http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5116.jpg

I didn't realise you had sideways-sloping roofs (as opposed to stepped) on terraced houses in Lancashire - I thought it was just a Welsh thing! It looks great - shame this and the mill are disappearing. I guess Metrolink will help encourage developers, even if passenger numbers will be down in the interim.

Wow great Johnny.....

I didn't realise you had sideways-sloping roofs (as opposed to stepped) on terraced houses in Lancashire - I thought it was just a Welsh thing! It looks great - shame this and the mill are disappearing. I guess Metrolink will help encourage developers, even if passenger numbers will be down in the interim.

Lancashire? Doesn't that start in Bolton?

When these houses were built Bolton was Lancashire :)

http://www.royharrison.co.uk/images/Map%20of%20Lancashire.jpg

Lancashire starts where Greater Manchester ends.

Once upon a time, all of the 'south part' of North West England was Lancashire; but then there was a boundary change, and Merseyside and Greater Manchester were created.

Bolton, Bury, and Oldham (and some would say Ramsbottom, too) are all in Greater Manchester. Anything above that is Lancashire.

To the west, like it or not, Wigan is in Greater Manchester. Anything more western than that is Merseyside, (or the Liverpool Metropolitan Area)

To the South; I would say anything south of the Airport is Cheshire.

and to the East ... would you count Glossop as Greater Manchester? Anything more easternley than that is Derbyshire.

A bit OT but Greater Manchester is not a county - since 86 the 10 boroughs are unitary authorities. GM Mersey side etc were merly administarative areas the the historic bouindaries are still in place and many parts are putting the historic boundary signs back. To add to many peoples confususion Saddleworth is in Yorkishire even though is comes under Oldham MBC.

Oldham town centre is in Lancashire as are Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Rochdale and Salford.

Blackpool & Blackburn are unitary authorities not under control of LCC but they
are still Lancashire.

Take it from a Lancashire lad!

See freiends of Real Lancashire for more details:

http://www.forl.co.uk/confuse.html

Just had a random thought:

For people coming from Didsbury / Chorlton & wanting to go towards Alty, Trafford Bar is going to be the stop to change lines.

Are there any plans for a footbridge or track crossing at TB, so that passengers don't have to walk out & up to Seymour Grove & then have to walk back down the other side & onto the opp platform?

I'd have thought they'd encourage changing (easier, being cross-platform) at Cornbrook instead?

As for GM not being a 'county', AFAIK GM still is a ceremonial county with its own Lord-Lieutenant, as well as recognised by Office for National Statistics for statiscal purposes.

A bit OT but Greater Manchester is not a county

Yes it is!

Greater Manchester is a full legal, ceremonial county which exists today (as is Merseyside).

Saddleworth hasn't been part of Yorkshire since 1974. And Oldham hasn't been part of Lancashire since 1974.

Yes it is!

Greater Manchester is a full legal, ceremonial county which exists today (as is Merseyside).

Saddleworth hasn't been part of Yorkshire since 1974. And Oldham hasn't been part of Lancashire since 1974.

Exactly that's what I thought.

On this map of Britain, it clearly shows Greater Manchester as a county. (and Merseyside).

http://www.ieslamarina.org/departamentos/ingles/upload-jjaviering/project0708/index-ESC_archivos/counties.gif

Just had a random thought:

For people coming from Didsbury / Chorlton & wanting to go towards Alty, Trafford Bar is going to be the stop to change lines.

Are there any plans for a footbridge or track crossing at TB, so that passengers don't have to walk out & up to Seymour Grove & then have to walk back down the other side & onto the opp platform?

There isn't a plan of Trafford Bar on the 'Future Metrolink' site, but I bet they will put in a track level foot crossing, as they seem to be doing with all the new stations. Probably at the Southern end, as that is being re-jigged anyway. It would certainly be an unacceptably long schlep (as you describe) without it. Excellent point Scouse!

P.S. Link Road - If it was me, I wouldn't continue to Cornbrook, as believe me, I would always see one coming the other way in between! (For badness, they always seem to wait for me before doing things like that, just like at 1330 one day last week, when I got off from Alti at Cornbrook, and the Eccles motorman closed his doors, just as several of us were putting one foot on the other side of the platform!)

There isn't a plan of Trafford Bar on the 'Future Metrolink' site, but I bet they will put in a track level foot crossing, as they seem to be doing with all the new stations. Probably at the Southern end, as that is being re-jigged anyway. It would certainly be an unacceptably long schlep (as you describe) without it. Excellent point Scouse!

P.S. Link Road - If it was me, I wouldn't continue to Cornbrook, as believe me, I would always see one coming the other way in between! (For badness, they always wait for me to do things like that, just like at 1330 one day last week, when I got off from Alti at Cornbrook, and the Eccles motorman closed his doors, just as several of us were putting one foot on the other side of the platform!!)

Is Trafford Bar going to be too busy for a track level crossing? It's going to have a tram every 2 minutes when it's at full capacity. Giving people such a limited crossing time seems to be verging on the dangerous or disrputive.

Is Trafford Bar going to be too busy for a track level crossing? It's going to have a tram every 2 minutes when it's at full capacity. Giving people such a limited crossing time seems to be verging on the dangerous or disruptive.

Wouldn't the amount of trams going through Trafford Bar be on a similar level to the amount currently going through GMEX tho Che?

It did cross my mind if it may be too busy to put in a track crossing & hence the the footbridge also got a mention.

As JDR's said, people would get a little peed off going on to Cornbrook & seeing the tram they do need going past them. I know I would!

Im sure they will still promote cornbrook for it, the island platforms better suited and you have the eccles trams there as well.

But its an issue for all stops Gmex-Trafford and im worried about platform capacity at Picadilly during peaks as well. The Manchester Central flythrough also showed track level crossing across its 3 tracks but you could argue it was a concept and they might change that when doing serious design studies.

Wouldn't the amount of trams going through Trafford Bar be on a similar level to the amount currently going through GMEX tho Che?

It did cross my mind if it may be too busy to put in a track crossing & hence the the footbridge also got a mention.

As JDR's said, people would get a little peed off going on to Cornbrook & seeing the tram they do need going past them. I know I would!

No only 15 trams an hour go through G-Mex currently, although when phase 3 is finished it will be 40 (45 with the Trafford Centre line) trams an hour, or one every 90 seconds. However the new Manchester Central Interchange will probably improve the layout somewhat. I don't know if this is too busy, I just worry that it might be.

What is this new Manchester Central interchange people are mentioning..?

New covered GMEX station, office development, skypark and pedestrian walkway that Manchester City Council is thinking of funding to open in 2014.

iS17wfrkl8A

Regarding Hartford Mill, it is in fact listed although for some reason Oldham Council appear to have decided to try and de-list it and demolish it to build housing, despite previously having planned to convert it (for which there is extant planning permission). I can't find a record of any further applications for the site so it all seems a bit uncertain atm. I think it would be a shame to lose it though, it's a particularly impressive mill.

Regarding Lancashire etc, despite the abolition of the historic counties as legal entities the government of the day did apparently say that it was not intended to change people's loyalties/identities concerning their counties, and whilst the abolition of them as legal entities and the removal of them from maps etc will have caused a certain jumbling of 'identity' in places, it appears to be very strong in many of the towns in 'Greater Manchester'. I do not understand why some members on here seem to shout down the notion of a Lancashire identity in some of these towns, despite the fact that in many instances their clearly is one, presumably there is some other agenda at play there. Nobody is proposing to dismantle the arrangements that exist between the boroughs in the area, so I cannot see what the problem is. Trying to shout people down with what they already know regarding official boundaries will make no difference and I don't see what good it does.

No people arent shouting down a lancashire identity just some people who think that the physical county still exists and GM/Merseyside are just figments of people imaginations. The administrative county doesnt cover these areas anymore but it doesnt mean the cultural association is not enduring and people still thing of themselves in a historical lancashire.

Although I was born in Manchester in the 80's, my family and many other families were unaware of the change in the 70's, and my parents had always told me since an early age that we were from Lancashire, writing it on postal addresses and so on. However, neither myself nor my family actually associated ourselves, in terms of identity, with Lancashire as we were Manchester people. Places like Preston, Lancaster and Chorley and to a slight extent, Liverpool, were just places we couldn't relate to. I now live outside the city centre but associate more with the label of Greater Manchester and more so Oldham, Bury, Rochdale, Trafford and Salford than any of the towns in the current administrative area of Lancashire.

Back on Metrolink. First ridiculous question. On 2cc, will the tram cables be able to fit under the bridge between Selfridges and the Arndale?

I cant wait for some news on the proposed new Gmex station and it developments. Hope its not 10 years down the line.

Yeah they did check the bridge clearance and its enough (just). The wires in the city centre are much higher than on the rest of the network because of more danger of tall vehicles like buses or people accidentally coming into contact with them, but they can come down to normal height to fit under the bridge.

Regarding Hartford Mill, it is in fact listed although for some reason Oldham Council appear to have decided to try and de-list it and demolish it to build housing, despite previously having planned to convert it (for which there is extant planning permission). I can't find a record of any further applications for the site so it all seems a bit uncertain atm. I think it would be a shame to lose it though, it's a particularly impressive mill.



Have you seen the inside of the mill? Its a mess, burnt out, falling down. I'm sorry but Old mills don't cut the mustard any more. OMBC paid towards the cost of re-development of the Anchor mill on Featherstall rd North, Now it's practically empty. Mills might make fancy art gallery's, but no use for industry.

Work has now started (well, a couple of spades in the ground) in the vicinity of Rochdale Railway Station.

04.05.10 :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5196.jpg

I wonder if that gazebo will have to disappear in the middle of the roundabout? I rather like it, although it has a string hanging down :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5197.jpg

High Level Road, centre left, will carry a single two-way tramline up the slope from ground level to railway level :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5198.jpg

i.e. straight ahead in this view from under the station canopy :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5201.jpg

The Metrolink station will be by St John's Church (I always thought it was a Mosque) and the Fire Station, as seen from the railway platform :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5202.jpg

At the top of High Level Road, the single tramline will join the railway from the left in this shot, and then fly over the line where the signal box is now, on a new viaduct to descend on the right, towards Oldham :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5205.jpg

When the 3b stage to town centre will be complete, will the single line at Rochdale Train Station become double down to the bus station?

When the 3b stage to town centre will be complete, will the single line at Rochdale Train Station become double down to the bus station?

Yes, Ash, the Metro stop at RRS in Maclure Road will be double, and all the way via Drake Street to the new bus interchange to be built by the river Roch at Smith Street.

I think the single line is because of the narrowness of High Level Road, (which happens to be ideally situated to provide the necessary change of grade up to Network Rail level), and perhaps because a more expensive double-track viaduct over the railway line, is not necessary for a 12 minute headway? If you know the Croydon system, I imagine this viaduct will look a bit like the one at Wandle Park.

There has also been some discussion on here (can't remember whether it was conclusive) that it may be single all the way to Newbold Station, although the diagram on gmpte.com/future metrolink suggests otherwise. The Manchester pages of lrta.org give an authoritative description. :cheers:

Cheers JDR!

Is there no way the tram stop at RRS could have been more closer to the station entrance? To improve interchange options. Seems passengers would have to negotiate a busy roundabout to get from Met Stop to Rail Stn.

Probably High Level road would be too steep for a platform, the road allignment changes make it look quite easy to cross.

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/pdf/future_metrolink/oldham-rochdale-line/rochdale-railway-station.pdf

Probably High Level road would be too steep for a platform, the road allignment changes make it look quite easy to cross.

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/pdf/future_metrolink/oldham-rochdale-line/rochdale-railway-station.pdf

Thanks Watcher for the link.

