Manchester Metrolink (Non speculative discussion)

[M60lad]

1> Is this the first time that Trafford Centre service has actually operated further than Deansgate/Castlefield? I'm pretty sure I've never seen Trafford Centre trams operating through the City Centre before.

2> During the usual timetable is the reason why in the morning on a Saturday there seems to be a trip from Ashton-Trafford Bar? I've seen it quite a few times and found it odd, just wondering if its an extra tram that runs in morning then for some reason goes back to Depot afterwards.

 

[507 001]

1> Is this the first time that Trafford Centre service has actually operated further than Deansgate/Castlefield? I'm pretty sure I've never seen Trafford Centre trams operating through the City Centre before.

No it’s not the first time. It’s operated to at least St Peter’s Square in the past and I’m sure there was a weekend where it went further.

2> During the usual timetable is the reason why in the morning on a Saturday there seems to be a trip from Ashton-Trafford Bar? I've seen it quite a few times and found it odd, just wondering if its an extra tram that runs in morning then for some reason goes back to Depot

There isn’t a set that’s timed to do this, it’s possible that you’ve just seen something returning to depot due to a fault.

 

[Tramfan]

Looking at the working timetable, it looks like there's a 09:51 Ashton to Trafford Bar service on Saturday mornings. From working backwards, I'm assuming it's related to the fact that the Eccles to Ashton services cease going via MediaCityUK due to the MediaCityUK to Etihad service commencing, and you therefore get 2 arrivals at Ashton 6 mins apart (09:42 and 09:48).

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Idk why so many people have complained about it recently because you can now get to the Trafford Centre from town and still get to MediaCity via the Eccles service

Because you now have a much reduced service to Pomona, Exchange Quay, Salford Quays, Anchorage and Harbour City, and then the aforementioned issue of a longer (and busier) journey to Broadway, Langworthy, Weaste, Ladywell and Eccles, whereas keeping the Etihad service running to MCUK in the peaks as it does usually would wouldn't have lost any stops any services.

 

[toms]

Because you now have a much reduced service to Pomona, Exchange Quay, Salford Quays, Anchorage and Harbour City, and then the aforementioned issue of a longer (and busier) journey to Broadway, Langworthy, Weaste, Ladywell and Eccles, whereas keeping the Etihad service running to MCUK in the peaks as it does usually would wouldn't have lost any stops any services.

They could’ve easily had it go from MediaCity to Etihad in the day and Trafford extend at night or have MediaCity run to deansgate or cornbrook but they didn’t. I still agree the argument that The Trafford line should terminate at the Etihad due to a direct connection to the city and connections between tourist attractions. Maybe having MediaCity run to Crumpsall instead of having The Trafford line run there in the future. Thinking about it, instead of having a double Altrincham-Bury service in peak, why haven’t they gone with Bury - The Trafford Centre all day with the usual Altrincham Peak and Altrincham go to Piccadilly then Etihad out of peak and still have the usual peak Medicity-Etihad service

 

[507 001]

Looking at the working timetable, it looks like there's a 09:51 Ashton to Trafford Bar service on Saturday mornings. From working backwards, I'm assuming it's related to the fact that the Eccles to Ashton services cease going via MediaCityUK due to the MediaCityUK to Etihad service commencing, and you therefore get 2 arrivals at Ashton 6 mins apart (09:42 and 09:48).

Aha! Yes I’ve just found it in the Driver’s duties on a second look. That’s exactly what it’ll be, for the same reason that some media city sets stay out during the evening.

could’ve easily had it go from MediaCity to Etihad in the day and Trafford extend at night or have MediaCity run to deansgate or cornbrook but they didn’t.

That would require too many sets to stay out post evening peak, plus the additional drivers that we don’t have.

Maybe having MediaCity run to Crumpsall instead of having The Trafford line run there in the future.

That would be less than ideal, too much potential for knock on delays.

 

[Par]

Should Metrolink not be charging Off Peak fares all day today?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Should Metrolink not be charging Off Peak fares all day today?

Indeed. According to the Metrolink price table, "Off-peak is after 9.30am on weekdays and all day on weekends/public holidays". Presume that today (Good Friday) is considered a Public Holiday?

 

[daodao]

Presume that today (Good Friday) is a 'public holiday'?

In England and Wales, Good Friday is by common practice a public holiday, but is not officially a "bank holiday".

Automated machines such as ticket machines and "parking eye" cameras often cannot identify public holidays occurring on weekdays.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

In England and Wales, Good Friday is by common practice a public holiday, but is not officially a "bank holiday".

The Gov.uk website seems to indicate that Good Friday is a bank holiday in England/Wales. Is Gov.uk not an authoritative source?

