Manchester Metrolink master thread

[Rhydgaled]

I think the biggest selling point of the X35 was how comfortable the seats were compared to the rocks found on T68s (except 1007)

What's different about 1007? I thought all the T68s (mark1s and mark2s) had the same interior, at least it looks that way to me when I've been on them.

Clearence testing is always done with the tram using the OHLE. Look at the EML2 testing a few weeks ago. The double ran from OldTrafford down the EML1 and onto the EML2 where it was stabled at different points and did the journey step by step over the week.

Is EML2 another partial phase or all the way to Ashton Under Lyme? I thought that one wasn't opening until 2014, has it been completed early?

With the Old Trafford Control Room comes on line on April the 8th this will add the extra capacity to control SML2 trams and the implementation of TMS.

Does the Old Trafford Control Room switch-on equal Tram signaling (TMS?) switch-on? I assume SML2 is all the way to East Disbury, is the airport line SML3?

 

[gnolife]

What's different about 1007? I thought all the T68s (mark1s and mark2s) had the same interior, at least it looks that way to me when I've been on them.

Is EML2 another partial phase or all the way to Ashton Under Lyme? I thought that one wasn't opening until 2014, has it been completed early?

Does the Old Trafford Control Room switch-on equal Tram signaling (TMS?) switch-on? I assume SML2 is all the way to East Disbury, is the airport line SML3?

1007 has different seats to the rest of them, or it did the last time that I used it, which is actually quite a while ago.

Don't know about the Ashton-under-Lyne line, as that isn't one that I'm particularly bothered about

The shorthand for the line to Wythenshawe and the Airport is APL

 

[martin2345uk]

Ashton-under-Lyne section is structurally complete, and test trams have travelled the whole line, but there have been no indications of an early opening (still on for this coming winter).

 

[Manchester77]

What's different about 1007? I thought all the T68s (mark1s and mark2s) had the same interior, at least it looks that way to me when I've been on them.

Is EML2 another partial phase or all the way to Ashton Under Lyme? I thought that one wasn't opening until 2014, has it been completed early?

Does the Old Trafford Control Room switch-on equal Tram signaling (TMS?) switch-on? I assume SML2 is all the way to East Disbury, is the airport line SML3?

As stated 1007 had bigger, more comfortable seats.

EML1 - To Droylsden
EML2 - To Ashton
SML1 - To SWR
SML2 - To East Didsbury

 

[snowball]

Does the Old Trafford Control Room switch-on equal Tram signaling (TMS?) switch-on?

As I understand it, TMS (Tram Management System) will continue to inch forward across the system, and will have no big switch-on - in contrast to the control room switch-on.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Thanks for the replies martin2345uk, gnolife, Manchester77 and snowball.

As stated 1007 had bigger, more comfortable seats.

Assuming 1007 was/is the only one with different seats, why was this done?, and is it still around or is it withdrawn?

As I understand it, TMS (Tram Management System) will continue to inch forward across the system, and will have no big switch-on - in contrast to the control room switch-on.

So TMS is already in operation on some stretches then?

 

[Manchester77]

Because they tried 1007 with tube style seating and then when it didn't work they put in new seats. 1007 is still going strong thankfully

TMS is in operation between Eccles and Pomona via MediaCityUK. It also controls the Firswood Junction at the depot and the Newbold Single Line Section

TMS is only really fully active at the Firswood junction off SML to Trafford Depot and on the Eccles Line and MediaCity branch in the sense that it controls the points and signals at the junctions for the depot and MCUK. It is also controlling the single line at Newbold on ORL although the full functionality isn't yet provided and some of the signals and the points on High Level Road aren't yet in use. One of the subsystems within it, namely the tram detection loop system, provides the information to drive the traffic lights on Eccles, EML and ORL.

The loop system and Mesh radio WiFi system are being used to drive the PIDS where these are in use. These are proving quite accurate hence your observation of drivers using them to gauge their arrival at the single line at Newton Heath. The on tram equipment is capable of helping the driver know where the tram in front is when in headway mode but I don't think it could tell him/her where a tram on the opposite line is.

From Freel07 on SCC

 

[Rail Bus]

Indeed, however I was observing, not evaluating! I thoroughly appreciate that it will be a totally different scenario on Monday morning or Wednesday evening for example.

I travelled Picc gardens - Droylsden at 17.00 Tuesday 5th March

Full and standing until Piccadilly, where everyone got off except me and my 2 companions and 4 other people. Me and my companions were the only ones onboard on arrival at Droylsden

Rush hour?

For our return journey at 22.00 we were the only ones onboard all the way to Piccadilly, where we changed for a tram to Altrincham which was full and standing by St Peters sq

 

[Starmill]

Lots of people do seem to take advantage of their free tram ride Piccadilly to Piccadilly Gardens, whereas in don't think many people Arrington at Victoria do that. I guess it's tantamount to the better location Victoria has.

