Manchester Metrolink

[Howardh]

Trams are frequent enough not to be bothered with a timetable, but the information on your last tram is appalling.If I were trying to get from Manchester to Bury in the wee hours I bet a casual passenger wouldn't have a foggiest as to the time of that last tram from Piccadilly or Victoria. As it happens I bookmarked the page once, and find it's 2334 all week. Which seems ridiculously early.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Trams are frequent enough not to be bothered with a timetable, but the information on your last tram is appalling.If i were trying to get from Manchester to Bury in the wee hours I wouldn't have a foggiest as to the time of that last tram from Piccadilly or Victoria.

Is it? Seems easy enough to look up. Information is also displayed on Metrolink station display boards.

For Bury it's 2324 from Piccadilly. 2334 from Victoria.

Victoria tram stop

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

tfgm.com

Piccadilly tram stop

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

tfgm.com

 

[Greybeard33]

Each coloured line on the metrolink map is 5 trams per hour each way. This means higher frequencies on many sections. The core section is Cornbrook to Deansgate-Castlefield at 35tph. Before the pandemic there was an Eithad - Media city service that was extended to Ashton I think in 2019. Its being reintroduced and the Trafford Park Line is extending through to Crumpsall. This will mean Cornbrook to St Peter's Square will run at 40tph (maximum capacity of Deansgate to St Peters Square). Individual flows are harder to calculate because some trams are single and others double.

The maximum capacity of Cornbrook to St Peter's Square has previously been stated to be 45tph. Pre-Covid it was planned to increase frequency on the Airport line to 10tph, which would have fully utilised this capacity (together with Ashton to Media City and Trafford Park to Crumpsall).

 

[507 001]

There used to be a seperate service from Piccadilly (I think!) to MediaCityUK, and then Ashton to Eccles, however it's just an Ashton to Eccles via MediaCityUK service.

Which is mental as the Eccles Line suffers from chronic overcrowding. There are some doubles on there, but not enough.

Trafford Centre trams also need to be doubles too I think, and not just for Wharfside on match days.

The Media City-Velopark service returns at the completion of the current Eccles line works.

TPL is busy for a few services during morning and evening peak, but copes quite well the rest of the time. Doubles definitely not warranted yet.

It’s always fun passing Queens Road in the Morning cramped into a single unit on the Bury-Piccadilly circuits when you see plenty of trams sat in the depot doing nothing all day

QRD being the main heavy maintenance depot, most of those vehicles will be stopped for various reasons.

 

[Techniquest]

Anyone with gen on 3027 being repaired/put back into action? Reading this thread, it seems unlikely to be needed any time soon so perhaps that answers my question.

 

[507 001]

Anyone with gen on 3027 being repaired/put back into action? Reading this thread, it seems unlikely to be needed any time soon so perhaps that answers my question.

There’s no work being done on it at present, but I believe there is a plan to put it back together.

I had a quick look at it a few days ago and it’s in quite the state…

 

[Rail Ranger]

Metrolink tram times can be found by using the Journey Planner on www.traveline.info. For each station you enter (e.g.) Bury (Manchester Metrolink).

 

[Techniquest]

There’s no work being done on it at present, but I believe there is a plan to put it back together.

I had a quick look at it a few days ago and it’s in quite the state…

Thanks! I'll definitely not waste my effort looking for that one on Thursday night/Friday daytime then Got 5 others I want but they're from rather new batches, so I'm pretty confident in finding them!

 

[MSO69]

Anyone got a time frame of when Trafford Centre trams will operate to crumpsall yet obviously not before the Whitefield works are finished but maybe next year? also any line and service updates in general?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Anyone got a time frame of when Trafford Centre trams will operate to crumpsall yet obviously not before the Whitefield works are finished but maybe next year? also any line and service updates in general?

Did someone recently mention driver shortages as one possible reason?

 

[MSO69]

Did someone recently mention driver shortages as one possible reason?