It makes sense to have the met stop where it's planned. Seems they're doing away with the roundabout anyway. The interchange should be pedestrian friendly by the look of it.

Well with the one way roads the whole of Richard Street/Maclure Road/Station Road is one big roundabout :)

Have you seen the inside of the mill? Its a mess, burnt out, falling down. I'm sorry but Old mills don't cut the mustard any more. OMBC paid towards the cost of re-development of the Anchor mill on Featherstall rd North, Now it's practically empty. Mills might make fancy art gallery's, but no use for industry.

Never been in myself but I have seen some photos taken by urban explorers and yes it is in a state. However, my view remains that it is a shame it has come to this and that it is one of the more impressive mills still knocking about, and also the facts remain that it is listed and that it does have planning permission for conversion to flats, not further industrial use (which was at least the original plan), and that we will have to wait and see what happens from this point.

Never been in myself but I have seen some photos taken by urban explorers and yes it is in a state. However, my view remains that it is a shame it has come to this and that it is one of the more impressive mills still knocking about, and also the facts remain that it is listed and that it does have planning permission for conversion to flats, not further industrial use (which was at least the original plan), and that we will have to wait and see what happens from this point.

There simply isn't the market for such flats in Oldham, and the cost of restoring the building to that state makes it completely unviable.

Never been in myself but I have seen some photos taken by urban explorers and yes it is in a state. However, my view remains that it is a shame it has come to this and that it is one of the more impressive mills still knocking about, and also the facts remain that it is listed and that it does have planning permission for conversion to flats, not further industrial use (which was at least the original plan), and that we will have to wait and see what happens from this point.

I've lived in several mills before, Not the most pleasant things. However, Oldham is stuck with some grade 2 gems that nobody wants to re-develop. Town hall, Railway warehouses. Personally I think we have plenty of mills and this one should be pulled down.

No people arent shouting down a lancashire identity just some people who think that the physical county still exists and GM/Merseyside are just figments of people imaginations. The administrative county doesnt cover these areas anymore but it doesnt mean the cultural association is not enduring and people still thing of themselves in a historical lancashire.

It's because when some of us were born, it was still Lancashire so we who were born then, are Lancastrians. It's like someone coming from New England, there's no such place but it doesn't stop people calling themselves New Englanders.

The trouble with Oldham's mills is there size. They are mainly 20th Century and big, harder to develop than Manchester's smaller 18th Century mills.

Longlands Mill in Stalybridge has had a wonderful refurb by Urban Splash (was looking for a flat, but prices were to high for such small spaces), in fact a Crane went up last week to complete the newbuild element.

Longlands Mill in Stalybridge has had a wonderful refurb by Urban Splash (was looking for a flat, but prices were to high for such small spaces), in fact a Crane went up last week to complete the newbuild element.


The stone built mills look far better and thus are deemed more attractive by developers.

Longlands Mill is brick, but again it is a much older mill than the average Oldham mill and much smaller.

Is there any interchange planned between the Met and the National Rail line? There seems to be enough space for a pair of platforms on the NR line.

Is there any interchange planned between the Met and the National Rail line? There seems to be enough space for a pair of platforms on the NR line.

What would be the point? you could interchange at Victoria.

Hello all, first post but been lurking for a while

Anyone fancy volunteering to help out on the 13th June a Metrolink emergency excercise. Posters on the back of drivers doors

What would be the point? you could interchange at Victoria.

Good point, I think I should have rephrased my question to something like:

Will there be a National Rail station at Central Park?

Interchange with Metrolink is secondary but a bonus.

Is there any interchange planned between the Met and the National Rail line? There seems to be enough space for a pair of platforms on the NR line.

It has been talked about, (as has Baguley on the Stockport-Alti line) and would be fairly easy to build as the two lines are at about the same level at Central Park, but it always seems an extremely difficult, politically complicated and long-drawn-out process to get any new station opened on Network Rail.

I guess they are also waiting to see whether Central Park becomes a busy enough destination of itself, to create a demand for rail passengers alighting there. Changing via Victoria could easily add a good 20-25 mins to the journey from the Yorkshire via Rochdale direction. There are also a number of shorter local journeys that would benefit from interchange at Central Park, which is also planned to have bus connections.

Saw 3014 out on test and 3005 about NIS, still doing training? 3013 was still at Trafford otherwise they were all in the depot. Seemed to be a bannana and a old one in the workshops being worked on and one more old one stabled but otherwise all t68's were out.

At Media city the plaza doesnt seem to have made huge progress though the bridge has with piles topped off. Was a team of non-metrolink engineers working on a signal light (they fold down to make maintenance easy which is pretty cool) a control box and removing some of the temporary fencing (on the side facing the pie factory). More TVMs switched on all over the place, Station PID seemed to be in operation (testing?) at Broadway and Bury though didnt see them anywhere else. At broadway it was telling you when the next tram and the tram after arrived, the time and a scrolling message saying no service problems or something. At bury it was only reporting the next departure not the one after while at Broadway the second line seemed to have a couple of dead charachters, it read: 'Piccadilly 4m, Pic illy 9m'.

Was outside Picadilly Undercroft when an incident happened too, the flange that guides the wheel when switching from rails to buried rails had sheared off. Pretty quickly a gang of 8 arrived, sawed the remains of the flange off and put some rubber coasters under the rail where it was bending because the concrete it was resting on had eroded away, this stopped it bending when trams went over and they allowed a couple of trams to go past on a 4mph speed restriction, to be fixed proper needs some polymer to infill the pothole beneath the rail and a new flange added. They also noticed a hairline fracture on the fish plate on the opposite rail too which caused concern. One of the managers joked that they could remove the discussion of this item from tommorows work scheduling meeting agenda now, the team leader told his team this would be the first item on their inspections tonight and after 20 minutes they left leaving one man behind to make sure that all the drivers went over at 4.

It has been talked about, (as has Baguley on the Stockport-Alti line) and would be fairly easy to build as the two lines are at about the same level at Central Park, but it always seems an extremely difficult, politically complicated and long-drawn-out process to get any new station opened on Network Rail.

I guess they are also waiting to see whether Central Park becomes a busy enough destination of itself, to create a demand for rail passengers alighting there. Changing via Victoria could easily add a good 20-25 mins to the journey from the Yorkshire via Rochdale direction. There are also a number of shorter local journeys that would benefit from interchange at Central Park, which is also planned to have bus connections.

My thoughts exactly!

It has the potential of becoming an important East of Manchester transport hub as well as a destination in itself should developments occur. I believe a college has (or is in the process of ) locating in the area. It would need industry to make the area take off.

My thoughts exactly!

It has the potential of becoming an important East of Manchester transport hub as well as a destination in itself should developments occur. I believe a college has (or is in the process of ) locating in the area. It would need industry to make the area take off.

I think as has been pointed out elsewhere, building a new station on a working railway line is ridiculously complicated and expensive. Presumably if Central Park takes off, and if TfGM gets powers over the northern franchise relet then it will be able to ask for things like this to be put in.

It's a good point about Central Park being a destination in itself. But only one rail line could serve it so it would still be easier to change on to Metrolink at Victoria.

3 hours in Manchester city Centre today plus 1 hour in Costa Coffee on Market Street and not 1 Banana went by. Anyone know why. Have they gone faulty already.
Notice that some of the old vehicles appear to have been cleaned , have Metrolink finally discovered soapy water .However 3 did still have green mould on the front and rear of the vehicles.: ohno:

^Its been mentioned around the Metrolink threads that Stagecoach have spat their dummy out because GMPTE wont pay them a bonus for apparently getting the bananas out on time, so they are keeping most of them in the depot until they get their money.

It's a good point about Central Park being a destination in itself. But only one rail line could serve it so it would still be easier to change on to Metrolink at Victoria.

But a station at Central Park would be useful for people on that line (and also more convenient for interchange towards Oldham). Since there are plans to run the Caldervale trains past Victoria to the airport a station on this line should eventually be useful for people from a larger range of destinations than it would be at the moment.

Hi folks, first time posting on this topic. Don't know if anyone's posted pics about the Central Park metrolink so thought i'd share some that i took earlier today.

CP in background.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010330.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010317.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010318.jpg

CP stop.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010344.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010336.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010337.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010342.jpg

Through Monsall heading back to town.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010321.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010322.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010324.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010325.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010332.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/P1010334.jpg

Great pics Mr Cool, thanks. Saying Central Park Station has not been in use for 4 years, there's an awful lot of rust on them lift shafts.

Thanks for the photos Mr Cool.

You're right SeasonedBest - Central Park is certainly rusting away - needs development/usage/maintenance fast!

But a station at Central Park would be useful for people on that line (and also more convenient for interchange towards Oldham). Since there are plans to run the Caldervale trains past Victoria to the airport a station on this line should eventually be useful for people from a larger range of destinations than it would be at the moment.

What? going onto the Ashton line and then through to Ashbury's?

What? going onto the Ashton line and then through to Ashbury's?

I think you're confused as to where Central Park is. It's just off Oldham Road where the Manchester-Rochdale-Leeds tracks and the Manchester-Oldham-Rochdale tracks meet. When the Oldham line is converted to Metrolink it will have a station at CP, but the Rochdale NR line won't. I'm talking about new NR platforms here for services to stop at on the way to/from Victoria.

From Victoria trains would then travel over the proposed new curve at Ordall/Castlefield to Deansgate, Oxford Road, Piccadilly and down to the airport, with whatever intermediate stops can be accomodated by the timetable.

Burnley/Halifax - Rochdale - Central Park - Victoria - Deansgate - Oxford Road - Picc - Airport

Not really this thread, but are there any renderings or plans of the Ordall Curve?

No, theirs a map that shows its allignment in the first part of the Northern Hub report, (not the second part titled Manchester Hub) however.

got told today that media city is behind and won't be opening till september!!

Superb pix mr.cool - Monsall & Central Park are coming on, and they will need to as trams are expected to be running through here in 12 months time! I'm surprised Media City is behind though, it seems ready for action now . . . (I suppose "Summer 10" runs until 21st September anyway - the bananas only met their "Autumn 09" target by a few hours on 21.12!)

Well as I said removing fencing and doing some wiring on the signal lights on Wed, wires are electrified, platforms done with PIDS, so the stops essentially complete.

An update of work along Ashton New Road, 5/6 May 2010:

Longacre Street is now being reinstated above the cut and cover, now completed West of Great Ancoats Street (the route through to Piccadilly Station is in the centre background) :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5208.jpg

Holt Town :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5225.jpg

By ASDA, the ground level is gradually rising towards the new bridge over the Ashton Canal :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5226.jpg

The retaining wall is coming stronger, between the African cafe and the canal, South East of Ashton New Road, approaching Croft Street off to the left. I hope the wall will be low enough for passengers to get a fleeting waterside view as they swing around the corner! :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5051.jpg

The last industrial unit to be demolished between Croft Street and Ashton New Road, the MOT centre, finally bites the dust :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5228.jpg

The track base has now reached the Droylsden Boundary at Halfway House. I have always loved the trumpeting conceit of those 1974 silver boundary flags all around Tameside :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5231.jpg

Manchester also used to have a boundary sign in the other direction here. I find it a bit odd that the City has very nice multi-coloured boundary signs (someone uses it as a logo on here) approaching the city centre, where there is no boundary; but no boundary signs at the boundaries . . . ?

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5234.jpg

got told today that media city is behind and won't be opening till september!!

Wonder why it's behind? They seem to be working flat out on that site, but maybe I'm wrong.

Wonder why it's behind? They seem to be working flat out on that site, but maybe I'm wrong.

Could this be more to do with the fact that the works at MediaCity:UK generally are behind & as a result, Peel don't want the stop opened until the area is ready for public use?

Another great update btw JDR!