 

[WatcherZero]

1007 has the seats from the 2000 series, This is because when they were going to put them back in the original seat supplier for the 1000 series had gone bust.

 

[Manchester77]

Metrolink Tram 1007 Seats by Manchester_77, on Flickr

 

[Starmill]

1007 has the seats from the 2000 series, This is because when they were going to put them back in the original seat supplier for the 1000 series had gone bust.

You don't mean to imply that the T68As have the same aeats as 1007?

 

[WatcherZero]

Same manufacturer as that which did the 2000 series.

 

[Manchester77]

The T68As do not have the same seats as 1007. T68As don't have the same seats as standard T68s

 

[MidnightFlyer]

This is probably a stupid question () but I assume bank holidays (i.e. tomorrow) are treated as weekends and not a standard weekday for ticketing purposes? I know it's a Sunday services across the board tomorrow so I assume there's no peak tomorrow and off-peak tickets are valid pre-0930?

Cheers

 

[Manchester77]

Idk about ticketing but bank holidays operate a Sunday/Bank holiday timetable. So 12 minute service across the board with no Bury - Altrincham or MediaCity - Piccadilly meaning Eccles, Altrincham and Bury services are more busy than usual. On Friday I has to let the first 2 trams go they were so full so if you are traveling allow extra time for this.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What is the current time period envisaged to see the opening of the line through to East Didsbury ?

 

[Manchester77]

Well intensive testing of the new control room begun today with that scheduled to come online on the 8th. I'd imagine that they'd want a few weeks for that to settle down and to see how that works before progressing with SML2.

East Didsbury may not need TMS to open but I'd imagine metrolink would like to have full TMS in use so that when TMS is rolled out on the ORL they don't need to do loads of work to get the 6 minute service.

Anyway; I'd say after the 8th give it a few weeks and then the buffers will be lifted from St Werbugh's Road, then we'll see a double go up to East Didders and do the odd daytime run from there to SWR or OTD and back. Then probably 3050 - 3056(?) will get dual signalled and daytime testing will begin. Starting with a few trams heading up the SML from OTD driver training. After driver training is complete then we'll see ghosting with trams terminating at SWR and running up to East Didders out of service, turning round and then running back to SWR where they'll enter service to Rochdale. This will probably happen for at least a week or so (I'd say 2 to 3 weeks) and then we'll begin to see ticket machines put in at the new stations and then(!) when it looks like everything is good (e.i. PIDs working good, points working, full 12 minute intervals) we'll get that picture of the purple line going down in line with Altrincham maybe to East Didsbury! Then a few days will pass and then TfGM will say testing has been completed on the new line from SWR to East Didsbury and will be opening on the XX/XX/2013. When the dates released ticket machines across the network will get he new maps along with the trams. Then the day before the websites updated and then a 05:49 a bunch of butters will greet the first tram into Victoria!

There's way too much crap in that but oh well

Basically, my seeing is:-
- New control room comes into use
- 2 week seeing how it goes
- A few night runs to ED
- Driver Testing to ED
- Ghost running to ED
- Line opens.

 

[Starmill]

I thought this was a particularly interesting post (by someone who knows much more about this than me, I might add!) by freindly Freel

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=101906945&postcount=21929

 

[Rail Bus]

Again

An hour waited at St Peters Sq for Altrincham tram tonight

This time due to signal failure at Victoria, yet it didn't stop 5 St Werburghs going through

The Altrincham tram dosent even go anywhere near Victoria at this time at night

The worm has turned, I actually feared for the safety of the metrolink guy who was onboard to Trafford Bar, and when they changed drivers oh dear me

The paying public can only take so much

 

[Manchester77]

An hour waited at St Peters Sq for Altrincham tram tonight
This time due to signal failure at Victoria, yet it didn't stop 5 St Werburghs going through
The Altrincham tram dosent even go anywhere near Victoria at this time at night
The worm has turned, I actually feared for the safety of the metrolink guy who was onboard to Trafford Bar, and when they changed drivers oh dear me
The paying public can only take so much

Um no it wasn't, did you not hear the announcements all afternoon it was due to a points failure at Irk Valley.

When I was out (15:45 to 17:30) points were being clipped and scotched in the Irk Valley. That meant all trams had to be held before the junction while workers came on and moved the points manually, then the ORL tram came onto the main line, then workers came on and set the points manually again.

Yes but during the day the Altrincham line does go near Victoria meaning that all the trams on PIC - ALT were delayed as BUR - ALT were held up by SWR - RRS being in the wrong place meaning that anything that interfaces with the western side of the network ends up in the wrong place. I wouldn't be surprised that at the end of service we'll have Old Trafford based drivers having to run empty to get in the right place. Literally everything is in the wrong place...

