Cornbrook

[Andyh82]

I recently changed trams on the Manchester Metrolink at Cornbrook, and found the information on offer not really sufficient. Being an interchange station, there needs to be more than just the standard departure screens as used elsewhere

Outbound, I was waiting for a tram to The Trafford Centre, and for a while there wasn’t a tram on screen, just a succession of mostly Altrincham and East Didsbury services, so I’m thinking a bigger screen with a longer list of departures should be shown

Inbound, unless you are an expert on the current service pattern, it isn’t clear which services run via Exchange Square and which run via Market Street, and at the same time, identifying those that run via Victoria or Piccadilly might be useful

The same could probably be said at other busy complicated stops like St Peter’s Square

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The same could probably be said at other busy complicated stops like St Peter’s Square

Agree that the provision of information might be better at Cornbrook, and sometimes it's not a bad idea to just board the first inbound in service tram towards the City Centre and work out where the tram is calling en route, as by St. Peter's Square, the trackwork has divided and so now serves four platform faces. Any trams for Exchange Square will always use the platform which is nearest to the Central Library. Ones calling at Market Street will use the other side of the same island platform, provided of course that they have a Bury or Victoria destination.

Not 100% sure which way trams originating from the Trafford Centre will be routed through the City Centre when they are extended, in due course, beyond Cornbrook through to Crumpsall. Can anyone clarify?

 

[Greybeard33]

I recently changed trams on the Manchester Metrolink at Cornbrook, and found the information on offer not really sufficient. Being an interchange station, there needs to be more than just the standard departure screens as used elsewhere

Outbound, I was waiting for a tram to The Trafford Centre, and for a while there wasn’t a tram on screen, just a succession of mostly Altrincham and East Didsbury services, so I’m thinking a bigger screen with a longer list of departures should be shown

Inbound, unless you are an expert on the current service pattern, it isn’t clear which services run via Exchange Square and which run via Market Street, and at the same time, identifying those that run via Victoria or Piccadilly might be useful

The same could probably be said at other busy complicated stops like St Peter’s Square

A coloured route map is displayed at each Metrolink stop that enables you to relate routing to end destination. For example, it shows that, from Cornbrook, Rochdale and Shaw services run via Exchange Square, while Bury and Victoria services go via Market Street. Also the destination display on the front of the tram says "Bury via Market Street" or "Rochdale via Exchange Square".

Normal headway on all lines is a maximum of 12 minutes, so it is not really necessary to display departure times more than a few minutes ahead. When there is major disruption audio announcements are made on the platforms as well as special messages on the information displays.

The TfGM website gives live departure information for each stop, with a longer list than can be displayed on the platform:

Cornbrook tram stop

Get live departure times for all Metrolink services from this tram stop. See facilities, accessibility information and maps.

tfgm.com

Also Google Maps will give the live departure time for your service, if you use its navigation function.

 

[scrapy]

Think it's planned to run Trafford Centre trams to Crumpsall via Market st

 

[Fokx]

In all honesty it’s not really required or needed at Cornbrook.

Once the Trafford Centre line opens, it will only really function as an interchange to locals, many of whom use the tram regularly and have a generally good idea of where to change and what tram line goes where. This is particularly obvious in the morning and afternoon Peak where interchange between the Altrincham and Media City line services can be seen and match days where passengers who used to travel from Maine Road board Ashton bound routes.

However I wouldn’t disagree that something ‘more’ could be added to the City Zone interchanges at Victoria, Piccadilly, St Peter’s and Cornbrook. It would be particularly nice if TfGM/Metrolink placed a ‘you are here’ on their route maps as fhis is one thing that confuses people new to the network the most

 

[507 001]

Think it's planned to run Trafford Centre trams to Crumpsall via Market st

We keep hearing different things. I suspect it'll end up going down 2CC to give the Bury line a connection to Exchange Sq.

 

[StretfordEnd96]

In all honesty it’s not really required or needed at Cornbrook.

Once the Trafford Centre line opens, it will only really function as an interchange to locals, many of whom use the tram regularly and have a generally good idea of where to change and what tram line goes where.

I would find it a bit strange though if tram stops contained/didn't contain certain information compared to others purely on whether they are used by local people or not. You'd want something consistent across all stations (or well, certainly the important stations such as all city centre ones).

 

[Ianno87]

I would find it a bit strange though if tram stops contained/didn't contain certain information compared to others purely on whether they are used by local people or not. You'd want something consistent across all stations (or well, certainly the important stations such as all city centre ones).