Yeah but logically thinking there are are only 2 stops with the facilities for trams to turn back towards Manchester being Whitefield and Crumpsall and Bury being the terminus, with that tunnel work at Whitefield being done if it still is trams cant even terminate at Whitefield because the platforms are too close a distance to the tunnel so id think that it would be after these works so it gives space for trams to terminate at Crumpsall and passengers catch a bus from there. Also isnt terminating at queens road from manchester pointless anyway as its the stop after victoria id get it if obviously it were the last tram from manchester and that and obviously last trams from Bury finish at Abraham Moss anyway

 

[Mothball]

Yeah but logically thinking there are are only 2 stops with the facilities for trams to turn back towards Manchester being Whitefield and Crumpsall and Bury being the terminus, with that tunnel work at Whitefield being done if it still is trams cant even terminate at Whitefield because the platforms are too close a distance to the tunnel so id think that it would be after these works so it gives space for trams to terminate at Crumpsall and passengers catch a bus from there. Also isnt terminating at queens road from manchester pointless anyway as its the stop after victoria id get it if obviously it were the last tram from manchester and that and obviously last trams from Bury finish at Abraham Moss anyway

I'm not sure if outbound trams can cross over and terminate on the inbound platform rather than the bay, if they can that would give Crumpsall the capacity for two terminating trams almost simultaneously, that's one @507 001 might know?

Having used the replacement buses in the past both from Victoria and Queens Road up towards Bury, it can take precious time off the bus journey when starting from Queens Road with the way the road traffic between the two can get.

 

[507 001]

Anyone got a time frame of when Trafford Centre trams will operate to crumpsall yet obviously not before the Whitefield works are finished but maybe next year? also any line and service updates in general?

No date as of yet. Late night Friday and Saturday services will return in the next few weeks, as will the Media City-Etihad Campus services. Sundays are moving to a 15 minute service but with more double units giving a bit of a capacity increase.

I'm not sure if outbound trams can cross over and terminate on the inbound platform rather than the bay, if they can that would give Crumpsall the capacity for two terminating trams almost simultaneously, that's one @507 001 might know?

Having used the replacement buses in the past both from Victoria and Queens Road up towards Bury, it can take precious time off the bus journey when starting from Queens Road with the way the road traffic between the two can get.

No, only the bay platform can be used to turnback.

 

[py_megapixel]

No date as of yet. Late night Friday and Saturday services will return in the next few weeks, as will the Media City-Etihad Campus services.

Will that mean the Ashton-Eccles (currently Ashton-Weaste) services go back to bypassing MCUK?

Sundays are moving to a 15 minute service but with more double units giving a bit of a capacity increase.

Hopefully they'll be particularly careful about avoiding the trams "bunching" as 15 mins is already quite long to wait if you just miss one. 24 mins is of course even worse, so 15 min service is certainly better than 12 min with random gaps of 24 due to cancellations, which is presumably what is was before.

Shame Metrolink doesn't publish timetables, as I reckon with a 15 min service people will start wanting to aim for a specific tram rather than just turn up.

 

[northwichcat]

I've noticed on a few occasions in the evenings there's been trams at Altrincham showing Old Trafford on the display. Going back a few years in the evenings trams continued to run to Victoria after the direct Bury services had ended for the day. Have these now been cut back to Old Trafford? At one time the only trams starting or terminating there would be extras on match days or when there was engineering work in the Cornbrook/Deansgate area.

I'd have expected Piccadilly-Victoria to be up there, but my tram was surprisingly quiet, despite it being Pride weekend.

Most people don't get a tram between the two stations to make a connection between trains. Journey planners quite often suggest changes at Salford Crescent or Stalybridge to avoid needing to transfer between Victoria and Piccadilly.

For instance, for Wigan to Stockport you may be told to get the Leeds (via Victoria) train to Salford, then to get the ex-Blackpool train to Piccadilly. And judging by how busy Salford Crescent platforms get, a lot of people do that.

 

[MSO69]

I've noticed on a few occasions in the evenings there's been trams at Altrincham showing Old Trafford on the display. Going back a few years in the evenings trams continued to run to Victoria after the direct Bury services had ended for the day. Have these now been cut back to Old Trafford? At one time the only trams starting or terminating there would be extras on match days or when there was engineering work in the Cornbrook/Deansgate area.



Most people don't get a tram between the two stations to make a connection between trains. Journey planners quite often suggest changes at Salford Crescent or Stalybridge to avoid needing to transfer between Victoria and Piccadilly.

For instance, for Wigan to Stockport you may be told to get the Leeds (via Victoria) train to Salford, then to get the ex-Blackpool train to Piccadilly. And judging by how busy Salford Crescent platforms get, a lot of people do that

I've noticed on a few occasions in the evenings there's been trams at Altrincham showing Old Trafford on the display. Going back a few years in the evenings trams continued to run to Victoria after the direct Bury services had ended for the day. Have these now been cut back to Old Trafford? At one time the only trams starting or terminating there would be extras on match days or when there was engineering work in the Cornbrook/Deansgate area.



