Manchester Victoria tram stop set to reopen on Wednesday 18th February 2015.

[familyguy99]

Off TFGM website.

Time to give Victoria a makeover fit for a queen

Work on a major, multi-million pound transformation of the Manchester Victoria Metrolink stop is set to start on Friday, 21 February.

The nine-month project will see the stop completely redesigned and expanded to provide additional platforms and tracks, accommodating the new Second City Crossing and wider network expansion – in conjunction with the transformation of the railway station by Network Rail.

As a result of this work there will also be temporary changes to Metrolink services for the duration of the project.

The very first stage of work – from Friday 21 February to Sunday 23 February* – will see Metrolink services replaced with buses from Abraham Moss on the Bury line to the city centre and from Central Park on the Oldham-Rochdale line to the city centre.

Altrincham, Ashton, East Didsbury and Eccles services will run via Piccadilly.

Then, from Monday 24 February** onwards, trams will have to pass through Victoria in both directions on a single line of track. In order to safely maximise the number of trams that can run on the single line the stop will be temporarily closed to passengers.

Instead, passengers will be asked to use Shudehill, the next city centre stop along and just a short walk for connections with Victoria’s rail services and the Phones 4u arena.

Metrolink services will also change for the duration of the work:

· Every Bury to Altrincham service will be served by double trams from start to end of service – boosting capacity at the busiest times.

· A shuttle tram will run between Bury and Abraham Moss every 12 minutes, catering for approximately a third of all journeys made on this line. As a result, passengers travelling to stops between Bury and Abraham Moss should board the dedicated shuttle service, to ensure there is as much room as possible for city-bound passengers travelling in the busy morning and evening peaks.

· Instead of running to and from Bury, Ashton line services will run to Eccles via Piccadilly every 12 minutes. Rochdale and East Didsbury services will still run every 12 minutes but will not call or stop at Victoria.

· Customers travelling between Victoria and Piccadilly rail stations can either use the free city centre Metroshuttle bus service (changing between Service 1 and 2) or alight at Market Street and walk to the Piccadilly Gardens stop (and vice versa) to complete their journey by tram.

A comprehensive public information campaign will launch in the coming weeks to support passengers through the changes and to keep people up to date with the latest developments.

Peter Cushing, TfGM’s Metrolink Director, said: “The Victoria project is incredibly exciting, it complements the wider transformation of the station but also plays an essential part of Metrolink’s Second City Crossing development and on-going expansion of the network.

“To ensure this is done in a safe manner, we have to run on a single line of track. Currently, 15 trams an hour call at Victoria in each direction – that’s 30 overall, which simply cannot be sustained when we’re running on just a single line.

“So we’re temporarily closing the stop and asking people to use the nearby Shudehill stop instead. We’re also making changes to services on the Bury line, which will be supported by running double trams on every service from Bury to Altrincham via the city.

“We’ve considered these changes very carefully and they will provide customers with the most effective, safest and least disruptive option. They also mirror demand we’ve monitored on the network.”

Additional signage and ticket vending facilities will be provided at Shudehill, and Metrolink staff will be on hand during the busiest times. Additional measures will also be put in place to cater for demand during events at the nearby arena.

*Metrolink services Friday 21 February to Sunday 23 February (inclusive):

· Eccles to Ashton via MediaCityUK (every 12 minutes)
· East Didsbury to Piccadilly (every 12 minutes)
· Altrincham to Piccadilly (every six minutes)
· Bury to Abraham Moss (every six minutes) – a replacement bus service will operate from Crumpsall to Shudehill and Piccadilly
· Rochdale to Central Park (every 12 minutes) – a replacement bus service will operate from Central Park to Shudehill and Piccadilly

**Metrolink changes from Monday 24 February for circa nine months:

· Manchester Victoria stop – temporarily closed until further notice; please use the Shudehill stop instead
· Bury to Altrincham, via St Peter’s Square (every 12 minutes) – increased capacity with double trams from start to end of service
· Bury to Abraham Moss shuttle tram (every 12 minutes - catering for approximately a third of all journeys made on this line)
· Ashton to Eccles, via Piccadilly (every 12 minutes)

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/pages/news.aspx?newsID=75

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Noting the period of time involved, surely a DIRECT Metroshuttle service between Piccadilly and Victoria railway stations could have been set up for passengers travelling by rail into Manchester Piccadilly station who would formerly have used the Bury Metrolink service from there to Manchester Victoria station in order to catch onward rail services on the Calder Valley line, for example.

