Manchester Metrolink master thread

[Manchester77]

High street metrolink closed in 1998 when Market Street became an island

 

[WatcherZero]

Depends do you count that Market Street used to be two unidirectional stops called Market Street and High Street and they were merged into Market Street?

 

[Eagle]

Is this the first "closure" on a UK light rail network since the "first generation" trams were abandoned fifty(ish) years ago?

High Street Metrolink station was closed in 1998 (it was originally a single platform of which Market Street was the other half; it closed when a second platform opened at Market Street).

You could also count the replacement of the elevated stations at Mudchute and Island Gardens with underground ones when the DLR was extended south of the river. And going further back the replacement of Merkland Street on the Glasgow Subway with Partick interchange.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Weren't there closures of several stops on the Blackpool tramway in the last few years, too?

 

[edwin_m]

Island Gardens?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Weren't there closures of several stops on the Blackpool tramway in the last few years, too?

Blackpool Transport were eventually prevailed upon to publish a list of all the stops that are now served by the reopened Blackpool Tramway system, which was subsequently amended to correct the wrong information on two stops that was in the originally-intended list.

There is now a Blackpool Tramway "master thread" on this particular "Other Public Transport" forum, to cover postings of any aspect.

 

[table38]

Didsbury trams starting Thursday May 23rd!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/metrolink-passengers-told-can-tram-3710695

 

[telstarbox]

It will now be quicker to take the tram from East Didsbury to Navigation Road/Altrincham than National Rail.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It will now be quicker to take the tram from East Didsbury to Navigation Road/Altrincham than National Rail.

How will the fares compare ?

 

[telstarbox]

Peak return: £8.20 NR, £6.70 is current highest Metrolink fare
Off-peak return: £4.10 NR, £4.90 is current highest Metrolink fare.

There is only 1 NR train per hour to Altrincham as well.

 

[rebmcr]

Thales putting ticket machines in at West Didsbury today.

 

[northwichcat]

How will the fares compare ?

Peak return: £8.20 NR, £6.70 is current highest Metrolink fare
Off-peak return: £4.10 NR, £4.90 is current highest Metrolink fare.

There is only 1 NR train per hour to Altrincham as well.

More of a cost saving applies if your journey is something like Altrincham to Leeds return. Using heavy rail all the way you only pay a maximum of £2.70 extra* for the connecting Altrincham-Manchester train over the Manchester-Leeds fare, if you use Metrolink to get to Manchester it's up to £6.20 extra.

* Less at off-peak times or if you're a railcard holder.

Just went on Metrolink's website to check and it says all trams to Altrincham are currently suspended due to a points failure!
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Didsbury trams starting Thursday May 23rd!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/metrolink-passengers-told-can-tram-3710695

I imagine they overestimated how long it would take in the hope of avoiding announcing any delays to the extension, as has happened with the previous extensions.

 

[WatcherZero]

Network Rail points failure at Navigation Road.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Network Rail points failure at Navigation Road.

So not everything wrong on the Manchester Metrolink system can be laid at the door of the system operator.

 

[Starmill]

So not everything wrong on the Manchester Metrolink system can be laid at the door of the system operator.

I wouldn't say there is all that much of it that can be blamed on RATP myself.

 

[northwichcat]

Network Rail points failure at Navigation Road.

If Network Rail are responsible for the track still it might explain why that bit hasn't been changed to the light rail type of track like much of the Altrincham line has.

Who's actually responsible for the OHEs between Timperley and Altrincham? I once experienced a delay to a Northern Rail service because engineers were working on the electrics in the Navigation Road area after they had come down.

 

[snowball]

I think it's been stated on SSC that Metrolink look after the OHLE, whilst Network Rail looks after all the track, both on the two-single-lines section and south to Altrincham. That seems sensible.

Any work to either track or OHLE in that area presumably requires coordination between both bodies.

 

[edwin_m]

FWIW I walked from Altrincham to Navigation Road about 1330 yesterday, the double Bury trams were turning back there and the Piccadilly singles at Timperley. It all seemed to be working rather better than it does when Altrincham is open!

 

[northwichcat]

FWIW I walked from Altrincham to Navigation Road about 1330 yesterday, the double Bury trams were turning back there and the Piccadilly singles at Timperley. It all seemed to be working rather better than it does when Altrincham is open!

It doesn't really work that well with single line sections for both Network Rail and Metrolink in the Navigation Road area.

I wonder if they've ever considered a new track from Timperley to Altrincham either on the road or in parallel to a road or a combination of the two.

 

[WatcherZero]

Ive always argued for a bridge so they could close the two level crossings.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Ive always argued for a bridge so they could close the two level crossings.

Imagine what the town centre traffic chaos was like a good few years ago when there was a level crossing just before Altrincham station, that fortunately was made redundant by the bridge on Stockport Road.

 

[familyguy99]

Two things will happen on Metrolink system tomorrow (17th May) ghost service will started running on Didsbury line and Mosley Street will closed after last tram leave station at 00.51am (well Saturday)

Also U can now pick up book called "Metrolink - Oldham to Chorlton with Oldham Loop line" in Ian Allan book shop for £15 but I think soon u can pick up from any book shop.