UK bank holidays

Find out when bank holidays are in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - including past and future bank holidays

www.gov.uk

 

[daodao]

The Gov.uk website seems to indicate that Good Friday is a bank holiday in England/Wales. Is Gov.uk not an authoritative source?

UK bank holidays

Find out when bank holidays are in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - including past and future bank holidays

www.gov.uk

The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 states that the following are to be bank holidays in England and Wales:

Easter Monday.
The last Monday in May.
The last Monday in August.
26th December, if it be not a Sunday.
27th December in a year in which 25th or 26th December is a Sunday.

The first Monday in May has been proclaimed a bank holiday since 1978, although this has been varied occasionally, as in 2023 in relation to the Royal Coronation of Charles III.

Christmas Day and Good Friday are not listed as bank holidays in England and Wales (or Northern Ireland) as they were already common law public holidays, but are by common practice effectively bank holidays.

 

[Par]

If Good Friday is excluded from Metrolink’s definition of “public holidays” then I think their ticketing conditions should explicitly state this. Most people, by common consent would believe that today was a “public holiday”.

I wanted to buy 2 x Zones 1-4 Travelcard @ £4.90 each. A tram was due at 9.31. I was at the stop at 9.20, so patiently waiting for the machine to switch to Off Peak and when it did I could hear the tram approaching. In my panic to buy the tickets quickly, I inadvertently ended up buying 3 tickets, not 2, costing me £14.70. OK that was my error through rushing, but I don’t believe I should been placed in that situation.

2 x Peak tickets would have been £14.20.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What's happened that's so badly affecting the Metrolink system in Central Manchester today (Tuesday 29th April 2025)? Overhead line power problems somewhere in Manchester City Centre?

 

[jfollows]

Manchester Evening News says loss of power and damage to a pantograph in the Deansgate area.

LIVE: Major Metrolink disruption across Greater Manchester with tram line CLOSED

A power incident is affecting services across the region

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Since 10:15 apparently.

Picture of 3072 at Deansgate, presumably without pantograph but taken from too low an angle to tell.

BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx20dwkz92eo

Passengers are being warned a loss of power across parts of Greater Manchester's Metrolink tram network could affect rush-hour commuters.
All services on the Ashton-under-Lyne line and those that pass through Manchester city centre are out of operation after damage to overhead power lines.
Ian Davies, of Transport for Greater Manchester, said staff were investigating the problem "as a matter of urgency".
He said the disruption "could last for some time and potentially affect peoples' journey home from school and work later".
The issues affecting a pantograph - a mechanical attachment used to connect trams to overhead power lines - were reported by a driver at about 10:15 BST.
Passengers can show their tickets or travel passes to use local buses while the trams are out of action.
The majority of services are still operating but stopping short of the city centre.
Services from Bury and Rochale to Manchester Victoria remain unaffected, while trams from Manchester Airport and East Didsbury are terminating at Firswood.
The line from Altrincham is open as far as Old Trafford, while trams are running from Trafford Park to Wharfside, and between Eccles and MediaCity UK.
Mr Davies, Metrolink's network director, apologised for the inconvenience and said staff were out across the network to help advise passengers

 

[Tramfan]

Was 3132 at Deansgate that suffered the damaged pantograph. Things only started moving again around 2pm, but still service changes until further notice

 

[M60lad]

I'd actually love to know how things actually got moving again as there was a tram on Market Street platform with a Bury double right behind it coming from Piccadilly Gardens blocking the exit to the Delta with a Manchester Airport single either waiting at the signal or just after it, question is where did the Manchester Airport tram go as the only place I think it could have gone was via Piccadilly Gardens somewhere?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'd actually love to know how things actually got moving again as there was a tram on Market Street platform with a Bury double right behind it coming from Piccadilly Gardens blocking the exit to the Delta with a Manchester Airport single either waiting at the signal or just after it, question is where did the Manchester Airport tram go as the only place I think it could have gone was via Piccadilly Gardens somewhere?

The Manchester Airport trams only went as far as Firswood during the immediate disruption period.. At about 15:00, I was waiting at Barlow Moor Road tram stop for a tram to Wythenshawe Town Centre for longer than I expected,

 

[M60lad]

I am talking about the Manchester Airport Tram that at about 13:10 was being blocked in at Piccadily/Market Street junction by the Bury double that was stuck blocking the Piccadilly Gardens Delta.

 

[Tramfan]

I'd actually love to know how things actually got moving again as there was a tram on Market Street platform with a Bury double right behind it coming from Piccadilly Gardens blocking the exit to the Delta with a Manchester Airport single either waiting at the signal or just after it, question is where did the Manchester Airport tram go as the only place I think it could have gone was via Piccadilly Gardens somewhere?