The stated method of changing between two Metroshuttle buses in order to achieve this link is not really a good idea.

 

[gordonthemoron]

they could always change at St Peter's Square (if ticket is valid) but journey would be longer

 

[transmanche]

The stated method of changing between two Metroshuttle buses in order to achieve this link is not really a good idea.

I agree. Especially with the new TPE Liverpool-Newcastle service operating via Victoria from May. There may be a few passengers expecting to end up in Piccadilly for an onward connection, who inadvertently find themselves at Victoria!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Noting the period of time involved, surely a DIRECT Metroshuttle service between Piccadilly and Victoria railway stations could have been set up for passengers travelling by rail into Manchester Piccadilly station who would formerly have used the Bury Metrolink service from there to Manchester Victoria station in order to catch onward rail services on the Calder Valley line, for example.

The stated method of changing between two Metroshuttle buses in order to achieve this link is not really a good idea.

Indeed. I was under the impression that the only reason none of the Metroshuttle routes serve both Piccadilly and Victoria was to avoid competing with Metrolink. As this is not a factor during the Victoria closure, surely a service specifically to link the 2 stations would be worthwhile?

 

[radamfi]

To get from Victoria to Piccadilly you can also change at Salford Crescent, or you can catch free bus 2 to Oxford Road or Deansgate then get the train to Piccadilly. Depending where you are going, you might not need to change again at Piccadilly.

 

[familyguy99]

Here few thing that Metrolink have change for Altrincham and Bury line when Manchester Victoria tram stop closes for nine months from 21st Feb.

• Altrincham to Piccadilly (every six minutes - every 12 minutes on Sunday 23rd)

• Bury to Abraham Moss (every six minutes - every 12 minutes on Sunday 23rd) – a replacement bus service will operate from Crumpsall to Shudehill and Piccadilly

• Bury to Altrincham, via St Peter’s Square (every 12 minutes Mon-Sat) – increased capacity with double trams from start to end of service

• Bury to Abraham Moss shuttle tram (every 12 minutes Mon-Sat) - catering for approximately a third of all journeys made on this line

There are no Bury-to-Altrincham direct Metrolink services on Sundays. Instead, all Bury and Altrincham services run to/from Piccadilly​ and this will continue to be the case throughout the Victoria project.

http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_centre/Pages/News.aspx?articleId=390

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

To get from Victoria to Piccadilly you can also change at Salford Crescent, or you can catch free bus 2 to Oxford Road or Deansgate then get the train to Piccadilly. Depending where you are going, you might not need to change again at Piccadilly.

The example that I was considering was a journey from Macclesfield to Hebden Bridge, where on arrival at Manchester Piccadilly, one would normally go to the Piccadilly Metrolink platforms to catch a direct tram to Manchester Victoria, where the service to Hebden Bridge leaves from one of the two east-facing bay platforms. The use of Salford Crescent is not a feasible proposition when one considers the start and finish stations and the rail services that serve them.

This is why I suggested, just for the nine-month period discussed, the introduction of a temporary direct Metroshuttle service between Piccadilly and Victoria stations for the use of rail passengers.

 

[Boysteve]

I have asked this question before but not got an answer so here goes again;
So to ensure that Bury has a direct city centre service all the time the Bury to Alty direct runs all day every day?
Therefore will there be twice as many services out to Alty on evenings & Sunday if the Picc-Alty route runs as now, is this correct?

 

[radamfi]

I wonder how many people make the connection from Victoria to Piccadilly these days to change trains? Probably not that many now especially since the closure of the Oldham Loop line in 2009. I say this as someone who has been travelling from Rochdale to the south of England, and therefore crossing the city centre, 10 or more times a year for more than 20 years.

Unless the trip is wholly within Greater Manchester, crossing Manchester by tram has meant paying separately for the tram, which probably depresses numbers even more. So a lot of people probably walk it the whole way if they haven't got much luggage. Taking a train to Oxford Road and catching Metroshuttle 2 is free. Also taking Metroshuttle 1 to Marks & Spencer is free and from there is it only a 5 minute walk to Victoria.