And a question to you, why do you come on here and moan when you could email metrolink for an answer and maybe a refund?!

 

[Starmill]

Aye... twas another buggered up evening peak for Metrolink. I did try to pass you over to the best explanation of why this happens though.

 

[Manchester77]

Aye... twas another buggered up evening peak for Metrolink. I did try to pass you over to the best explanation of why this happens though.

Freel is the best at explaining metrolink cock ups

 

[rebmcr]

According to a driver acquaintance: "Nothing official. Rumour mill has it [SML2] opening in August, we'd probably start route learning a fortnight before it opens."

 

[Manchester77]

According to a driver acquaintance: "Nothing official. Rumour mill has it [SML2] opening in August, we'd probably start route learning a fortnight before it opens."

If that's true it'll be a new metrolink line opening in its expected date, but will it have its expected frequency..?

 

[Starmill]

... it may not be the points themselves. If I remember what we were told correctly its a batch of signalling relays supplied across the whole rail industry that are faulty and Metrolink have quite a few of them at Irk Valley and Newton Heath. From what I have heard since replacements are in short supply and this is making a permanent resolution slow.

Knowing how the industry generally deals with faulty relays they will be taken out of service a few at a time and sent for refurbishment before being returned to the maintainer. To do this they need a float of good ones which will not be easy to obtain. As the major customer I bet Network Rail will be making representations to access the lion's share.

I wonder where else these might have ended up?

 

[Rail Bus]

Um no it wasn't, did you not hear the announcements all afternoon it was due to a points failure at Irk Valley.

When I was out (15:45 to 17:30) points were being clipped and scotched in the Irk Valley. That meant all trams had to be held before the junction while workers came on and moved the points manually, then the ORL tram came onto the main line, then workers came on and set the points manually again.

Yes but during the day the Altrincham line does go near Victoria meaning that all the trams on PIC - ALT were delayed as BUR - ALT were held up by SWR - RRS being in the wrong place meaning that anything that interfaces with the western side of the network ends up in the wrong place. I wouldn't be surprised that at the end of service we'll have Old Trafford based drivers having to run empty to get in the right place. Literally everything is in the wrong place...
I

And a question to you, why do you come on here and moan when you could email metrolink for an answer and maybe a refund?!

The lady making the PA announcements between 9-10 pm must have been lying then

In answer to your question because its a forum. And Metrolink customer services a waste of time

 

[Manchester77]

The lady making the PA announcements between 9-10 pm must have been lying then

In answer to your question because its a forum. And Metrolink customer services a waste of time

Right well I wash my hands of your metrolink moaning.....


Metrolink Update
The have been some operations of single T68s over the past few days. These have been operating Eccles services. Additionally, T68A workings have increased as the M5000s enter their works cycle.

Also 304X units seems to be very squeaky, a lot more than other units. Also, metrolink reliability has increased over the past few weeks:
Eccles services haven't had any issues for roughly 3 weeks and Oldham services haven't been disrupted for a simular amount of time. These observations have come from R02 (familyguy99) who uses the ORL.

An update about City Centre TMS operations, according to SCC TMS isn't working well enough to control the delta points and on the previous update (Christmas time(?)) but it works with 20 seconds of accuracy. That's reliable enough to operate the PIDs but not reliable enough to be used for signalling yet. On SCC we're speculating that after operations are switched to Old Traffors Control that we may see City Centre PIDs and the closure of Mosley Street allowing double M5000s.

Things are moving pretty fast, exciting times ahead

 

[familyguy99]

Some of us might seen this picture that I took in Rochdale today on SSC website but if u haven't have are some picture of overhead poles and wires they have put up on Drake Street Rochdale.


Overhead poles on Drake Street


Overhead wires on Drake Street


Overhead wires for Rochdale 3B line

Rochdale Town Centre stop coming on quite nicely


Rochdale Town Centre Metrolink stop

And Also new Oldham Mumps for 3B line is coming on nicely too


looking at new Oldham Mumps 3B stop


looking at Oldham Mumps 3B stop by r02bapurdie, on Flickr

They more picture of Rochdale 3B line on my Flickr homepage

http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

According to a driver acquaintance: "Nothing official. Rumour mill has it [SML2] opening in August, we'd probably start route learning a fortnight before it opens."

^^ If this true then at least it still be opening in Summers which Metrolink have always say that it will be, I'm sure someone on SSC website (I think Metrolink driver) say back in Dec/Jan that line to Didsbury might be opening in August so that might be true.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Freel is the best at explaining metrolink cock ups

Can't you persuade him to be the resident pedant on this website as a "guest writer" on this thread.