Metrolink services reduced during August.
 

Yet more engineering work on Manchester's Metrolink network mean the only trams running in August are between Victoria and Bury. Services on the Eccles and Altrincham line are replaced by buses with 'special' fares until September, with city centre service expected to run again in 'early November'.

Fact of life.

On the bright side, I saw the new tram yesterday. It looks very pretty.

I've not seen the new tram properly yet, although I did notice it in the depot when I went passed on Tuesday. I'd also quite like to have a proper look at 1007 now that she's named after the ELR.

You've not seen 1007 yet? :confused:

It's actually very nice. The inside of the tram has diagrams of the ELR line along the top sides and also on the outside where the advertising would usually appear, plus other random miscalanious facts IIRC.

Plus the actual "name plates" look prettier than the usual style.

I hope it's retained when repainted into the new livery.

The name etc will be retained untill the end of Stagecoach Metrolink's Contract, so yes it will stay, incidentaly, talking to the East Lancs Metrolink people on sunday, the Advertising internaly will change from time to time for events and so on. A wonderful outlet for the ELR.

For anyone that wants a look at the new tram, in october when most of the city work is complete, and the rebuilding of Piccadilly gardens stop is complete, the Tram will be brought into the stop to show off metrolinks 'new look' and a public viewing. But for now it will be glimpses of it testing on the Bury Line, and in the Depot, where Sunday night it was stabled next to 1007

I've passed it on my way into and out of out Manchester, and been able to get a good look at the nameplates when the tram I was on stopped next to it at a station, but I've not had a chance to have a look inside yet. I'm sure I'll be able to get a ride on it sooner or later.

Has anyone seen where the replacement buses are about these days? They are suppose to be coming out of the lower Piccadilly entrance on Fairfield Street but I have not seen a single one.

David, I have seen the odd one when I go there to pick the train.

Gareth

I too have noticed a shortage of the replacement buses, when they did the track relay there was always at least one bus waiting outside Brooklands Met station, this time I have only seen the odd bus every now and then, also the only buses I have seen are operated by Arriva,last time the line was closed the buses were run by Stagecoach.
Saying that, the general local feeling the last time the line was shut,was that the replacement bus service was much better than the actual tram sevice it had replaced, so maybe Metrolink have learnt a lesson and have cut back on the number of buses in order to get the travelling public back on the service when it reopens!!!!!!

Why was that? Were the buses more frequent maybe?

I think that the frequency was the main reason,which also reduced overcrowding making the journey more bearable,also from what I remember, Stagecoach used the newer end of their fleet on the service, all in all a very good replacement service which the public seemed to be impressed with.

Cheers John

Thanks for that John. I have only travelled on the trams off-peak but can imagine what they must be like during the busy periods.

Hehe, I remember going to work on them before they closed the city centre track.

Very intimate!

Well the trams are much more efficient.
In normal terms there is a tram every 5 mins.

But not really to the same place. From Piccadilly to Bury could entail a wait of up to 18 minutes in some circumstances.

I mean, there is a bus every five minutes too, but again, not always useful....

Metro-link services resumed today apart from on the Old Trafford to Altrincham line where problems with the new overhead lines prevented any services from running.
Hopefully they should be running later today, or tomorrow morning.

Well of course this hasn't happened.
There are people working on it though.
I don't like the way the buffers at altrincham have been treated. The work has destroyed the historical link to Bowdon station which lay where total fitness is now.

Are the buffers at altrincham some minority group?:)

For those of us that haven't visited Altrincham recently could you please give some details of the work that has been carried out? It sounds like you don't approve.

Why yes of course.
Firstly, the over head wires have been replaced on the Manchester to Altrincham section, the track has been replaced in the city centre and has generally disrupted everything, and Stations are being repainted. There is soon going to be a livery change for the trams and there are new trams on the way. The design of the latter was on display at MOSI's Great garratt gathering. You right I don't approve of some of the changes. Here's why.

The original railway was the manchester, south junction and Altrincham railway, and since the lines conversion, much of the original infastructure had been replaced. The buffers at Altrincham were survivors from BR days, along with some of the track at the station as the trams are standard gauge.
Much of this infastructure is now being destroyed and I want to save what is left. At the old wawrick road (now Old trafford or trafford bar) the original platforms one and two survive, but in an overgrown state and now only platforms three and four are used.

I just want to save these things before it is too late.

The model was and I think still is on display at the MS&I, but if you take a trip past Queen's road you can catch a glimpse of the real 3001 Flexiswift tram, and unless my eyes decieved me, 3002 might be there as well.

Also, the whole point of the refurb was to remove the ex-BR infrastructure, because it's too old now to support the network.

I love nostalga too but, not at the expense of operational effeciency and safety. And really, at the end of the day, track looks like track, and buffers look like buffers. It's not that unique?

Yes I suppose you are right.
I just thought that it is rather an important piece of the towns history.
Only 3001 is at q's road. There is a mirror to reflect the image.

There are two of the new trams at Queens Road. I've seen them standing next to each other on the same track, I can assure you that it wasn't one tram and it's reflection.

*thank you* for saving my sanity!

Ah right.
Well I did go a while ago.
In the transport museum they have half a tram with a mirror half way down to make it look like a full tram.
Am I thinking of something different?

Yes.

This is 3001 at Queens Road Depot;
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Metrolink.jpg

This is the T-68 Mockup Tram at the Transport Museum, which isn't a tram, or new, or even at a depot;
http://busestrainstrams2.fotopic.net/p46988399.html

:)

I'm certinately looking forward to seeing the end result of all this, Manchester city centre has become a construction site for so long the concept of trams passing through are beginning to seem a distant memory :D .

I wonder what is so special about the new versions that is so important it had to completely destroy the service to so long. One thing that interests me is how they will keep the new tracks in good order. Currently there are 'gaps' in between track areas so people can walk across, though the current tracks are looking rather messy, hope the new ones won't end up like that.

I just think the city centre track was too worn out to cope anymore?

Apart from a rebuild of Piccadilly Gardens into a streighter run and I think double-platforming it, and other minor changes, which should be good.

On the day before the reopening, I think a few of the new trams will be at Piccadilly Gardens to pose at the new stop for the press and public, and people will be allowed to have a wander round them, which is exciting!

They really needed to de do piccadilly gardens.

One platform at a major city centre juction was bound to cause trouble.
The way things are going with extentions to nearly everywhere means that they could soon be finding room for four!