I did mention few weeks ago that trams have been tested on MC spur so cant see why there should be any delay, as mentioned the spur and stops etc are essentially ready

I think you're confused as to where Central Park is. It's just off Oldham Road where the Manchester-Rochdale-Leeds tracks and the Manchester-Oldham-Rochdale tracks meet. When the Oldham line is converted to Metrolink it will have a station at CP, but the Rochdale NR line won't. I'm talking about new NR platforms here for services to stop at on the way to/from Victoria.

From Victoria trains would then travel over the proposed new curve at Ordall/Castlefield to Deansgate, Oxford Road, Piccadilly and down to the airport, with whatever intermediate stops can be accomodated by the timetable.

Burnley/Halifax - Rochdale - Central Park - Victoria - Deansgate - Oxford Road - Picc - Airport

You said "run trains past Victoria" so I assumed they would not be going there but turning onto the Ashton Line at the Miles Platting "Y" junction.

Now you're saying they are going to Victoria, again I would question the need for an interchange at Central Park.

Ashton New Road Update:

Nice one Johnny. Do you know what the tower like structure (not visible in you pics) that seems to have sprung upon Manchester Rd (by Cooper St) is being used for?

Central Park & Monsall Pics

Nice pics Mr.Cool - work does seem to along way behind the Cholton section, aren't they supposed to be open together?

My comment about GM not being a county

It does seem that after a few scans about, there does seem to be evidence of a Lord Lieutenant for GM - this is news to me always thought GM was a admin area and therefore as I said not in existance any more - so on that baisis I can see that there is an offical recognition to it as a county.

Edit: this seems to explain it - http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/uklocalgov/whtsacty.htm

That said the areas I mentioned were within the historical boundaries of Lancashire (and always will be from a histrical point of view) - so anyone or anything pre the boundary change 1974 is Lancastrian or is historical Lancashire - as pointed out by Watcher regarding the houses.

To answer the original question of the sloping roof construction instead of steps- this is common throught OMBC - as is the step construction. As for Mills I think it is dangerous to think that we have plenty - they are going at quite a rate - some should be preserved to some extent to preserve some element of the history of the area. But they do need to be chosen carefully taking into account the surrounding area - it's no good spending £10ms doing city centre style apparments in some of the areas of Oldham - they just wouldn't sell or be lettable.

Ashton New Road Update:

Nice one Johnny. Do you know what the tower like structure (not visible in you pics) that seems to have sprung upon Manchester Rd (by Cooper St) is being used for?[B]

.

Every few hundred metres along the 'road-running' sections, they dig a large circular pit, 2-3 metres in diameter and 2-3 metres deep. These are lined with pre-fabricated concrete curved sections (a bit like tube tunnel walls, only vertical), and I think the temporary tower-like structures are for the crane to lower these into place.

First mention of civil engineering or technical aspects and I'm outta here, but I guess the massive circular chambers thus created, will be for utility inspection purposes, permitting a person to work underneath, inspect the pipeage, etc. once the rails are in place? There is another one coming by Howgill Street. :cheers:

You said "run trains past Victoria" so I assumed they would not be going there but turning onto the Ashton Line at the Miles Platting "Y" junction.

Now you're saying they are going to Victoria, again I would question the need for an interchange at Central Park.

I think there should be a heavy rail/LRT interchange at these sites, not just to promote connectivity to Central Park, but interchange between modes themselves.

Think Amsterdam Zuid, which is a major heavy rail/LRT/metro/city bus/regional bus interchange, on the outskirts of the city, which happens to serve a major development site.

Similar hubs could be created at White City, Salford Crescent, Ashburys, relieving pressure on the central area stations.

Every few hundred metres along the 'road-running' sections, they dig a large circular pit, 2-3 metres in diameter and 2-3 metres deep. These are lined with pre-fabricated concrete curved sections (a bit like tube tunnel walls, only vertical), and I think the temporary tower-like structures are for the crane to lower these into place.

First mention of civil engineering or technical aspects and I'm outta here, but I guess the massive circular chambers thus created, will be for utility inspection purposes, permitting a person to work underneath once the rails are in place? There is another one coming by Howgill Street.

Although I am not a Civil Engineer or involved with the construction industry, I am an Engineer so I do have an in built desire to know how things work - so any technical is right up my street, so to speak :)

I don't recall such a structure when they did the work at Howgill Street - did see the crane though - quite impressive - although didn't get a picture !

Could this be more to do with the fact that the works at MediaCity:UK generally are behind & as a result, Peel don't want the stop opened until the area is ready for public use?

Another great update btw JDR!

That's quite understandable, I don't really see many people using this stop for a while, except for visitors to The Lowry and the Lowry Outlet Mall.

That's quite understandable, I don't really see many people using this stop for a while, except for visitors to The Lowry and the Lowry Outlet Mall.

It would benefit those working in Exchange Quay/Salford Quays in peak times though, with the increased capacity it would bring.

I still think Plaza will be done by the first week of June and thats when I would expect the stop to open. If the workers havent moved in it will effect its profitability but im sure they would enjoy the time to iron out any bugs before it gets too busy.

When it initially opens are we going for full service (Cornbrook shuttles most of the day) or just with Eccles services adding it as an extra stop?

I would imagine full from the start since sufficent trams for it have arrived, though will still be an extra stop at weekends and late night.

I would imagine full from the start since sufficent trams for it have arrived, though will still be an extra stop at weekends and late night.

Certainly enough trams - but it seems very odd for it to be funded as a full service as there will not be the demand for it (yet)?

Im sure people on the Altri line will immediatley appreciate a doubled service to the Quays, also extra capacity for United homegames.

Im sure people on the Altri line will immediatley appreciate a doubled service to the Quays, also extra capacity for United homegames.

I don't see any problems with double units running on the Eccles line, the coupler covers are there to protect pedestrians but they seem to manage fine in the City Centre.
And even if they still feel insecure, a solution could be to remove the cover only on the side of the tram which is being coupled up.

I meant doubled frequency not doubled length. But raises the interesting prospect of 'Specials' that at match day rush doubles could run from Piccadilly to Media city and back, they already totally change the timetables on those nights anyway shifting all their resources into Bury-Altri.

Actually im assuming the turnback siding in Piccadilly Undercroft can accomadate doubles, since doubles are usually the directs.

Seems like some Climbing nutters went a climbed it... Took some stonking photos though I must say.

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/babygurl_kittens/IMG_2387-1.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/babygurl_kittens/IMG_2401.jpg

I think this was the same lot that climbed Blackpool Tower

NUTTERS! :nuts::nuts::nuts:
you wont catch me up there! ;)

... the coupler covers are there to protect pedestrians....

I thought they where there to help in a RTA with a vehicle, so as the coupler doesn't punch a big hole in a vehicle it may hit???????????

Can the current turnback a Picc hold a double? I'm sure I counted three trams in there (over two lines must mean two in a line) when I was waiting there the other night waiting for ever for the eccles tram?????????????
or do you meant the new as yet unfinished turn back on the way to ancoats????

That as well!

Speaking of which, I happened to have another quick shufty round the back of Picc again today, to see how things are coming on :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5332.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5323.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5322.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5317.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5338.jpg

The Western tunnel portal under Great Ancoats Street has now appeared :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5319.jpg

And the Eastern one :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5337.jpg

The Ashton canal is on the left of the track here, separated by a wall with arches in it. These are temporarily boarded at present, but I am hoping that one day, as they go gliding by, passengers might be able to look through them, at this nice scene on the other side? :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5308.jpg

The tracks are now part way across the access road to block H :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5284.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5280.jpg

And one track now emerges right out of the compound, across Vicky Pollard and Carruthers, and down Merrill :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5289.jpg

Looking back up Merrill Street :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5296.jpg

And forwards down towards Holt Town :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5295.jpg

Brilliant as always JDR! Is there anywhere now you haven't papped?!?! You really are saving our legs mate!

Great to see the Ancoats tunnel portal appear. Will be even better when the tracks are laid :) This 'photo reel' really shows the various bits coming together. I also like the curviture of the line coming out from Picadilly stn. I'm looking forward to taking the new Metrolink tour of East Manchester next year, even if it only to Droylsden!! Can anyone recommend some decent bars? :cheers:

I noticed whilst walking up to Chorlton today & over the Mcr road bridge, that there are large, circular, rusty coloured, metal bases, driven into & running down the centre of the permanent way (both towards Chorlton & back towards Firswood). Could these be the supports for the OH line uprights (Didn't have my phone, so couldn't take a photo - sorry)?

Does anyone know what the porta-cabins are used for above the arches of Piccadilly station? I assume its not used by network rail as they have specific offices in the station tower. I thought that they were used only in construction as a temporary measure and as a cheap form of changing rooms for sunday league clubs. Surely with the modernisation of the station they would have designed around everything in order to house and cover every aspect of running a modern station. Its just that I hate them, and used a temporary set of offices, but for years on end, looks cheap and in this case ruins the facade of Piccadilly. I'm not moaning, just asking.
http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5323.jpg

Scouse, feel free to pop in to my local, The Halfway House or the Gardeners Arms behind it, on Edge Lane :cheers:

& Seasoned, those portakabins belong to the British Transport Police (which is why I'm shy about going behind them for the excellent photo vantage point!), also Hertz rental and other maintenance units.

Yes, they are a mess, didn't matter so much when it was just the back end of the car park where nobody goes, but now it will be a very prominent passenger approach to the most important station in the country! Especially when the approach is by tram, which affords forward vision to the passengers (I've never understood why heavy rail is so against this).

But surely the whole of that side of the station will need sprucing up in any event, when it becomes part of the public realm?

Is the rarely used Platform 0 up by those cabins too? ive never seen it though heard its on that side of the station.

Monsall Road Bridge is being load tested overnight tonight.

Is the rarely used Platform 0 up by those cabins too? ive never seen it though heard its on that side of the station.

Monsall Road Bridge is being load tested overnight tonight.

I don't think its actually a platform its more of a siding behind platform 1. If I remember correctly its fenced off from the platform itself.

As far as I know its non-public platform that they can unload passengers (but not embark) at if theirs no other platform available. Was used heavily before for Airport services if they were running late.

Just looked on Google Maps. The track looks quite far away from the actual platform on that siding:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=53.477018,-2.226993&spn=0.000691,0.002642&t=h&z=19

As Accura says, im pretty sure that the line is also behind a fence aswell as being about a a meter from platform 1. The blue cabin in the photo is the BTP hut, but Im not sure why they dont have a room inside the actual station. The rest is catering stuff for Virgin and such. I think the Train fitters also have a hut outside too.

Great pictures as usual by the way Johnny.

nice update JDR, I can't believe how much it's changed around that part of Ancoats

As Accura says, im pretty sure that the line is also behind a fence aswell as being about a a meter from platform 1. The blue cabin in the photo is the BTP hut, but Im not sure why they dont have a room inside the actual station. The rest is catering stuff for Virgin and such. I think the Train fitters also have a hut outside too.

Great pictures as usual by the way Johnny.

Yeah theirs a fence to stop people getting to platform 0, if a train has to use it for a timetabling emergency they open the gates to let people out onto platform 1 under staff supervision, but they arent allowed to let people board from it.

There's foundations for something being built near those portakabins, whether it's for more portakabins remains to be seen!

I think some Metrolink Yellow paint should be slapped on the visible ;) portions of the portakabins until a home can be found for them. :D

drove over the manchester road bridge today, i can confirm that the structures between the tracks are the foundations/bases for the OHLE structures. no photos today unfortionately.

Over in East Manchester to-day . . .

