was a nod towards the Tyne & Wear Metro system, up in the Newcastle area, which was often referred to as a "Supertram" in the mid/late 1970s during its planning / construction phase.

Have to say that both "Metrolink" and "Supertram" would have been easier, more readily understandable and less clunky terms to use in the local Manchester press than the "Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System)".

 

[WatcherZero]

"Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System)" is the formal name used for the Parliamentary act, the title used for the Sheffield system acts was "South Yorkshire Light Rail Transit" whereas it was "The Edinburgh Tram", "The Croydon Tramlink", "Greater Nottingham Light Rapid Transit".

 

[Northerngirl]

I dobut many metro transit systems are called there 'proper' name by regulars, Exept when that name is (city) subway or metro
I mostly use merseyrail aka: the train, same with Manchester, its always just the tram.

 

[dodecahedron67]

Never heard it referred to as anything other than "The Met" to be honest - Manchester Met or Man Met is what we young'uns call MMU!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Never heard it referred to as anything other than "The Met" to be honest - Manchester Met or Man Met is what we young'uns call MMU!

Then why bother calling it Bee Network? Has anyone on here ever made reference to it as such?

 

[dodecahedron67]

Then why bother calling it Bee Network? Has anyone on here ever made reference to it as such?

I think of Bee Network a bit like TfL (in name purpose at least) - no-one calls the underground the "TfL Underground", or the overground "TfL Overground".

Same as no-one will call the buses the Bee Network, the Trams Bee Trams or whatever variant, or even the trains if they end up under local control like Mr Burnham wants.
Each "mode" will have its own local name - I suspect the closest we will get to something being called the Bee Network might be the buses, but I want to say they'll just be called "the X bus" or the "X Road buses" like "the 17 bus" or "the Oxford Road buses"

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Never heard it referred to as anything other than "The Met" to be honest - Manchester Met or Man Met is what we young'uns call MMU!

I've never hear it called by anything other than variations of "tram", I basically never hear any use of metro to refer to it except for the name "Metrolink".

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I wonder if anyone employed in a position of power in the Bee Network ever reads the threads in this website concerning the Bee Network?

 

[Neatro]

Then why bother calling it Bee Network? Has anyone on here ever made reference to it as such?

I don't think anyone will refer to it as bee network.

Bee network is an all encompassing term of bus and tram so far but you're not going to call it "the bee", most people I hear call it "the met" or "the tram".

Names change but people only recognise something by a name they grew up with. It's why most people still refer to the AO arena as the M.E.N Arena. It's had a dozen name changes but it'll always be M.E.N arena.

I think it will be the same for Metrolink, it's being encompassed into one transport entity but will still hold its original name unofficially.

 

[TheSmiths82]

Interchanges at Cornbrook tram stop can always be made using the same island platform. Never any need to cross the line.

It might also be to with crowd management too. Deansgate Castlefield can be a very busy station, where as Cornbrook is traditionally only an interexchange. I suspect with all the new apartments being built further and further down down Chester Road the station will become quite popular in its own right though.