Piccadilly has a bit more information as a "gateway" Station to the network.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Visited the Trafford Centre for the first time yesterday, using the new tram route from Cornbrook (branching off after Pomona station).
There is ZERO signage to Metrolink once you are inside the centre, which I find surprising seeing as they were a major promoter and funder of the extension to their doors.
It's therefore a long and confusing slog from the shops to the two tram stops, which are invisible from inside the Centre.
The Trafford Centre terminal station is closest to the central bit with the Selfridges entrance.
Barton Dock Road station is closest to Primark and Barton Square at the eastern end of the complex.
The tram route dog-legs through the Trafford Park industrial complex, negotiating some very slow curves and road junctions en route.

 

[Ianno87]

Visited the Trafford Centre for the first time yesterday, using the new tram route from Cornbrook (branching off after Pomona station).
There is ZERO signage to Metrolink once you are inside the centre, which I find surprising seeing as they were a major promoter and funder of the extension to their doors.
It's therefore a long and confusing slog from the shops to the two tram stops, which are invisible from inside the Centre.
The Trafford Centre terminal station is closest to the central bit with the Selfridges entrance.
Barton Dock Road station is closest to Primark and Barton Square at the eastern end of the complex.
The tram route dog-legs through the Trafford Park industrial complex, negotiating some very slow curves and road junctions en route.

Oh yes, the internal signage in the Trafford Centre is shockingly poor (it is there, it just doesn't stand out at all).

The Barton Dock Road stop is very convenient for Primark etc, and the main stop isn't too bad from the back of Selfridges.

I don't blame Metrolink on this - the TC owners should push it much more. They've always seen public transport as a bit of a nuisance...

 

[507 001]

Visited the Trafford Centre for the first time yesterday, using the new tram route from Cornbrook (branching off after Pomona station).
There is ZERO signage to Metrolink once you are inside the centre, which I find surprising seeing as they were a major promoter and funder of the extension to their doors.
It's therefore a long and confusing slog from the shops to the two tram stops, which are invisible from inside the Centre.
The Trafford Centre terminal station is closest to the central bit with the Selfridges entrance.
Barton Dock Road station is closest to Primark and Barton Square at the eastern end of the complex.
The tram route dog-legs through the Trafford Park industrial complex, negotiating some very slow curves and road junctions en route.

It’s really not that slow at all.

 

[StretfordEnd96]

I forget - does anyone know why the Trafford Park line does currently terminate at Cornbrook? I seem to recall the idea was for termination at Crumpsall - this was delayed perhaps due to the pandemic?

 

[507 001]

I forget - does anyone know why the Trafford Park line does currently terminate at Cornbrook? I seem to recall the idea was for termination at Crumpsall - this was delayed perhaps due to the pandemic?

The Pandemic plus not enough trams or drivers. Currently mooted for next year.

 

[WatcherZero]

Visited the Trafford Centre for the first time yesterday, using the new tram route from Cornbrook (branching off after Pomona station).
There is ZERO signage to Metrolink once you are inside the centre, which I find surprising seeing as they were a major promoter and funder of the extension to their doors.
It's therefore a long and confusing slog from the shops to the two tram stops, which are invisible from inside the Centre.
The Trafford Centre terminal station is closest to the central bit with the Selfridges entrance.
Barton Dock Road station is closest to Primark and Barton Square at the eastern end of the complex.
The tram route dog-legs through the Trafford Park industrial complex, negotiating some very slow curves and road junctions en route.

It is on the internal navigation signage (signs around the centre directing you to primary areas) but strangely there isnt a sign near the actual exit pointing you out as I think they prefer if you went through Selfridges.

 

[507 001]

It is on the internal navigation signage (signs around the centre directing you to primary areas) but strangely there isnt a sign near the actual exit pointing you out as I think they prefer if you went through Selfridges.

Selfridges would definitely prefer you to leave through Selfridges…

 

[The exile]

I recently changed trams on the Manchester Metrolink at Cornbrook, and found the information on offer not really sufficient. Being an interchange station, there needs to be more than just the standard departure screens as used elsewhere

Outbound, I was waiting for a tram to The Trafford Centre, and for a while there wasn’t a tram on screen, just a succession of mostly Altrincham and East Didsbury services, so I’m thinking a bigger screen with a longer list of departures should be shown

Inbound, unless you are an expert on the current service pattern, it isn’t clear which services run via Exchange Square and which run via Market Street, and at the same time, identifying those that run via Victoria or Piccadilly might be useful

The same could probably be said at other busy complicated stops like St Peter’s Square

I've always wondered why Metrolink (in common with other new generation UK tram networks) has fought shy of route numbers - especially now there are different ways of getting through the city centre. It's not exactly as if it's a radical new idea....

 

[WatcherZero]

They did have route letters for a time about 4 years ago. Coloured lines were more popular so they went back to the tube style map.

 

[507 001]

I've always wondered why Metrolink (in common with other new generation UK tram networks) has fought shy of route numbers - especially now there are different ways of getting through the city centre. It's not exactly as if it's a radical new idea....

Because they’re not needed. Simple.