Most people don't get a tram between the two stations to make a connection between trains. Journey planners quite often suggest changes at Salford Crescent or Stalybridge to avoid needing to transfer between Victoria and Piccadilly.

For instance, for Wigan to Stockport you may be told to get the Leeds (via Victoria) train to Salford, then to get the ex-Blackpool train to Piccadilly. And judging by how busy Salford Crescent platforms get, a lot of people do that.P

Wouldn’t the trams that had arrived at altrincham direct from Bury be then terminating at Old Trafford because the Trafford Depot is after Old Trafford Station. I think it depends on what depot the tram is allocated to

 

[northwichcat]

Wouldn’t the trams that had arrived at altrincham direct from Bury be then terminating at Old Trafford because the Trafford Depot is after Old Trafford Station. I think it depends on what depot the tram is allocated to

Based on the times given by Google direct Altrincham to Bury services end before 7pm on weekdays. Piccadilly services every 12 minutes run until 11:30pm on weekdays but from 7pm there's services to Old Trafford only. According to Google the Old Trafford only services end before 8.30pm and recommence at 11:45pm. So it possibly is a case of what was once Victoria services being cutback because of the depot being moved. I did wonder if they had been cut back due to more other services running through the city centre in the evening. Not useful for Altrincham/Timperley/Sale passengers but if you're going from Old Trafford to the city centre it doesn't matter where the tram originated from.

 

[Purple Train]

Most people don't get a tram between the two stations to make a connection between trains. Journey planners quite often suggest changes at Salford Crescent or Stalybridge to avoid needing to transfer between Victoria and Piccadilly.

For instance, for Wigan to Stockport you may be told to get the Leeds (via Victoria) train to Salford, then to get the ex-Blackpool train to Piccadilly. And judging by how busy Salford Crescent platforms get, a lot of people do that.

Interesting. I did that in the opposite direction on the way from Wigan to Piccadilly, but I had to get a friend who'd never had to change trains before from Piccadilly to York on a Sunday after a strike, and the TVM at Piccadilly wasn't showing any itineraries. We had Central Zone tickets and I asked a TPE gentleman, "Is this valid on the tram to Victoria?" and he replied, "Yes, it's valid anywhere in Zone 1." Neither of us are remotely local so we decided not to chance going out-of-zone and played it safe - and, like I said, we had been specifically informed of the tram's "cool"-ness!

Are there any other rail tickets that are also valid on the tram?

 

[Rail Ranger]

Tickets between any two stations within the TfGM area are shown as "Route Metrolink CTLZ" and can be used on the tram between Piccadilly and Victoria. Also Wayfarer is valid on the whole of Metrolink and the GM Bus and Train Daysaver can be used in Zone 1 of Metrolink.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Are there any other rail tickets that are also valid on the tram?

GM Rail Rangers (Day Ranger) are similarly also valid off peak within Zone 1 of the Manchester Metrolink network (so, anywhere between Cornbrook, Victoria and New Islington tram stops). Priced at £8.20 for an adult.

 

[Purple Train]

GM Rail Rangers (Day Ranger) are similarly also valid off peak within Zone 1 of the Manchester Metrolink network (so, anywhere between Cornbrook, Victoria and New Islington tram stops). Priced at £8.20 for an adult.

Are Wayfarers valid?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Are Wayfarers valid?

"Greater Manchester Wayfarer", yes, off peak at or after 0930 during the week including the afternoon/early evening. Valid in all four Metrolink zones, not just Zone 1. All day validity at weekends or on Bank holidays.

However, the "Derbyshire Wayfarer" variant isn't valid on the Manchester Metrolink network.

 

[Purple Train]

"Greater Manchester Wayfarer", yes, off peak at or after 0930 during the week including the afternoon/early evening. Valid in all four Metrolink zones, not just Zone 1. All day validity at weekends or on Bank holidays.

However, the "Derbyshire Wayfarer" variant isn't valid on the Manchester Metrolink network.

I see. Thank you!

 

[Class 466]

The LED screens at Stations are advertising the return of MediaCityUK-Etihad Campus from Monday 25 September.

 

[507 001]

Will that mean the Ashton-Eccles (currently Ashton-Weaste) services go back to bypassing MCUK?