Once things started moving in the afternoon, the Bury double that had been blocking the exit from Piccadilly Gardens passed through Victoria at about half past 2. Can only assume that Manchester Airport tram must've been sent back to Market Street, as I think it had already passed the junction to take it to Piccadilly Gardens when everything stopped. There was also an East Didsbury double stopped over the junction at Victoria going towards Exchange Square.

 

[toms]

Bit of a weird one but does anyone know why the “via Oldham” destinations exist, as in there is no way for a service to avoid Oldham so why is the via necessary on the blinds and announcements. Same with “St Werburgh’s Road via Victoria “ I understand why services operating between Victoria and Piccadilly have a via Victoria announcement but you couldn’t have a passenger service going to from Piccadilly to Victoria then St Werburgh’s Road so why does it exist. Could anyone shine some light on this? Thanks

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Bit of a weird one but does anyone know why the “via Oldham” destinations exist, as in there is no way for a service to avoid Oldham so why is the via necessary on the blinds and announcements. Same with “St Werburgh’s Road via Victoria “ I understand why services operating between Victoria and Piccadilly have a via Victoria announcement but you couldn’t have a passenger service going to from Piccadilly to Victoria then St Werburgh’s Road so why does it exist. Could anyone shine some light on this? Thanks

Probably because Oldham is a big market and obviously Mancunians are well aware that rail services to Rochdale avoid it, so it’s probably just to let customers going to Oldham know that this is the tram for them.

 

[FusionZenFlame]

Was 3132 at Deansgate that suffered the damaged pantograph. Things only started moving again around 2pm, but still service changes until further notice

That was the unit that suffered?

 

[edwin_m]

Bit of a weird one but does anyone know why the “via Oldham” destinations exist, as in there is no way for a service to avoid Oldham so why is the via necessary on the blinds and announcements. Same with “St Werburgh’s Road via Victoria “ I understand why services operating between Victoria and Piccadilly have a via Victoria announcement but you couldn’t have a passenger service going to from Piccadilly to Victoria then St Werburgh’s Road so why does it exist. Could anyone shine some light on this? Thanks

"Via Oldham" seems sensible to clarify for people less familiar with the network that (a) a tram showing destination Rochdale also goes to Oldham, and (b) if going from Manchester to Rochdale it's probably quicker to get a train instead.

I guess many people on the north side of Manchester would have no idea where St Werburgh's Road is, so the via Victoria provides reassurance that it's going through the city centre.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I guess many people on the north side of Manchester would have no idea where St Werburgh's Road is, so the via Victoria provides reassurance that it's going through the city centre.

Possibly not that well known on the South side of Manchester, either, for that matter. Named after the fairly short road which leads to the (Anglican) St. Werburgh's church in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, which was built in late Victorian times. The road itself was so named about a decade or so later. As for Werburgh herself, she was a 7th Century Anglo-Saxon princess who, after her death in AD699, was made the patron saint of Chester. Who knew?

 

[Tim33160]

From about 12noon on Wednesday - the day after the overhead problems at Deansgate- Castlefield, the Trafford Centre trams were curtailed at Cornbrook:

"Due to an inspection of the overhead line. Trafford Centre - Deansgate services are currently operating Trafford Centre - Cornbrook".
https://tfgm.com/travel-updates/travel-alerts

This continues as at 1000 on Friday.
Seems the errant tram 3132 was working a Trafford Centre tram from the middle track at Deansgate-Castlefield and had a problem whilst traversing the points to the main southbound track

The network between D-C and Cornbrook usually has 8 trams every 12 mins each way during M-S daytime - hence the number of lines affected on Tuesday (Two to Altrincham, two to East Didsbury, plus one each to Airport, Eccles, Trafford Centre, Media City)

On Tuesday, trams from Altrincham were curtailed at Old Trafford then entered Trafford depot to emerge back running to Altrincham. Similarly East Didsbury and Airport trams did the same to emerge back to the outer destinations - so the depot roads must have been busy with trams terminating.
It seems this congestion wrecked the frequencies on the affected lines with gaps of upto 20 mins on the Altrincham line with PIDs at Sale showing three lines of "DELAY" heading for Altrincham around 2.15pm, and PIDs into town showing "Old Trafford" but also "Bury" and "Piccadilly" at times when all trams terminated at Old Trafford. Seems it is difficult to keep the PIDs upto date at times of disruption.

The Bee Network APP regularly shows different times to those shown on the platform PIDS - presume the information comes from different systems??

 

[Tramfan]

I noticed the PIDs along the Rochdale line were showing East Didsbury as the destination for trams until they set off from Rochdale when they changed to Victoria.

They took off the Shaw services, but the Rochdale services seemed to have been thinned out as well, although this could've just been issues with congestion and delays due to out of course running I suppose.