Merrill Street looking up from Holt Town :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5412.jpg

Holt Town looks like it will also be getting nice brick cladding by the River Medlock:-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5414.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5415.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5407.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5386.jpg

The lift down to the Westbound platform is now coming into being, behind Man City :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5391.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5393.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5396.jpg

The Westbound platform will be partly under the bridge:-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5398.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5399.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5403.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5404.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5405.jpg

It looks like they are now building a path to the Velodrome from the eponymous station to the East of Asda, which was not there before :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5383.jpg

Eastward Ho! :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5392.jpg

Great pictures once again :)

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5414.jpg

Fascinating, whats going to be on this flat platform area? Bricked off ledge?

Picnic area !? Abseiling? Hopefully something green anyway!

11/05/2010 - Trafford Depot out of hours work, 12, 13 and 16 May

Work is under way to build the new South Manchester Metrolink line along the disused railway line from Trafford Bar to Chorlton and to build a new tram depot on Ayres Road, near the Trafford Bar Metrolink stop.

This week we are carrying out work on the overhead lines at the Trafford depot site outside of normal working hours. We will be using two road rail machines and an additional vehicle to help install the cables. The dates and times of work are as follows:

� Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th May - 9.00pm to 6.00am

� Sunday 16th May - 8.00am to 5.00pm

We do not anticipate that this work will cause you any disruption.

11/05/2010 - Overnight working, Cornbrook Viaduct ,16 - 21 May

We are carrying out overnight work at Cornbrook Viaduct from Sunday 16th May to the morning of Friday 21st May. This work is to install drivers’ walkways and signal bases. Our work teams will use excavators, hand tools and battery-powered lighting. To avoid disruption to tram services we will need to work between 11.00pm and 5.00am. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Access to the Cornbrook work site will be from the G-Mex stop at the Manchester Central conference centre.

We will aim to keep any disturbance to a minimum. We will adopt measures to reduce noise wherever possible, for example, by the type of generators that are used, by switching off machinery when it is not in use and by completing any noisy work as quickly as possible.


^^

That's one big excavation going on in Eastlands. The one in the yellow hat appears to be Tony Robinson...

Is it 'Time Team' looking for City's trophy cabinet?

I am likeing all the pictures posted on here, Thing are progressing very quickly down that new road and around the council house. Keep them picture coming please. Can't wait see them :banana: :banana: :banana: flying down ashton new road

21st May Emergency Commitee doc (councillors still in recess)
A public exluded report to the committee on 'North Manchester Metrolink stops package'

Request for advanced works Oldham/Rochdale TC
http://www.gmita.gov.uk/download/3045/item_04_metrolink_oldham_and_rochdale_town_centre_extensions

Requesting permission for £7.8m to be released for Oldham and Rochdale Town Centre advanced works. After approval of Airport advanced works and DFT approval of 3B extensions a Oldham/Rochdale TC package of advanced works is now required to progress design; scope, particularly in respect of highways, structures and power supply requirements; surveys; third party agreements and the scope and programme of utility diversion works.

Design 1.6m
Surveys 0.9m
Site works and Procurement 0.6m
Utilities diversion 1.7m
Land 0.5m
Other 2.5m
Total 7.8m

Detailed design will take 15 months, accurate costings for further work available in 6 months

Site works: To be completed before November, demolition and remodelling of Oldham Mumps, Site works at the Werneth turnout on the Oldham line; Werneth switches and crossings procurement and site clearance at both Oldham and Rochdale.

Utilities: 50 diversions in Oldham TC to be completed within 18 months, 30 diversions in Rochdale to be completed within 12 months

Land: 0.5m required for CPO and third party land access

Other: The forecast expenditure on other project costs includes delivery partner staff costs; technical management activities, including engineering support and traffic modelling activities; preparation for the application of powers; formulation of planning consents; in the period to November 2010 is estimated for Oldham town centre and Rochdale town centre schemes at £2.5 million.

Here are two pictures posted on behalf of Motortownman, who will no doubt reveal all, including the reason why, very shortly!

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/Hols30aug-13sept2009059.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/Hols30aug-13sept2009058.jpg

U-Bahn in Germany?

Why is there a keep right arrow at the head of the island, must be for cars/motor vehicles? Is it a shared car/tram route? interesting to have a raised platform in such a location.

Presumably as its in the middle of a 2 lane road the cars run past on each side, differs from our stations (as far as I know) the platforms are always segregated from traffic.

It would be unusual to sit in your car at the lights whilst a station a platform full of passengers are staring down into your car. You'd feel like a plum.

Here are two pictures posted on behalf of Motortownman, who will no doubt reveal all, including the reason why, very shortly!

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/Hols30aug-13sept2009059.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/Hols30aug-13sept2009058.jpg



Hello everyone and thanks to Johnny for putting these pics on the forum for me, as I have no clue whatsoever how to do it.

This station is in Stuttgart on the U15 line and this station is believe it or not 2nd from the main station, and the first when it comes out of the U5,6 7,15 tunnel. The reason I asked for it to be put on here is so that you can all compare it to our stations which are not ex-railway stations. It is the standard Stuttgart stop, all trams are high floor. This one is an island in the middle of the road and when the tram comes along the traffic lights go red behind it, (don't worry, nobody will be looking down on you because you are behind the tram!). As soon as the tram leaves then the cars follow behind, a lesson that could be learned on Eccles New Road where you get stuck forever when a tram pulls out of the station.

Now to the design of it which is the main reason I put it here. It is obtrusive as there is no way it can't be, but definately not as intrusive as these staions we are to get, or already have. The edging hangs over the road instead of being nearly flush, so that when the concrete gets dirty underneath it won't show as much and also there is a space there in case someone falls off and gets swept to the side, ours doesn't have this and look at the state of the platforms in Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter's Square after only 6 months.The edging of the platform is in white concrete so it will never need to be painted or look tatty,the other parts being either red pavers to show where all the doors will be and grey pavers for the rest. The canopy covers 3/4 of the platform, looks attractive, has seating, ticket machines, and info all under cover, pids which work most of the time and are accurate. 2 years ago I was there and they were making new stops on the U4 to replace the pavement stops. These stations are all prefabricated and within 3 days the stops had been built and on the 4th day were in use, beat that!

Also there is no attempt whatsoever to match the station colour scheme to that of the trams which is yellow and dark blue, meaning if they change the tram colour then nothing else needs to be done.

Maybe GMPTE should be taking a look at this kind of design before building these slab fronted railways station type platforms that are proposed. Does anybody else agree?

Oh, and if you look closely at the pid, you can see it telling you if it's one car or a 2 car train by the little train front thing. On this line of course it will always be showing one on the U15, but 2 fronts for the U6 U7 and soon to be the U5. In Stuttgart if it gets busy they keep the service at a standard "every 10 Minutes" and buy extra trams, and lengthen the platforms so they can double them up And read below for friday's fun and games at St Peter's Square!

Friday 5pm. St Peter's Square and there is a double tram in the platform going to Altrincham, All is NOT well, the driver is going back and forth to the back end and the trams are queuing up behind, then we find out why, yes wait for it...... one of the folding steps on the 2nd tram has come out and has stuck the tram to the edge of the platform and refuses to go back in. (this wouldn't happen on the platform design above !) So why was it out in the first place?

So what was the solution?... yes get everybody near that door to start jumping up and down to release it, (yes it's the 14th of may not april 1st and there were NO cameras around. So jump up and down they did but didnt' work so the driver got everyone off the first tram to get out and go into the 2nd one to jump up and down hoping with the extra weight that it would release. People are standing around looking gob smacked and the passengers jumping up and down seem to be having much fun.Then the announcment came on the platform, yes...... " This is Metrolink control to passengerss at St Peter's Square. Sorry for the delay to your journey. This is due to a broken step. Can passangers please leave the first tram, board the 2nd one and jump up and down to try to release it" My friend was standing in amazement and said he couldn't believe they actually said that over the tannoy and that if he hadn't been there and seen all this for himself and I told him later ,he would never believe anything I ever said again.

Theres no traffic in sight and it looks like a back road, im not sure if its design lesson can be really applied to the dual carriage Eccles roads.

I would agree the stops here are perhaps a bit too flush. I also imagine that this was an original historic tram line which was converted from low platform to high platform for interop with rail?

Theirs signs up at St Peters warning drivers to turn off the retractable steps, I guess he had just come from Mosely and forgot to turn it off so driver error? Wont be a problem for much longer however with the only stop requiring the steps Mosely due to close in 10 months it will be disabled on all the trams. The jumping up and down does sound ludicrous though :)

Theres no traffic in sight and it looks like a back road, im not sure if its design lesson can be really applied to the dual carriage Eccles roads.

I would agree the stops here are perhaps a bit too flush. I also imagine that this was an original historic tram line which was converted from low platform to high platform for interop with rail?


It was the 15 tram that was converted from meter guage to standard guage 2 years ago. If you look at the rails there are 3! The meter gauage still uses this line on saturdays on specials from the museum. The 15 is the " Panorama Bahn" as it goes all the way up to the TV tower.

I maybe put it misleadingly. I didnt mean they should be island stops on the street, they arent all like this in Stuttgart in fact not many at all are , although on the U15 many are,as most of the others are either segregated or underground The design stays the same even with 2 platforms, ie overhanging edges, the white concrete edges etc,(you can see this clearly in the photo where it is white then changes to grey), In my opinion they look more attractive than other systems and shouldn't be any more expensive to build.

xx

Theres no traffic in sight and it looks like a back road, im not sure if its design lesson can be really applied to the dual carriage Eccles roads.

I would agree the stops here are perhaps a bit too flush. I also imagine that this was an original historic tram line which was converted from low platform to high platform for interop with rail?

Theirs signs up at St Peters warning drivers to turn off the retractable steps, I guess he had just come from Mosely and forgot to turn it off so driver error? Wont be a problem for much longer however with the only stop requiring the steps Mosely due to close in 10 months it will be disabled on all the trams. The jumping up and down does sound ludicrous though :)

Well instead of going home to eat we went to Pizza Express so maybe it's a job creation thing between Metrolink and Pizza Express?:cheers::)

Friday 5pm. St Peter's Square and there is a double tram in the platform going to Altrincham, All is NOT well, the driver is going back and forth to the back end and the trams are queuing up behind, then we find out why, yes wait for it...... one of the folding steps on the 2nd tram has come out and has stuck the tram to the edge of the platform and refuses to go back in. (this wouldn't happen on the platform design above !) So why was it out in the first place?

So what was the solution?... yes get everybody near that door to start jumping up and down to release it, (yes it's the 14th of may not april 1st and there were NO cameras around. So jump up and down they did but didnt' work so the driver got everyone off the first tram to get out and go into the 2nd one to jump up and down hoping with the extra weight that it would release. People are standing around looking gob smacked and the passengers jumping up and down seem to be having much fun.Then the announcment came on the platform, yes...... " This is Metrolink control to passengerss at St Peter's Square. Sorry for the delay to your journey. This is due to a broken step. Can passangers please leave the first tram, board the 2nd one and jump up and down to try to release it" My friend was standing in amazement and said he couldn't believe they actually said that over the tannoy and that if he hadn't been there and seen all this for himself and I told him later ,he would never believe anything I ever said again.

I take it the idea didn't work. The T68s all have self levelling air suspension which senses the passenger load and automatically compensates to maintain the floor to platform height as far as possible. It might have had an effect on an M5000 but there again the problem would never occur on an M5000.
If a double tram is taken into a high platform with the steps enabled on the rear unit there is a good chance the steps will get stuck under the platform. Thats the reason for the signs saying something like 'Change to Street Running' or 'Change to street with steps' at various locations.

Only a third of tram expansion workers locals

Dean Kirby

May 16, 2010

Less than a third of workers constructing new Metrolink lines come from Greater Manchester.