So given the plethora of alternatives, and the relatively small number of people inconvenienced, I can see why no special direct bus is being offered.

I have asked this question before but not got an answer so here goes again;
So to ensure that Bury has a direct city centre service all the time the Bury to Alty direct runs all day every day?
Therefore will there be twice as many services out to Alty on evenings & Sunday if the Picc-Alty route runs as now, is this correct?

Someone on the Skyscrapercity forum says that TfGM have confirmed to him that trams from Bury on Sunday will go to Piccadilly. So on Sundays there is a direct tram from Shudehill to Piccadilly.

 

[transmanche]

I wonder how many people make the connection from Victoria to Piccadilly these days to change trains?

Probably more from May when the TPE Liverpool-Newcastle services go via Victoria. Especially in the early days (and non-regular passengers) who inadvertently find themselves at Victoria instead of Piccadilly.

 

[Tetchytyke]

surely a DIRECT Metroshuttle service between Piccadilly and Victoria railway stations could have been set up for passengers travelling by rail into Manchester Piccadilly station who would formerly have used the Bury Metrolink service from there to Manchester Victoria station

Unless you are travelling between two stations in Greater Manchester, rail tickets are not valid on Metrolink. Most rail passengers don't use Metrolink for this reason.

The options for rail passengers will therefore be the same as they always are: walk to M&S and get the MetroShuttle, get the MetroShuttle to Oxford Road station, get the train via Salford Crescent or walk.

It's a shame it doesn't look like they'll allow you to travel Shudehill- St Peter's Square- Piccadilly, rather than having to change at Market Street/Piccadilly Gardens, but that's the only flaw I can see.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Unless you are travelling between two stations in Greater Manchester, rail tickets are not valid on Metrolink. Most rail passengers don't use Metrolink for this reason.

The options for rail passengers will therefore be the same as they always are: walk to M&S and get the MetroShuttle, get the MetroShuttle to Oxford Road station, get the train via Salford Crescent or walk.

Metroshuttle buses are free for any passenger.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Probably more from May when the TPE Liverpool-Newcastle services go via Victoria. Especially in the early days (and non-regular passengers) who inadvertently find themselves at Victoria instead of Piccadilly.

Good point there about the early days when this service commences.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Metroshuttle buses are free for any passenger.

Indeed they are, but they are not free to run. Who would pay for them, given that they replace a service which normally attracts a charge?

 

[Greybeard33]

I have asked this question before but not got an answer so here goes again;
So to ensure that Bury has a direct city centre service all the time the Bury to Alty direct runs all day every day?
Therefore will there be twice as many services out to Alty on evenings & Sunday if the Picc-Alty route runs as now, is this correct?

Traveline now has the updated timetables effective from 24 Feb. These confirm that that the Alty-Bury directs will run every 12 minutes from beginning until end of service Mon-Sat. However, the Picc-Alty service (and the Bury-Abraham Moss shuttle) will become peak-only instead. The "peak" hours when these services will run are somewhat extended in the evening, particularly on Saturdays - about 07:00-20:00 Mon-Fri and 09:00-20:45 Sat.

A quirk of the temporary Bury line timetable is that services will not be evenly spaced when the shuttle is running. The Abraham Moss shuttles will be only 2 minutes ahead of the directs inbound and 3 minutes outbound. This spacing is presumably intended to minimise crowding on the directs.

 

[familyguy99]

Here picture I took today on Balloon Street where they going to be installing new crossover so from Monday, trams will be running on single line through Manchester Victoria Metrolink stop while the work is taking place there.


Engineering work on Balloon Street


Metrolink work on Balloon Street

And here is Manchester Victoria Metrolink stop which is now closes to passengers for nine months.


Manchester Victoria tram stop

 

[Boysteve]

So how is the new crossover signalled from the Shudehill end? Will there be a new TMS signal on leaving Shudehill?

 

[snowball]

It won't be a full crossover - just a set of points in the outbound track, with the inbound track connected into it and a severed end of inbound track remaining. There will be a token and ticket system to signal the single line.

Part-way through the nine months the points will be rebuilt so that trams in both directions will run on the new inbound line so that works can be done to the old outbound.

 

[Manchester77]

The token for the single track working!