Yes, thankfully.

I've noticed on a few occasions in the evenings there's been trams at Altrincham showing Old Trafford on the display. Going back a few years in the evenings trams continued to run to Victoria after the direct Bury services had ended for the day. Have these now been cut back to Old Trafford? At one time the only trams starting or terminating there would be extras on match days or when there was engineering work in the Cornbrook/Deansgate area.

We’ve been doing this for around 8 years now. It’s nothing new.

The only difference at the moment is that all bar 2 peak Altrincham/Bury services go onto Trafford due to limited stabling capacity on QRD. This is actually an increase from one over the last year or so.

Once the QRD works are finally complete, I’d imagine there will be more directs stabling on QRD, although generally these come in from Bury, not Victoria.

I think it depends on what depot the tram is allocated to

Just as a point of interest, trams aren’t allocated to one specific depot.

 

[Winthorpe]

There is a new piece on the website about the return of the MediaCityUK to Etihad Campus peak service:

Metrolink to bring back MediaCityUK to Etihad Campus peak service

news.tfgm.com

Metrolink to bring back MediaCityUK to Etihad Campus peak service


It will be reintroduced on Monday, 25 September following the completion of engineering works between Eccles and Weaste. Trams will run every 12 minutes between 7am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and from 9am until 6.30pm on Saturdays.

The change means there will be a six minute service at peak times between Harbour City and Etihad Campus.

It comes after passenger numbers showed demand between Etihad Campus and MediaCityUK had recently returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The return of the service provides more capacity between Manchester city centre and the Etihad Stadium during the busiest times, although Metrolink will continue to use special services to add more capacity for football matches or events outside of the peak when needed.

The Ashton-under-Lyne to Eccles service will continue to operate as normal but will not call at MediaCityUK during peak times. Customers travelling to MediaCityUK can use Broadway or Harbour City stops or can change onto MediaCityUK services from Deansgate Castlefield.

Core service hours remain unaffected, with trams operating from 6am until midnight Monday to Thursday, and 6am until 1am (the following day) on Fridays and Saturdays.

Outside of the peak, customers should use the Ashton-under-Lyne to Eccles (via MediaCityUK) service.

Danny Vaughan, head of Metrolink in Manchester on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester, said the move was a welcome boost to services one of the busiest parts of the network.

He said: “We have seen a return in demand focused between Etihad Campus, Manchester city centre and MediaCityUK.

“This peak service will be a real benefit to our customers, with more frequent trams meaning less time waiting and more pleasant journeys on trams that aren’t too crowded.

“The Salford Quays area is one of the best served parts of our network and passengers changing at Deansgate also have the option of a Trafford Centre service, which stops at the Imperial War Museum, right across from Media City.”

In addition, Metrolink is also partially reinstating later trams on Friday and Saturday nights.

On Fridays and Saturdays, from 29 September, trams will run every 20 minutes between midnight and 1am. Exact departure times will vary depending on the line and stop.

Customers can check last tram times to/from other stops and plan their journey by visiting beenetwork.com

 

[northwichcat]

We’ve been doing this for around 8 years now. It’s nothing new.

With COVID and train times being revised it might have become more obvious to me now. I probably hadn't seen the late ones until a few weeks ago, due to a combination of train times changing and Northern cancelling the second-to-last train on a few occasions.

 

[MSO69]

Yes, thankfully.



We’ve been doing this for around 8 years now. It’s nothing new.

The only difference at the moment is that all bar 2 peak Altrincham/Bury services go onto Trafford due to limited stabling capacity on QRD. This is actually an increase from one over the last year or so.

Once the QRD works are finally complete, I’d imagine there will be more directs stabling on QRD, although generally these come in from Bury, not Victoria.



Just as a point of interest, trams aren’t allocated to one specific depot.

Sorry i didnt know this, thankyou for clearing that up, i was just repeating what i had seen on Metrolinks Twitter when somebody asked about depots and replied they were allocated to a depot

 

[507 001]

Sorry i didnt know this, thankyou for clearing that up, i was just repeating what i had seen on Metrolinks Twitter when somebody asked about depots and replied they were allocated to a depot

There was a period where we did allocate vehicles but it didn’t last long at all.

What they’re probably confused by is that the same sets run off the same depot each day.

 

[MSO69]

Hi, does anyone know of a potential new bee network tram livery being applied to the m5000s, an official one like the most buses do?