But Metrolink chiefs say a ‘healthy’ number of locals are employed on the multi-million pound scheme to extend lines to Droylsden, Chorlton, Oldham, Rochdale and MediaCityUK.

And they insist that more than half of the 1,108-strong workforce, including nearly two-thirds of sub-contractors, live within 40 miles of their jobs.

However business leaders and trade union officials said the number of local workers – released to the M.E.N. under a Freedom of Information request – is ‘disappointing’.

More than 85,000 people are claiming unemployment benefits in Greater Manchester, according to the latest figures.

Dr Brian Sloan, head of business and economic policy at Greater Manchester Chamber, said: "It is disappointing that so few of the jobs have gone to local residents."

He added that businesses and communities ‘rightly expect’ public bodies in the region to ‘maximise local employment opportunities’.

A consortium called M-Pact Thales was appointed to design, build and maintain the new lines.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive said that 336 of the 1,108-strong workforce (30.3pc) contracted or sub-contracted to the job were permanent residents of Greater Manchester.

GMPTE said more than half the total workforce (51pc), including nearly two-thirds (62.8pc) of sub-contractors, live either in Greater Manchester or within 40 miles of their jobs.

George Guy, Regional Secretary of the UCATT construction union, said: "The low number of local workers on the Metrolink project is very disappointing."

Philip Purdy, GMPTE’s Metrolink director, said: "When you consider this project requires expertise relating very specifically to the design, engineering and construction of a new, modern light rail system, of which there are only a few across the country, I believe the number of local workers is quite healthy."

Bryan Diggins, project director for M-Pact Thales, said: "Two thirds of sub-contracted staff live either in Greater Manchester or within 40 miles of work. Within the context of the project, that’s pleasing to see."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1240043_only_a_third_of_tram_expansion_workers_locals

Its to be expected with rail projects unfortunatley, because of the specialised skills their a migratory bunch.

Big deal Mr Kirby.

Half are presumingly contractors and the rest probably the best specialist workers that arent within the city region area.

Total non story. Basically its saying every small business, especially light engineering, should only work within the 40 miles of its location. Which is bollix.

MEN shit journalists again what do you expect :bash:

Went past the new Depot in Old Trafford yesterday morning and at least 2 Bananas were stabled up, one being 3001 and couldnt ID the other one.

Also over the past week I've noticed Banana Trams back in service and one was even operating towards Piccadilly Station at about 21:00 last night, so whether this means that they are finally drifting back into service I dont know unless someone knows anymore

They've been tootling up and down the Eccles line over the weekend, I've even been on one of them as recent as Friday Night and saw them through the weekend!

I have seen them also ...they have been back on the ECC line for several days now

3010 was at Eccles last night when I came out of Morrisons. 3xxx was leaving on my way in.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1240043_only_a_third_of_tram_expansion_workers_locals

Presumably the MEN would prefer it if we hired all locals, regardless of whether they had the required skills. Then when the completed system inevitably began to present all sorts of issues, they'd have some ready made material to fill more column inches.

Old Trafford Depot
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8232/dsc00019q.jpg

Ayres Rd, towards Trafford Bar
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1750/dsc00013pa.jpg

Rye Bank Rd, towards Trafford Bar
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/9244/dsc00025js.jpg

Firswood stop

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/3980/dsc00029yt.jpg

Was in a bit of a rush by the time I was taking that last one, difficult to get a decent shot of the work, because of the black pipe. I'll aim to get a better one next time I go down there.

Good pics there Savage!

On the GMPTE website: http://metrolink.co.uk/futuremetrolink/east-manchester-line.asp

There appears to be no plan shown for the Droylsden stop. Is the design not yet finalised?

On the GMPTE website: http://metrolink.co.uk/futuremetrolink/east-manchester-line.asp

There appears to be no plan shown for the Droylsden stop. Is the design not yet finalised?

Nice pix Sav, and yes Ash, I noticed the omission of Droylsden on those maps. My hope is that they are revising the layout as they did at Edge Lane, to take less of Villemomble Square, and perhaps avoid disturbing the clock tower.

Oldham Mumps is also missing, but they explain that one is under revision, now that the viaduct is coming down under 3a.

19/05/2010 - Saturday 29th May and Sunday 30th May 2010 - Altrincham line Closure
There will be no trams running on the Altrincham line on Saturday 29th May from 9pm until 10:30am on Sunday 30th May also from 8pm Sunday 30th May until 09:30am Monday 31st May. This is due to engineering work for the expansion of the Metrolink network.

A replacement bus service will run every 12 minutes on the Saturday night then every 15 minutes at every other time between Altincham and Piccadilly calling at all stops to G-mex then non -stop to Piccadilly.

Passengers should buy their tickets from Metrolink vending machines as normal before boarding the bus.


Metrolink apologises for any inconvenience.

For more information contact Customer Services.

Combined with late working 19th/20th May, perhaps this is final turn on?

I noticed today that Eccles only has the new TVMs (three of them) so I assume they're up and running. 3009 was just leaving to...

The First Rail Vehicle on New South Mcr Line Tracks?

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l72/scouseinmanc/Construction%20of%20Firswood%20Metrolink%20Stop/IMG_0427.jpg

I went down to the Firswood Stop for a nosey & couldn't believe it when I saw lights coming into view along the tracks, from back at the Manchester Rd bridge in Chorlton. There were a good few contractors all stood on the Rye Bank Road bridge & one of the lads informed me that all the stops (Firswood, Chorlton & St. Werburghs) will be completed by September. By the time I finished chatting, the vehicle was underneath the bridge & on it's way up towards the new depot. Not sure if the spur into the depot has been connected up with the new line yet? Was good to see though!

On thinking that if the stops are due for completion in September, then that will leave them idle for quite some time, before the trams start running. Which makes me wonder, will there be the need for each stop to have security until Spring next year? Also, could it be that they're actually ahead of schedule & may even start services sooner than originally planned?

Once the overhead lines & power have been installed, it can only be a matter of time - I hope. :)

Theyve still got to do driver familiarization as well as prepping the new general staff. On that note I had a reply from stagecoach last week that they are planning to begin hiring staff for the 3A lines in 4-6 months time which puts it between September-Nov for a Spring opening.

RAIL today has a short piece on the Metrolink expansion noting the works weve seen, confirming 15 trams delivered so far and saying Media City will open 'Late Summer'. Trafford depot 'construction work will finish in Autumn with a Spring 2011 opening' Dont know what their doing with it through the Winter, perhaps making themselves at home?

For the purposes of continuity, our journey begins at the temporary end of the line, aka mauldeth road

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0070.jpg
looking towards didsbury, we can see that clearance of 40 years of scum has begun in ernest.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0068.jpg
under the bridge, near the site of the proposed station, i am sure that this building will house an electrical substation.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0069.jpg
beside it are piles of rail, waiting to be instaled

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0067.jpg
at st werbehughes road, track is being instaled the concrete pads which are in pairs on the right of the picture are the foundations for the ramp

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0065.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0064.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0063.jpg
the foundation for the island platform is the concrete strip in the above two photos
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0062.jpg
part of the new station

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0061.jpg
towards manchester

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0066.jpg
this is how you build a railway

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0071.jpg
deep in boring surburbia, i am reminded that I am in a great city

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0072.jpg
at brantingham road, we can see 2 footings for ohle supports. the proximity of these two suggests that this may be where there will be an electrical boundary

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0073.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0074.jpg
looking at these photos, you can see that the ohle foundations are instaled at regular intervals

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0075.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0076.jpg
firswood towards chorlton

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0077-1.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0078-1.jpg
work has began on the pre cast concrete lift shafts

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0079.jpg
towards trafford bar

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0080-1.jpg
the work to remodel the kings road bridge is almost complete

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0081-1.jpg
2 banana's in their new home

and finaly!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0082-1.jpg
is this the elusive train ticket everyone is on about?

Yeah those are the all day tickets, when you select the tram/train option it should give you a choise between rail zones 1,2,3 but as mentioned earlier presently only offers you the £6.30 ticket (by the way whats the other two fares?).

is this the elusive train ticket everyone is on about?

Nope!! Those are the daysaver options - the tram/train one costs £6.30 and allows unlimited travel across the Metrolink and GM rail networks for a day.

It is still not possible to buy a single or a return ticket from a Metrolink station to a rail station in one of the three rail zones. :ohno:

Thanks, future, for those actualities of the S Mcr Line in great detail! I guess it should be ready towards the end of the year so they have enough time for 'ghost' running and staff training etc ( 3 months?)

Thanks for the great pics "Future" so just to play devils advocate, when is "station" a "station" and when is it a "stop"

Like the difference between Carriage, Car and Coach its interchangable but not quite to the same degree.

A 'Stop' is where a train stops to load or unload passengers, similar to a bus stop
A 'Station' is where more extensive facilities are available (such as toilets, refreshments, manned ticket offices)
and older form of stop - 'Halt' has almost dissapeared through efforts to eradicate it from names, nowadays it means a stop thats only available by request or for certain events (Like Manchester United FC Halt).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0062.jpg

What's going on here? Where will the track be in relation to the bridge? Is there another bridge to the left?

:?

Yeah, there's another bridge. This is where the track split to branch off to the Fallowfield loop, and there was one bridge for each direction.

Like the difference between Carriage, Car and Coach its interchangable but not quite to the same degree.

A 'Stop' is where a train stops to load or unload passengers, similar to a bus stop
A 'Station' is where more extensive facilities are available (such as toilets, refreshments, manned ticket offices)
and older form of stop - 'Halt' has almost dissapeared through efforts to eradicate it from names, nowadays it means a stop thats only available by request or for certain events (Like Manchester United FC Halt).

Ahhhh thanks for the explanation..so ALT is a staion and ECC a stop...cheers.

Will the (temporary) terminus at St Werburghs Rd be double tracked to a double or island platform or single tracked to a single platform?

Will the (temporary) terminus at St Werburghs Rd be double tracked to a double or island platform or single tracked to a single platform?

it will be an island platform, the foundation for which can be seen in the photos. i have amended the captioning.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0062.jpg

What's going on here? Where will the track be in relation to the bridge? Is there another bridge to the left?

:?
^^^^

mystery solved. the concrete structure will contain the lift and stairs

Didn't know whether to post this here, or in the main 'Metrolink' thread, or both:

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/Planning_and_Highways_28_May_2009_Application_089506__Former_Railway_line_St_Werburghs_Rd.pdf

Visual plan (http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/selecteddoc.aspx?089506-DPE-0001.pdf)

Site Layout Plan 1 (http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/selecteddoc.aspx?089506-DSP-0001.pdf)

Site Layout Plan 2 (http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/selecteddoc.aspx?089506-DSP-0002.pdf)

Overall Site Layout (http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/selecteddoc.aspx?089506-DSP-0003.pdf)

Design & Access Statement (http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/selecteddoc.aspx?089506-DSX-0001.pdf)

Don't think I've seen these docs on here before, so thought they'd be interesting to add to the thread?




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0064.jpg

this is the view from slightly further away. as mentioned, the bridge is wide enoughth for 4 tracks. you can also see the foundation for the platform in this photo, why the ramp and the platforms are so far away i have no idea!

Plenty to read up while my computer was dead. Great updates as per usual all.

The lift and stairs dont even get a mention on the coloured GMPTE plans, so it is a welcome addition. It looked as though to get down to the station you would have to trapse all the way down that ramp, back under the road and finally down to the station!

Will the (temporary) terminus at St Werburghs Rd be double tracked to a double or island platform or single tracked to a single platform?

It will be an island platform for interchange Ash. This is from my "tour" of the Airport line on Phase 3b 2cc Future etc page 19.
(One day I will learn how to put links on !)