Metrolink book

 

[Greybeard33]

If Network Rail are responsible for the track still it might explain why that bit hasn't been changed to the light rail type of track like much of the Altrincham line has.

According to insiders on the SSC forums, the standard flat-bottomed rail profile used by Metrolink on ballasted track for renewals and new lines is CEN 56E1, the same as used by NR, not lightweight tram rail. However, the Metrolink-owned track between Manchester and Timperley was renewed in 2007, whereas I think the NR-owned track between Timperley and Altrincham is older. The Inbound (bidirectional) line between Altrincham and Navigation Road uses jointed rail, which gives a particularly rough ride.

Who's actually responsible for the OHEs between Timperley and Altrincham? I once experienced a delay to a Northern Rail service because engineers were working on the electrics in the Navigation Road area after they had come down.

I think you may be referring an incident in 2007 involving the newly-replaced OHLE, which temporarily disrupted Northern rail services through Navigation Road. As I recall Metrolink had to terminate at Timperley for a couple of weeks afterwards - the repairs took a long time because NR only allowed the Metrolink contractors to have short possessions so as not to further disrupt heavy rail services on the Mid-Cheshire line.

It doesn't really work that well with single line sections for both Network Rail and Metrolink in the Navigation Road area.

I wonder if they've ever considered a new track from Timperley to Altrincham either on the road or in parallel to a road or a combination of the two.

For the last few years I think TfGM's focus has been on building the new lines, not improving the original ones. On the Oldham and Rochdale line, three more single line sections have been introduced at Newton Heath, between Newbold and Rochdale Railway Station and in Rochdale town centre, for similar cost-saving reasons. During the rebuilding of Victoria Station, Metrolink will be reduced to a single line through the station area for several months, which will require curtailment of some services on the Bury line.

 

[edwin_m]

I took a trip out to Etihad Stadium yesterday. The timetable appears to have two out of three trams terminating at Piccadilly in quick succession (I think these are the Eccles and the MediaCity with the Bury running through to Droylsden). As far as I could tell only one of these was turning back at Piccadilly with the other running out of service to the Etihad/Velodrome turnback.

At least two road vehicle incursions in the last few days, one outside the Midland Hotel and one from Holt Town getting most of the way to Etihad.

 

[Starmill]

I took a trip out to Etihad Stadium yesterday. The timetable appears to have two out of three trams terminating at Piccadilly in quick succession (I think these are the Eccles and the MediaCity with the Bury running through to Droylsden). As far as I could tell only one of these was turning back at Piccadilly with the other running out of service to the Etihad/Velodrome turnback.

Most of the time, four trams arrive outbound at Piccadilly per 12 minute cycle: ex-Altrincham, ex-Eccles, ex-MediaCity and ex-Bury. The first two terminate there and reverse in the Sheffield Street turnback. The MediaCity service continues 'ECS' to the turnback at Velopark, last I checked they do this in the Velopark outbound platform. The Bury services, of course, run in service through to Droylsden.

Hope I've got that right... might've made a mistake? Looks like you're pretty much there, but missed the Pic-Alts?

 

[Manchester77]

Yeah you've got it starmill! Alty and eccles turnaround at Sheffield Street and Medias turn at Velopark

 

[WatcherZero]

Its partly that the Sheffield Street turnback isnt giving them the capacity they expected I think but also the Media City trams were supposed to turn back at Cornbrook not Piccadilly so theres currently a third more trams terminating at Piccadilly than planned. The under construction third platform at Victoria should give them better city centre terminal capacity.

They are also considering a third platform at Deansgate Castlefield as part of 2CC but its not been approved yet and may rely on office/residential tower development around Manchester Central for funding.

 

[Manchester77]

Yeah by now TMS was supposed to be operating like the entire network allowing Medias to turn at Cornbrook.

In future it'd be good if Cornbrook - St Peters Square could be four tracked. There's enough space on the viaduct (it used to be four track into manchester central) and they could restore the other birdcage viaduct. It'd take some of the car parking away at central and we'd need some kind of new ramp.

 

[edwin_m]

Yes forgot the Altrincham, I couldn't hang around to watch the whole cycle so that may be why I missed that one. As that must be turning round successfully at Sheffield Street, this shows it can handle two trams in 12min so as suggested this dead running should finish once the Cornbrook turnback is commissioned.

 

[northwichcat]

According to insiders on the SSC forums, the standard flat-bottomed rail profile used by Metrolink on ballasted track for renewals and new lines is CEN 56E1, the same as used by NR, not lightweight tram rail.

What I meant by light rail track is on the sections that have been relaid on the Altrincham and Bury lines they've done away with the traditional sleepers so I imagine that it would mean the tracks wouldn't still be suitable for freight that could have previously run on it.
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Ive always argued for a bridge so they could close the two level crossings.

I think the problem with trams is more the fact that an Altrincham bound tram usually gets held before the single track section through Navigation Road to allow a Manchester bound tram through first. The wait can be anything for 30 seconds to around 4 minutes.