A one-off masterpiece of modern engineering craftsmanship, especially for Metrolink!!! :-

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=111719594#post111719594

 

[507 001]

Well it's all going swimmingly......... /sarcasm

 

[Manchester77]

Well it's all going swimmingly......... /sarcasm

Haha we can hope it's just first day teething troubles and we won't see any more directs turning at Shudehill.

Are the points working ok at Shudehill I think someone posted on SCC that they were being a bit awkward?

 

[WatcherZero]

Points failure at Queens Road depot and road closed due to a office building next to the line in Oldham TC starting to collapse. Eventful day.

 

[Welshman]

Back in the day, tokens for single-line running on BR were connected with the block instruments and interlocking system to ensure the signalman at box B couldn't obtain a token until the one issued by box A had been surrendered, etc.

What kind of electrical locking is now involved with the token working on this section? Does the driver have to collect it from some sort of locking machinery at Shude Hill, and after passing through Victoria station and back on to the double-track, does the driver have to stop and surrender it somehow, as I wouldn't imagine there was a pole with a hook for him to place it on without stopping?

In other words, how does it actually work?

 

[507 001]

Back in the day, tokens for single-line running on BR were connected with the block instruments and interlocking system to ensure the signalman at box B couldn't obtain a token until the one issued by box A had been surrendered, etc.

What kind of electrical locking is now involved with the token working on this section? Does the driver have to collect it from some sort of locking machinery at Shude Hill, and after passing through Victoria station and back on to the double-track, does the driver have to stop and surrender it somehow, as I wouldn't imagine there was a pole with a hook for him to place it on without stopping?

In other words, how does it actually work?

There are two types of token working, the one you describe is called electric token block, the one we are using is a variation on staff and ticket (the variation being we're not using tickets).

With staff and ticket there is only one token, therefore in normal use only one train can have authority to enter the section. To increase flexibility trains/trams could be issued with a paper ticket (usually kept in a locked box, the key to which is attached to the token so that a ticket can only be issued if the signaller has possession of the token). This is so that multiple trains can be sent through the section in the same direction. The rearmost train carries the token.

It's not the most flexible of systems, because in normal working if a train runs out of sequence it can come to a token exchange point to find that the token is at the other end of the section. A ticket cannot be issued in this instance as the signaller would not be in possession of the token.

ETS gets around this by having multiple tokens for each section, however only one can be removed at any one time.

 

[snowball]

But in the present case, as I understand it, there's no equipment except the token. There are people stationed at each end of the single line. When the last or only tram of a cohort leaves the single line a person takes the token from the driver. He then shows the token to the drivers of the next cohort of trams entering the single line in the opposite direction, except that he gives it to the last or only driver of the cohort.

 

[Welshman]

Ah, thank you.
So it's a case of having a person stationed at all times at the ends of the section, and presumably in continuous radio connection with a control office somewhere, showing or giving the token to the driver as the traffic presents itself.

As simple as that.

 

[edwin_m]

If two trams enter the single line at opposite ends it's very unlikely to lead to an accident, because speeds will be low and drivers will be able to stop on sight of a tram coming the other way. This is unlike a railway where trains on a single line could be going much too fast to stop on sight. Hence a token system for trams is not as critical for safety as the railway equivalent and I don't see any need for supporting systems such as electrical interlocking or the use of tickets.

I wonder if the reflective bits on the token mean that someone at the lineside will just wave it at an approaching tram to indicate they should proceed through without taking the token, if the next tram through the section will be in the same direction.

 

[Welshman]

Yes, I take your point that it is unlikely there would actually be an accident.

Just a couple of red faces as the drivers decide who is going to give way and reverse.

 

[transmanche]

I've seen something similar along Leidsestraat in Amsterdam - although there it is gauntlet track rather than single track.

There are no visible roadside signals, so unless there is some sort of electronic token, it all seems to be done on 'line of sight' who get's there first. Is it any more complex than that?

(I assume that at Manchester Victoria you can't see from one end of the single section to the other, so it couldn't be done on a 'line of sight' basis.)

 

[snowball]

I wonder if the reflective bits on the token mean that someone at the lineside will just wave it at an approaching tram to indicate they should proceed through without taking the token, if the next tram through the section will be in the same direction.

Surely it must be so. It would mess up the system if a tram took the token when the next tram due to pass through the single line was in the same direction. My previous post was worded accordingly.