HOUGH END :-

Looking South East from St Werburgh's Road, the island interchange platform coming into being, is the last point of Phase 3a, and the overbridge in the centre background is Mauldeth Road West. In railway days, this was Chorlton South Junction, with the Fallowfield loop branching off to the left. Now the Trans-Pennine Trail long distance footpath has been moved there :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5426.jpg

Here's the key para from the ConDem document:

"We will reform the way decisions are made on which transport projects to prioritise, so that the benefits of low carbon proposals (including light rail schemes) are fully recognised."

You can find the full doc here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_187876.pdf

(Transport is page 31)

:-)

Let's hope they stick to it!!!

Thanks future.architect for all the pictures of the South Manchester extension. I note on two of the pictures are a pile of lavender coloured tubes waiting to be laid. I understand that these are normally for fibre-optic tele-communications. Do you think that these will be solely for Metrolink use or is it part of B.T.'s drive to improve its fibre-optic network without digging up the roads?

Thanks future.architect for all the pictures of the South Manchester extension. I note on two of the pictures are a pile of lavender coloured tubes waiting to be laid. I understand that these are normally for fibre-optic tele-communications. Do you think that these will be solely for Metrolink use or is it part of B.T.'s drive to improve its fibre-optic network without digging up the roads?

Your welcome!

As far as i understand it is purely for metrolink purposes. The metrolink data network fibre optic.

However I believe its envisaged that a future stage of fibre optic rollout after the University Corridor will use Metrolink lines for the trunk cables, either strung above or using these cable guards they seem to be laying everywhere now (including Cornbrook viaduct where the wires keep getting stolen).

Here's the key para from the ConDem document:

"We will reform the way decisions are made on which transport projects to prioritise, so that the benefits of low carbon proposals (including light rail schemes) are fully recognised."

You can find the full doc here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_187876.pdf

(Transport is page 31)

:-)

Let's hope they stick to it!!!

Be very careful. Osborne is ordering a review of all Labour's spending commitments since the new year.That includes money earmarked for the further expansion of Phase Three, I think. The review is being conducted by David Laws. However, the good news is that he's a Liberal Democrat, and thus needs to have his anatomy tightly gripped pretty soon....

Train Guard

loving this thread thanks for all the photos

Yeah, thanks to all for the latest photos.

One thing I've noticed (& the pic of St Werburgh's clearly shows this) is the height of the platforms. I take it that these at present are just the foundations & they will be built at a higher level, at a later date?

Yeah foundation of platforms, remember that their will be track level crossings at all these stops so they will probably get that right then build the platforms ontop of the foundations.

If they follow similar construction to normal platforms they will build some brick/breeze block walls then fill the platform with aggregate, top with sand then lay the platform surface on top. Makes maintaining it easier as you dont have to knock down a solid concrete structure.

If anyone has photos of the Victoria platform rebuilds they could demonstrate it quite well.

Some news for works next week on the Ashton line...


On Monday 24th May we will be closing Clayton Lane near the junction with Ashton New Road. This closure is necessary for us to lay track across Clayton Lane. We expect this closure to last 4 to 6 weeks, during which time sign-posted traffic diversions will be in place. Pedestrian access will be maintained through out this work.

Croft Street will remain open throughout this track work so that vehicle access is maintained for businesses and residents on Clayton Lane.

"Pedestrian access will be maintained through out this work."


Cue a flotilla of skyscrapercity folk with cameras in hands.................

It's a lovely day today to be taking lots of pictures ;)

Shame I'm stuck in work :(

:banana::banana::banana:Banana 15/16? on M602 on lowloader right now:banana::banana::banana:

Banana 16.

Loos like their into the final cramming to get Media city work done, out of hours eccles line stops 24th May-14th June for ticket machine installation. and as mentioned before I think cornbrook viaduct out of hours signalling and drivers walkway work 23rd May-28th June.

My prediction: Mediacity opening early July

we have been told that media city will be open in mid september this is down to the new TOS "tram operation system" not working at the min wich is having a knock on affect with the driver training wich should of started two weeks ago !:ohno:

we have been told that media city will be open in mid september this is down to the new TOS "tram operation system" not working at the min wich is having a knock on affect with the driver training wich should of started two weeks ago !:ohno:

I was told Friday that it will be sept by someone from Peel. The landscaping around the waterfront will be finished by the end of June.

The contractors are probably obliged to finish the work for Media city infrastructure on time even if the TOS isnt ontime.

Was at stretford this morning, of the 3 machines on the citybound platform, one wasn't working, one didn't take cards and the third was very fussy about coins! And the screens are virtually illegible in bright sunlight, these poor old ladies in front of me couldn't see anything!

Some news for works next week on the Ashton line...

Re: Clayton Lane closing for a few weeks - Encouraged by Heaton, I thought I would take another shufty down East Manchester . . .

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5585.jpg

One track is now nearly at Clayton Lane level crossing, on a newly-created alignment behind the Grove Tavern. It seems more curvaceous than on the original tech drawings, which showed it as remaining parallel to Ashton New Road :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5584.jpg

Looking back from further West, near where there will be another level crossing of Ashton New Road itself :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5619.jpg

It also touches the Ashton canal at this point, where there is an apparent rise in grade :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5586.jpg

From the canal side, the retaining wall is now in place :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5591.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5593.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5596.jpg

Further down the canal towards Manchester, it looks like they are building a new footbridge (by ASDA) to connect Sportcity-Velodrome station to the Velodrome :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5601.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5600.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5604.jpg

Some more shots of a football ground where Blackpool will be playing next season :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5605.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5606.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5613.jpg

Holt Town 22.5.10 :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5616.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5618.jpg

I don't know why we always end up at a pub :cheers::cheers::cheers:

Coming along and looking great in the sunshine. Cheers Johnny. I will have to have a walk up next week and have a gander :banana:

On a side note the press garb for the works on the bridges at Cornbrook talks about new signalling. I'm guessing from these will be the tramway style ones we see in the centre of town rather than traditional colour lights as now due to the change to the new TOS . Its all good.

I assumed it was a signal rework to make the high frequency turnback for media city spur, they also mentioned the construction of drivers walkways presumably so a driver could exit the vehicle while it was parked in the turnback, perhaps in an emergency.

I assumed it was a signal rework to make the high frequency turnback for media city spur, they also mentioned the construction of drivers walkways presumably so a driver could exit the vehicle while it was parked in the turnback, perhaps in an emergency.

They'll need the walkway to change ends when turning coupled units at Cornbrook. The signalling works will be to prepare for the conversion to TOS as already suggested.

Cheers for that MrFreel

A couple of photos from the most northern reaches of the Metrolink empire.

Not too much change though unfortunately.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000399.jpg

Newhey Station (site of)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000400.jpg

Looking towards Rochdale

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000405.jpg

Shaw and Crompton former station site

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000402.jpg

Signal box is still here.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000404.jpg

From Shaw level crossing showing the future station site and the line towards Oldham.

You think the Metrolink Mediacity shuttle will be running double Feel?

Nice pics Local Lad & Jonny DR (amongst others).

I think the progress on the Oldham-Rochdale isn't too bad @ Shaw given that it's not due to open untill 2012 - in fact nice to see both lots of track up - the section between Shaw and Derker was possibly the worst bit on the line - being the most uneven and the longest(?) and fastest.

You think the Metrolink Mediacity shuttle will be running double Feel?

Unlikely but the layout is designed to allow trams to turn back from Eccles, Altrincham (& Didsbury of course) and the City Centre as well as Media City so it's very likely that coupled units will be using the siding at some stage even if only during system failures. Also if they need to stable a tram there the driver would need to be able to get to Cornbrook stop and so would need a walking route.

Went for a walk round Chadderton/Hollinwood earlier and noticed that the new bridge over the Rochdale Canal at Wrigley Head is now in place, not to sure how long its been there I'm guessing not long

Also due to the work on the above bridge parts of the towpath along the Rochdale Canal are currently closed aswel and parts of the canal itself closed from what I could see

I found this on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d33206hg/page1/

Report on the two new stations on the classic Bury line from last meeting is now up:
http://www.gmita.gov.uk/download/3049/item_04a_north_manchester_metrolink_stops

Official Railways Act permission to close Woodlands Road and demolish it will be sought once Abraham Moss opens (remember Moseley, this process takes about a year) if permission is not granted then both stops will be operated simultaneously though their will be a resulting time penalty.

Abraham Moss is due to start construction in September and open Spring 2011, works are being done as an addon to existing phase 3a contract. Theirs a map of where the stop will be at the end of the report, between Crescent Road and Woodlands Road.

the stop on Woodland road will have a larger catchment area, better access as well as being more visually prominent to the local area. The stops spacing will also improve accessibility south of Crumpsall while providing access to a redevelopment area including a new high school, community centre, theatre, further education centre and residents of Crumpsall/Cheetham. The stop will improve the chances of a housing development going ahead approx 800m from the stop.

Queens Road
The proposed Queens Road stop is adjacent to the current Queens Road depot, bounded by Queens Road and Collyhurst Road, north of the heavy rail line to Oldham and Rochdale, which is currently being converted to Metrolink operations.
This location will better serve existing residential areas, including the high density housing just north of Queens Road, and will also provide high quality public transport accessibility to the major new housing renewal neighbourhood at Collyhurst. Manchester Fort Retail Park; the Museum of Transport on Boyle Street off Queens Road; and the proposed new Academy High School, approximately 300 metres to the east at the junction of Rochdale Road and Queen’s Road. In addition, efforts to redevelop the Irish World Heritage Centre on Queen’s Road, including the related hotel development, would be enhanced through the provision of the stop; providing a degree of certainty to that development in the existing property market.

As part of the proposed works, the underpass below the tram line will be filled in and access to the station and the Abraham Moss Centre will all be at track level; and the passageway will be greatly improved in terms of lighting.

There was a 1000 signature petition from Woodlands road suers to keep the stop in January, they are demanding a bridge be built as currently you cant access the opposite platforms without a several mile detour walk. Permission to close the stop will be applied for on the argument that it has a lower than 1.5:1 BCR to remain open, its the 4th most least used stop after Pomona, Weaste and Ladywell though regeneration is planned in their vicinitys justifying their continued existence.

BCR of Ashton Moss is 3.53-3.75:1

The queens road stop will be built 50m to the north of the current staff halt, it will not have a time penalty as all services are timetabled to stop there.

I hope we don't see a reduction in investment on this metro expansion, it was actually mentioned as one of Labours (scorched earth) policies on the radio the other night!!

I parked up today in Salford quays between jobs and was up and close to one of the new Bananas trams, one thing I did notice me was the size of the pantograph, also why does it look like an old style Eastern block type trams of the 70’s

The ones on the original units it much more modern, any reason for the difference.

Rgds

Andy

I parked up today in Salford quays between jobs and was up and close to one of the new Bananas trams, one thing I did notice me was the size of the pantograph, also why does it look like an old style Eastern block type trams of the 70’s

The ones on the original units it much more modern, any reason for the difference.

Rgds

Andy

The M5000 pantograph is a standard Schunk unit from Germany I believe. It is offered as a standard part of the Bombardier package, the Croydon and Nottingham trams have versions of it. It is a fairly standard tram pantograph. The unit on the T68s is from Brecknell Willis in the UK but not being normally specified by Bombardier would no doubt cost more.

I parked up today in Salford quays between jobs and was up and close to one of the new Bananas trams, one thing I did notice me was the size of the pantograph, also why does it look like an old style Eastern block type trams of the 70’s

The ones on the original units it much more modern, any reason for the difference.

