Metrolink Rochdale services going by different Manchester City Centre route than shown on map

[TUC]

We travelled today on Metrolink from Cornbrook to Manchester Victoria, on a Rochdale-bound service. When we left St. Peter's Square we were concerned that we may be on the wrong service as the map on the train, also shown at https://tfgm.com/public-transport/tram/network-map appears to show that Rochdale services go via Exchange Square to Victoria. However, our tram went via Market Street and Shudehill before reaching Victoria.

Are the lines/colouring on the map inaccurate, or am I misreading it?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Been a 'broken rail' on the section of line between Exchange Square and Victoria station for a few months which has meant through trams being diverted via Market Street. Believe it's going to be fixed, at last, in a week or so's time.

More here...

Metrolink between Victoria and Exchange Square set to resume in early May

A cracked rail has led to months of disruption on the network

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Extract...

Metrolink services between Victoria and Exchange Square are set to resume in early May following months of repairs, transport bosses have said.

'Complex' repairs involving a cracked rail have caused disruption to the East Didsbury-Rochdale Town Centre and East Didsbury-Shaw and Crompton lines since January...

 

[javelin]

The map is accurate for normal service, but due to a cracked rail on the Victoria approach there have been service changes.

Temporary service change

Temporary service change

tfgm.com

 

[TUC]

That explains it although, as far as I could see, there were no notices on the tram to warn of this.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

That explains it although, as far as I could see, there were no notices on the tram to warn of this.

Might just have said "Rochdale" but would perhaps have expected the destination board, on the front of the tram, to have said "Rochdale Town Centre via Market Street"?

 

[TUC]

Might just have said "Rochdale" but would perhaps have expected the destination board, on the front of the tram, to have said "Rochdale Town Centre via Market Street"?

Possibly, but if, as was the case with us, the significance of that isn't apparent when boarding. It's only when you're looking at the route map whilst on the tram and think 'hang on, this isn't going on the route it says here is the correct one'.

 

[jfollows]

Presumably nobody says anything any more because things have been this way since late January and clearly everyone knows by now ……

 

[Mothball]

Possibly, but if, as was the case with us, the significance of that isn't apparent when boarding. It's only when you're looking at the route map whilst on the tram and think 'hang on, this isn't going on the route it says here is the correct one'.

That's the whole point of the destination display though, telling you where it's going. There is also posters around the system, messages displayed on the passenger information displays, details on the online service updates and it has been fairly well publicised in the local news.

Given the duration of the closure has been unknown from the beginning it doesn't really make sense to replace over a thousand vehicle maps for what could have been a relatively short period, and that ultimately are going to require replacing again to the originals.

 

[TUC]

That's the whole point of the destination display though, telling you where it's going. There is also posters around the system, messages displayed on the passenger information displays, details on the online service updates and it has been fairly well publicised in the local news.

Given the duration of the closure has been unknown from the beginning it doesn't really make sense to replace over a thousand vehicle maps for what could have been a relatively short period, and that ultimately are going to require replacing again to the originals.

I wasn't suggesting replacing maps. Just a poster below would be sufficient.

Presumably nobody says anything any more because things have been this way since late January and clearly everyone knows by now ……

Except for visitors to the city such as ourselves, and new passengers, both of whom I would have thought are important to Metrolink and to Manchester.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Not sure it's that big a deal. On departure of a Rochdale bound tram from St. Peter's Square, the next stop will (currently) be Market Street, and two stops later you'll be at Victoria and then on your way to Rochdale, as normal. If you were wanting Exchange Square, and didn't change at St. Peter's Square, it's not far from Victoria anyway.

 

[Mothball]

I wasn't suggesting replacing maps. Just a poster below would be sufficient.

That's still over a thousand extra notices to fit/remove when there is ample information before boarding. Given the recent examples of the BTP adverts stuck on the interiors, they wouldn't last 2 minutes.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Services should be back to normal from Tuesday 7th May. The crossing is to be reinstated the previous day.

 

[scrapy]

There is a scrolling display on third line of the PIS at stations across the network saying that East Didsbury to Rochdale runs via Market Street and East Didsbury to Shaw runs between East Didsbury and Exchange Sq only due to broken rain at Victoria. Easily missed though as the message is so long.

 

[507 001]

There’s a destination blind on the front and sides, and audio announcements onboard. Theres also posters on every station advising of the change.

 

[MetrolinkInsYT]

There are quite a few notices around at every tram stop (I know because I visited all of them over the weekend). They are all intact and there are multiple on the city centre stops. In fact, even notices that aren't related, e.g. April engineering works notices, also mention the cracked rail and service changes. Also, the departure boards usually have a message scrolling related to it if there isn't anything else going on.

 

[Leyland155]

Interestingly, I was just on 3015 which has had all its maps removed

 

[Tramfan]

3015 was a long term stopped tram, only returning in the last few weeks, so the ones in it would have probably out of date

 

[Leyland155]

3015 was a long term stopped tram, only returning in the last few weeks, so the ones in it would have probably out of date

Ah I see, that would make sense then.