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We're waiting for the Oldham Loop...

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150222

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Anyone know when the Oldham Loop line is due to open? I thought it was in march.
Thanks in advance.
 
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Class377/5

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Anyone know when the Oldham Loop line is due to open? I thought it was in march.
Thanks in advance.

Never been an offical date.

However offical hand is rumoured to be on the 24th with driver trainers starting on the line the next day. Full driver training expected from 30th with approx 4-6 weeks for driver training. Reason for the longer than normal is the single line working through Dean Lane station.
 

185

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Getting close. On SkyScraperCity, a pic of the new ticket machines at Newton Heath has appeared. That means we're weeks away.
 

Class377/5

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Getting close. On SkyScraperCity, a pic of the new ticket machines at Newton Heath has appeared. That means we're weeks away.

And now Johnny on there has grabbed the first shots of driver training. Training on he line is expected to be complete by late May/early June.
 

Crossover

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Well, they may struggle in places as a fair bit of the line is as of yet unwired. To/from work I sometimes (depending which route of 3 possibles I take) I travel alongside the line between Shaw and Crompton and Milnrow (now sure exactly which part) and whilst the structures are there and in some cases, weights, there is no catenary.

I passed over the line elsewhere tonight (trying to get to Saddleworth Moor) which looked like it was partly wired, though not fully, and had engineering lights around and about.

All in all, I reckon it is still a while away yet

P.S. Rochdale about a month ago was still a complete building site, though it has probably changed a bit since
 

Samtron2000

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Ifs fully wired upto mumps and has been for some time!! There were photos of an M5000 at mumps stop posted on SSC a few weeks ago now!
 

krisk

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That's what I was led to believe, then it was to Shaw then just to Oldham

All i will say is bloody well get on with it
 

YorkshireBear

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Hmm it seems to be taking the absolute mik to get the metrolink lines open.
I also heard that is it to oldham mumps first.

Are the tram lines still going to be heading into oldham and rochdale town centres?
 

martin2345uk

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Hmm it seems to be taking the absolute mik to get the metrolink lines open.
I also heard that is it to oldham mumps first.

Are the tram lines still going to be heading into oldham and rochdale town centres?

Yes they are, but they will open after the non-town centre routes as are phase 3b rather than 3a.
 

telstarbox

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I remember reading that the line would open to Central Park then to Oldham Mumps - is it just going to be Mumps all in one go now?

Also will the new line run under Piccadilly NR to the existing Metrolink stop?
 

Samtron2000

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I remember reading that the line would open to Central Park then to Oldham Mumps - is it just going to be Mumps all in one go now?

Also will the new line run under Piccadilly NR to the existing Metrolink stop?

Current assumptions are Mumps to St Wer' Road
 

martin2345uk

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Also will the new line run under Piccadilly NR to the existing Metrolink stop?

Not sure what this means? If its the Oldham line you are talking about, it doesn't go anywhere near Piccadilly, the Ashton/Droylsden line goes under Piccadilly...
 

Class377/5

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I remember reading that the line would open to Central Park then to Oldham Mumps - is it just going to be Mumps all in one go now?

Also will the new line run under Piccadilly NR to the existing Metrolink stop?

The Oldham Line runs out if Victoria. The new Ashton Line runs underneath Piccadilly to the current Metrolink stop.

Originally the Oldham Line was to open in 4 phases.

Phase 1 was Victoria - Central Park.
Phase 2 was Central Park - Oldham Mumps tempoary
Phase 3 was Oldham Mumps tempoary - Rochdale Railway Station
Phase 4 was Oldham and Rochdale town centres

Now phase 1 & 2 are combined due to late running of the signalling system.
 

Mattmatt

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Neither here, nor there, but somewhere in-between!
The Oldham Line runs out if Victoria. The new Ashton Line runs underneath Piccadilly to the current Metrolink stop.

Originally the Oldham Line was to open in 4 phases.

Phase 1 was Victoria - Central Park.
Phase 2 was Central Park - Oldham Mumps tempoary
Phase 3 was Oldham Mumps tempoary - Rochdale Railway Station
Phase 4 was Oldham and Rochdale town centres

Now phase 1 & 2 are combined due to late running of the signalling system.

I went for a look today at the new line to see if there was any driver training going on, sadly nothing, except the construction workers taking down all the hording & fencing at Monsall. I also got around to Oldham Mumps station, & I couldn't see any ticket machines on the platforms either?

Plus you can tell it's only a temporary station too, not built to the highest quality of the other pre-formed concrete platforms as seen along the rest of the line.

Question: is the line staying insitu, once the town centre line is open? as given the recent issues of T68's failing or future M5000 failing it would certainly make a diversion if a tram failed in Oldham, thus not effecting any Rochdale trams?
 

familyguy99

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Hi

I believe that all Metrolink stop up to Freehold stop have start putting Ticket machines in or think to put ticket machines in, also on SkyscraperCity forums someone on there have said that they had Signals problems in the Dean Lane areas on Thursday and that why no trams have been up on the Oldham last couple of days.

Here are my pictures of Oldham & Rochdale line and also on EM lines (Ashton lines)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/
 

MidnightFlyer

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I know the canopy was removed and found a good home, but has the rest of the station building gone at Mumps too?
 

familyguy99

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martin2345uk

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Question: is the line staying insitu, once the town centre line is open? as given the recent issues of T68's failing or future M5000 failing it would certainly make a diversion if a tram failed in Oldham, thus not effecting any Rochdale trams?

Hi matt
Sadly not, the plan is to close the line one the TC section opens. The track and other bits and bobs can then be used on the airport line to keep costs down.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Question: is the line staying in situ, once the town centre line is open? as given the recent issues of T68's failing or future M5000 failing it would certainly make a diversion if a tram failed in Oldham, thus not effecting any Rochdale trams?

I recently entered into discussions with a senior member of the Metrolink team who deals with the Oldham/Rochdale line on various matters and during these discussions, it was made very clear to me that in 2014, once the Oldham town centre system is fully operational, the temporary section to Oldham Mumps will be totally decommissioned.
 

familyguy99

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OK, well it isn't wired much beyond that at the moment

^^^^

I believe that they have wires allway up to Shaw stop now but they still not wires crossing the road at Mumps or where old Mumps bridge was.

EDIT: Sorry if this have already been posted but T68s Trams will't be allowed on the Oldham line at all due to Northernrail depot at Dean Lane (Don't ask me why)
 

Geeves

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I think it was something to do with the T68s not being cleared due to interference issues but then they run fine along the route into Victoria, who knows! I hope they turn the tunnels into a cycling route or something
 

Class377/5

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^^^^

I believe that they have wires allway up to Shaw stop now but they still not wires crossing the road at Mumps or where old Mumps bridge was.

EDIT: Sorry if this have already been posted but T68s Trams will't be allowed on the Oldham line at all due to Northernrail depot at Dean Lane (Don't ask me why)

Believe it's a fear of interfering with the depot equipment. Rather than do expensive testing, they've just banned the units from going. Seeing as the plan is to replace all the T68's it would be a waste of money getting them cleared then scrapping them within 12-18 months later!
 
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