Rgds

Andy

the two styles of trams are made by two different manufacturers and as such have different supliers.
the banna trams pantographs are made by a german company called scunk (http://www.schunk-group.com/en/sgroup/LightRail/schunk01.c.45487.en) whilst the old tram pantographs are made by somerset based breknell-willis (http://brecknell-willis.co.uk/pantograph.htm)

I don't know anything about the reason for the differing design but i would expect the german pantographs where chosen for the new trams because they are built in germany and austria, the passenger compartment is filled with lables with german companies names on, however, this stlye of pantograph does seem rather common in europe and is used by many tram and train manufacturers.

Thanks for the info guys, the new pantograph’s remind me of the old BR class 86 units, in my mind they look big and clumbersum when below is a smart modern tram.

Andy

They wouldnt be common interchanagble anyway would they, Breknell design are pneumatic while new trams dont use compressed air so I presume they use Scunk's electrical-spring design?

Went on an unplanned enforced tram trip today, Dane Rd to Eccles via CC. Cant see what the problem is with the pantographs on the 'nanas, they look ok to me...

Dane Rd has been spruced up quite a bit since I last was there, noticed that not only is there the grey/yllow paint scheme but also a bronzy/gold colour aroung the bottom of the lamp posts etc. More imortantly Dane Rd has it PID installed, though still boarded up and out of use. Sorry if this has been posted before!

Went past the new depot, very impressive, 4 or 5 'nanas there, I'm pretty sure I could see 3015. I think I've worked out why GMEX has crappy looking signs, I think they're simply stuck on over the old grey/green ones, maybe as an experiment to see if its a way to upgrade other stops to the new look less expensively, or an alternative to leaving two bare silver poles.

Plenty of Bananas out and about today, most seemed to be running the Picc-Ecc service. Got pics of Dane Rd and its PIDS (both of them) which I'll post when I can find my USB cable!

I think I've worked out why GMEX has crappy looking signs, I think they're simply stuck on over the old grey/green ones, maybe as an experiment to see if its a way to upgrade other stops to the new look less expensively, or an alternative to leaving two bare silver poles.


or because gmex is having its name changed?

A couple of photos from the most northern reaches of the Metrolink empire.

.

Thanks for those, Lad, from fairly inaccessible locations for someone without a car. I was at Rochdale today and see the signal box is still there, but it looks like some new buildings behind it? Does your job ever take you to the headshunt to have a closer look?

Went on an unplanned enforced tram trip today, Dane Rd to Eccles via CC. Cant see what the problem is with the pantographs on the 'nanas, they look ok to me...

Dane Rd has been spruced up quite a bit since I last was there, noticed that not only is there the grey/yllow paint scheme but also a bronzy/gold colour aroung the bottom of the lamp posts etc. More imortantly Dane Rd has it PID installed, though still boarded up and out of use. Sorry if this has been posted before!

Went past the new depot, very impressive, 4 or 5 'nanas there, I'm pretty sure I could see 3015. I think I've worked out why GMEX has crappy looking signs, I think they're simply stuck on over the old grey/green ones, maybe as an experiment to see if its a way to upgrade other stops to the new look less expensively, or an alternative to leaving two bare silver poles.

Plenty of Bananas out and about today, most seemed to be running the Picc-Ecc service. Got pics of Dane Rd and its PIDS (both of them) which I'll post when I can find my USB cable!

The PIDS have been at Dane Road for quite some time now.

I spotted 4 bananas at the depot when I passed this evening.

3015, 3014, 3001 and another which I couldn't make out.

3013 probably, first one there. I imagine 3016 will join them after its had its basic shakedown and in a week we will have 3017 doing shakedown too. With 3001 at OT it means Queens Roads operating exactly at design capacity shaking down 1 new tram every two weeks before storing it when the next arrives.

Report on the two new stations on the classic Bury line from last meeting is now up:
http://www.gmita.gov.uk/download/3049/item_04a_north_manchester_metrolink_stops

.

Thanks Watcher as always for these extremely interesting committee reports - as local lad says, it's all good!

Post election, I don't think we should panic too early about recent press reports. The MEN is very pro Metrolink, but like tabloids, I guess it feels it has to stir up occasional controversy to keep the temperature up a bit. Having said that, the loss of Lord Adonis is a major blow, as is that of Paul Rowan against the flow in Rochdale - a champion of Metrolink in particular, and I would have thought something of a hero after Darling's 2004 broken promises in that area. I haven't yet sussed out the new Transport secretary from leafy Surrey, but I guess by his deeds shall we know him . . .

On the Bury line, it seems altogether a good idea to replace Woodlands Road with Abraham Moss. There is in fact very little distance between the two, I walked it today in 3 minutes including the massive ramp at WR (which actually makes up a fair portion of the journey!) AM is much more central to the heart of the community around that area, but at the moment has a very unsavoury approach via a subway on the Woodlands Road side, even dingier, more urinary, and ten times longer than the one they have just got rid of at Old Trafford :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5647.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5649.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5648.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5650.jpg

The thought of accessing a station by this route at night is certainly unconscionable, and seems to have been one of the principal concerns expressed by the 1000~ objectors to the closure of Woodlands Road. However, those signatories were apparently unaware at the time, that the intention is to fill and remove the subway, and create level pedestrian access to the station, along the lines of current practice in relation to track crossings. The petition also asks for lifts and an overbridge etc., to be built at the current highly elevated Woodlands Road stop, unfortunately not too realistic for a station with such a low benefit to cost ratio.

The Abraham Moss complex itself, is admittedly something of a concrete ossity - I would would say early 70's brutality, now well gone to the drab and dirty! The kindest cut would be the deepest, but in these times I guess the presence of a nice modern station with some landscaping at its centre, is probably the best it can probably hope for just now, in terms of improvement of its realm and environment.

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5651.jpg

Quenn's Road stop also will certainly provide an outstanding and excellent amenity for the local area, for all the reasons identified in the report. It's only a pity it won't be connected to the Oldham line, but one glance at the topography, tells you that the amount of civil engineering involved would be a pipe dream at present.

Still, I've never known a time with so many exciting things happening all at once, in our particular area of interest!:banana::nuts::cheers:

Thanks WZ and JDR for your insightful posts. Roll on Abraham Moss! Also glad to hear that what looks like a muggers' alleyway as photoed by JDR will be filled in.

I remember Abraham Moss school being burned down in the mid-90s and it was replaced by a mini city of portakabins. JDR's picture reminded me of that story.

Cheers for those images Johnny. I didn't really like getting on the tram on at Woodlands road during the day never mind late at night.

Theres not really any call for me to go down to the head shunt but I was thinking about just jumping on and riding it up before it takes me back down to Vic.

A new banana tram is visible in Coronation Street's new HD title sequence going over the viaduct.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD6wzQYOTz8

Afternoon All here are some pictures I took earlier today of the new :banana::banana:'s at Old Trafford

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae82/malcolm_999/utf-8BSU1HMDAwMDEtMjAxMDA1MjctMTYyO.jpg

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae82/malcolm_999/utf-8BSU1HMDAwMDItMjAxMDA1MjctMTYyO.jpg

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae82/malcolm_999/utf-8BSU1HMDAwMDMtMjAxMDA1MjctMTYyO.jpg

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae82/malcolm_999/utf-8BSU1HMDAwMDQtMjAxMDA1MjctMTYzM.jpg

Sorry no numbers but looks like at least :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: all lined up

also :banana: 2 6 and 9 are on the eccles services today

I went past again today.

3015, 3014, 3001 are definitely there.

I'm sure the other one was 3003 or 3008

I went past again today.

3015, 3014, 3001 are definitely there.

I'm sure the other one was 3003 or 3008

I think they are 3001, 3013, 3014 and 3015. 3013 was the first one there.

PIDs at Dane Rd

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab80/iheartthenew/Image0221.jpg
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab80/iheartthenew/Image0222.jpg

Sign at Old Trafford saying the OHLE on the section of track known as 'Road 1' next to the Altrincham line and the tram Wash will be permanently live from 30th May.

East Manchester to-day.

One section of track has now arrived beside the Halfway House on the boundary of Tameside (Looking West, St Cross church, Clayton, is in the far background) :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5656.jpg

Looking back Eastwards, approaching the boundary :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5666.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5659.jpg

So, momentously, Droylsden once again has a few feet of tramline within its borders, for the first time since when . . . ? Well, the last tram along here ran on 1.3.1938, when the line was converted to trolleybuses, and the blue-liveried Ashton tram system closed down that year. There was no such thing as Tameside then of course, but elsewhere in what is nowadays the Metropolitan district, the last green SHMD tram (Stalybridge Hyde Mossley & Dukinfield) ran exactly 65 years ago on 29.5.1945, and the red Manchester ones continued to penetrate this fictional district as far as Hyde, until 15.3.1948. After 1938, it became a very big trolleybus area, jointly served by the Corporations of Ashton and Manchester (who worked this section almost exclusively), and overhead wiring was present along here, including a big revolve at Edge Lane, until the system closed on 30.12.1966. Short workings from Manchester to Edge Lane on trolleybus Service 215X used to run every five minutes throughout the day, in addition to through services to Stalybridge on 215 and other short workings to Ashton and the Snipe, Audenshaw. Who would have thought, in those days, that rails and wiring would be appearing along here once again - exciting times indeed!

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5660.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5673.jpg

The new Edge Lane Metrolink station itself is also beginning to take shape. The kerb of the new Eastbound road carriageway was laid to-day, behind the 3 piles of gravel in this shot and with a raised bit in the middle for the new bus lay-by, shown on the latest GMPTE diagrams. Between this and the yellow sign they also have to fit the 2-lane carriageway itself, the Eastbound rails, the island platform, the Westbound rails this side of the red & white fencing, and another single Westbound 2-lane road carriageway! :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5674.jpg

Happy days! :cheers::cheers:

Great photos there Mr! I don't know why but I always found ley lines a little spooky... :-/

On a slightly unrelated note, has anyone seen the roadwork being done on Oxford Road? I went by a couple of days ago, and on some of them you can see the old tramlines just under the road surface! A forgotten (by many) reminder of a bygone age...

Another great post JDR. Especially like the sun-on areas contrasting with the sillhouetted hills behind & being educated all at the same time. Not bad for a Sat morning!!

I'm really looking fwd to a taking a tram ride down a part of Mcr that I don't think I would have ventured into otherwise.

Please dont start about ley lines on here.

Please.

I doubt if St Stephens was built on any ley principles. Catholicism doesn't work on any geographical positioned basis, although many of its churches do tend to face west-east. Write to Ftr Fallon there and ask him that Johnny. You never know maybe it is?!?

But nevertheless fantastic pics as ever. You are our official East Mancunian Metrolink pictorial historian John,

Great photos there Mr! I don't know why but I always found ley lines a little spooky... :-/

On a slightly unrelated note, has anyone seen the roadwork being done on Oxford Road? I went by a couple of days ago, and on some of them you can see the old tramlines just under the road surface! A forgotten (by many) reminder of a bygone age...

Cheers martin. I have been surprised that none have been revealed on Ashton New Road as the works progress. My guess is that it may have something to do with the earlier conversion to trolleybuses. I understand that tramlines have a beneficial effect on the integrity of the road surface and foundations, holding it all together, whereas trolleybuses on the other hand are extremely heavy and so tend to have the opposite effect. Having said that, I am particularly fond of trolleybuses and would like to see some come back. I believe they are talking about it in Leeds. . .

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444592.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444591.jpg

Pictures of work continuing on the COMS Metrolink extension, next to the propsed City Street

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444590.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444589.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444588.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444587.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444586.jpg

Cheers JRB. I really think they should have used blue sand rather than all that red stuff though.

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5790.jpg

Guess what's arrived between Queen's Road and Monsall . . . ? :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5789.jpg

. . . the first little bit of rail ! :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5786.jpg

Zentral Park :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5780.jpg

I wonder at the moment whether the passenger footfall here will be very great in the first year or two? Anyway, it now has a nice green lawn and some very pretty trees :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5776.jpg

Not much happening yet at Newton Heath and Moston :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5774.jpg

But with all the construction work well under way, including the new Police HQ at Central Park, it may not be possible to get some of these views for very much longer :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5771.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5772.jpg

The doorway to the future ? :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5773.jpg

Is that concrete bridge a future provision for Metrolink?

That bridge was built at the same time as the station YEARS ago and will be used by Metrolink. Apparently its one of the only bridges in the world to be built upside down. As with the station it needs a very good clean, otherwise it'll continue to look like one of Manchester's many forgotten relics and something which resembles a scene from an apocalyptic nightmare.

That bridge was built at the same time as the station YEARS ago and will be used by Metrolink. Apparently its one of the only bridges in the world to be built upside down. As with the station it needs a very good clean, otherwise it'll continue to look like one of Manchester's many forgotten relics and something which resembles a scene from an apocalyptic nightmare.

It looks very much like the one at Besses o th Barn which carries the Bury Line over the M60 and Bury Old Road. The main spine beam is on top of the deck instead of underneath to improve the clearance underneath.

It looks very much like the one at Besses o th Barn which carries the Bury Line over the M60 and Bury Old Road. The main spine beam is on top of the deck instead of underneath to improve the clearance underneath.

I concur with Freel - the bridge is similar to the one at Besses.

Brilliant photos as always. Not had much time to check up on things recently. I agree, im not sure if the construction of the bridge is unusual however it was made more complex due to the need for the railway to stay open during construction. It was constructed at the side of the railway and swung into place over night.

Im interested to know why they started placing track in that location rather than starting from one end to the other? Unless they just wanted to have a practice? Might be two teams track building north and south perhaps.

possible they want to do the bit under the bridge to make sure the clearance is right? It is fairly low.

Brilliant photos as always. Not had much time to check up on things recently. I agree, im not sure if the construction of the bridge is unusual however it was made more complex due to the need for the railway to stay open during construction. It was constructed at the side of the railway and swung into place over night.

Im interested to know why they started placing track in that location rather than starting from one end to the other? Unless they just wanted to have a practice? Might be two teams track building north and south perhaps.

I'm not sure but I would imagine that they will have started at the point farthest away from road access and will work possibly in both directions back towards the most convenient road access points. The main depot for this section is on the remains of Northampton Road off Monsall Road east of the section shown and I think there is road access also east of Central Park Station as the bridge drops down towards Thorp Road. I'm not sure what access there is nearer to Queens Road but they will need access for constructing Irk Valley Junction in July/August.

I went of a site visit with Bilfinger Berger to see the tunnel being jacked under a live railway. Fascinating stuff, only one overnight railway closure at the start and another at the end of the tunnel building process.

The civil engineers in the office were all purring over the finback bridge. Will be good to see it put to its intended use.

This article from concrete magazine may be of interest:

The Central Park, Entrance Gateway project is the first element of a substantial regeneration project in Moston (north-east Manchester). It will ultimately provide the infrastructure to enable the development of approximately 200ha of brownfield land into high-quality business and light industrial use.

The project includes the design and construction of structural and highway works for the new Gateway Road access into the park and the provision of structures for the extension of the Metrolink tram and a multi-modal transport interchange.

Concrete was adopted as the principal construction material on this project for its versatility, durability and cost-effectiveness. It was successfully used to realise the architectural requirements of the client. A key feature of the project is the innovative Finback Bridge that uses a combination of both internal and external prestressing techniques. Innovative construction methods had to be adopted for both the Heavy Rail Bridge and the Finback Bridge to allow construction to proceed with minimum disruption to the operational railway that they cross.

Key elements of the project

Heavy Rail Bridge

This structure carries the new Gateway Road under the existing Trans-Pennine heavy rail lines. The concrete box structure is 28.3m wide, 9.7m high and 28.3m long. It was constructed to the south of the railway and jacked underneath the live tracks using an innovative steel grillage system devised and implemented by Bilfinger Berger AG. This process involved the casting of integral lead and trail walls that were eventually incorporated into the permanent approach retaining walls. The reinforced concrete deck thickness was just 1400mm, allowing optimisation of the vertical road alignment that would pass through the box.

Metrolink Bridge

A key element of the project was the provision of a station on the proposed Manchester Metrolink Stage 3 line between Manchester city centre and Oldham. The station is elevated above the Gateway Road on a two-span, high-quality structure that has a number of key architectural and technical features. These include the integral design of the concrete deck into the support structure. This was a design development from the exhibited scheme, which substantially reduced the whole-life cost and maintenance liability of the structure. The two-span structure has an overall length of 74m. The bridge deck features a curved soffit in cross-section to provide an extremely slender appearance, with a high-quality surface finish with an added specialist mineral paint. Architectural lighting sets off the structure to maximum advantage.

Metrolink Station Canopy

The most architecturally significant feature of the project is the Canopy which shelters the Metrolink station beneath. This landmark structure serves as the centrepiece for the whole of the business park development.

The 50m-high cable-stayed mast provides a landmark, which continues the architectural theme (beginning with the City of Manchester Stadium) in the area. The Canopy is clad in pre-patinated copper, resulting in a strong visual reference to the industrial and commercial heritage of the area. The steel cable-stayed structure is founded on significant reinforced concrete spread foundations.

Finback Bridge

The original concept for crossing the Trans-Pennine railway at this point was to take the Metrolink under the mainline railway through a curved tunnel (constructed in a similar manner to the Heavy Rail Bridge). However. during the tender period the Balfour Beatty team developed an innovative, alternative design that would take the Metrolink over the mainline railway rather than under. This solution was advantageous in terms of time. cost, and in minimising disruption to the operational railway.

The structure itself comprises a 132m-long. two-span, post-tensioned concrete Finback Bridge. The main span over the railway was 88m long with the bridge soffit at a minimum headroom of 4.8m above the rail tracks. The structure is S-shaped in plan in order to achieve the onerous geometrical constraints of the site on the Metrolink alignment. The concrete tin height varies from 4.5m at the abutments to 7m high over the centre pier. The deck includes internal grouted progressing tendons in the deck slab that will eventually carry the tram tracks. The fins are prestressed with external post-tensioning tendons attached to the internal walls of the tin. The geometrical constraints of the site required a curved alignment in plan. This in turn induced high torsional stresses in the deck design that were accommodated by the provision of a cellular box structure with varying wall thickness for the fin.

Construction was carried out alongside and to the north of the railway. The structure was swung into position through an angle of 21 during a single possession of the railway. The rotation was centred about a pinned bearing at the centre pier. The deck was constructed from high-strength Class 50/60 concrete cast in a series of bays. The short backspan meant that uplift forces had to he carried by short vertical tie-down tendons at the west abutment.

Retaining walls

The land on the cast side and the footway on the west side of the new Gateway Road are retained by in-situ reinforeed concrete retaining walls. These were constructed in 44 freestanding inverted 'T' reinforced concrete retaining wall hays constructed to heights ranging from less than 1 m to 8m high. These walls retain the adjacent land, the heavy rail line and the new Metrolink line. The completed retaining walls were clad with light coloured concrete blockwork.

Roadworks

The A62 Oldhum Road was widened along 400m to accommodate a new bus lane and traffic light junction. The Gateway Road followed standard road construction for a length of 320m with a bus lay-by. A cycle lane is provided along the east carriageway.

Drainage

All surface water on the Gateway Road is collected in a reinforced concrete storage tank and pumped to the existing surface water drainage on Northampton Road. Capacity was increased through the installation of 150m of 1500mm-diameler concrete pipes.

They have started laying track on the section that runs under the Alti line and around upto where it will connect with the Manchester bound line! :banana:

Cheers Green I sort of envy you and although its obvious in hindsight but finback is an apt name for that construction.

After I saw apologiesforthedelay's posting I went down to have a look myself to see if the track was being laid. It is indeed how ever before I could get my camera ready the tram had already flew by and I had to go back to work, so I will leave that honour to another poster. Interestingly after seeing no bananas on the Bury - Altrincham I caught 3004 today from Vic.

Never mind I took a few shots of the depot and Chorlton interconnecter...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000410.jpg

Rails now going inside the main building

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000412.jpg

Tram washing plant and associated track. Its a hell of a washing plant thats for sure!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000414.jpg

Climbing up from Ayres Road to connect into the depot and drop back down again under the Altrincham Line


Oh yeah. I forgot to add, a truck was arriving as I was walking back to Old Trafford Station with platform sections on the trailer. So the stations should be starting to come along soon. Hoorah!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000414.jpg

Funny, there was previously track up to where the digger is. I've a photo of a rail-enabled truck trundling up it a couple of weeks ago.. Must post it when I get back online at home (moved house, no broadband yet).

Good to see the OHLE supports going in along the track. There were none south of Ayres Road yesterday.

Andrew

Walked over the Ayres Rd bridge yesterday evening & the Firswood stop is coming along nicely. One lift shaft has now been built & the platforms (already pre cast in large sections) are now being put into place. Was in a rush, so didn't get a chance to take any photos. Will try & get some tomorrow.

STORM (the rail user group for the Manchester-Oldham-Rochale line) had their AGM on Tuesday night, 1st June. There was a speaker from the GMPTE Metrolink Extension team. Two interesting facts emerged from the meeting:

1. The Phase 3A line through Oldham on the existing former heavy rail alignment will be double track through the two Oldham tunnels (there had been a rumour that only single track would be provided). It will be possible to provide double track by digging out the ballast to provide the necessary clearances.

2. Oldham Werneth station will be re-opening when Phase 3A opens next year.

STORM (the rail user group for the Manchester-Oldham-Rochale line) had their AGM on Tuesday night, 1st June. There was a speaker from the GMPTE Metrolink Extension team. Two interesting facts emerged from the meeting:

1. The Phase 3A line through Oldham on the existing former heavy rail alignment will be double track through the two Oldham tunnels (there had been a rumour that only single track would be provided). It will be possible to provide double track by digging out the ballast to provide the necessary clearances.

2. Oldham Werneth station will be re-opening when Phase 3A opens next year.

That's good news. They'll be saving costs on points as well as improving capacity.

04/06/2010 - Installation of overhead line equipment , South Manchester

As part of our work to build the new South Manchester Metrolink line we are installing overhead line equipment between Wilbraham Road, St Werburgh’s Road and along the side of the new Metrolink stop at St Werburgh’s Road.

Starting on 7th June, we will be installing foundations for the overhead line equipment. The work involves driving steel tubes into the ground which may create some noise and vibration.

We have a network of monitors installed along the length of the South Manchester line to monitor the levels of noise or vibration near the work being carried out. Monitoring these levels enables us to make sure we stay within the predetermined guidelines for this type of work.

This work will be carried out between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday and will take around two weeks. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

^^

Had a trip on the tram today. Track has appeared on the junction at Old Trafford heading to Chorlton! Narna's still present at Old Trafford and its coming along very well. I might go down and get some pictures soon :)

1011 is the latest of the T68's that has had its retrofit. And it's possible that 2001 might be returning to traffic. Spotted it outside Queens Road depot with panto up, new coupler covers and some people wandering inside it. Watch this space!

Track lifting has now started between Dean Lane and Failsworth on the Oldham loop line.

Excellent news Wydna. I noticed some work was going on at the the Oldham line junction when I went past the other week. I don't think Thorp's bridge junction in its current form is long for this earth

Since I was awake at silly Am I thought I would post some before and after photos. Not quite complete but its good progress none the less!

I should say during since a little work had already been done...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC00506.jpg

and 02/06/2010

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/P1000414.jpg

Firswood 1 by myself...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC00507.jpg

Firswood 2010 by JDR

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_4627.jpg

Had a trip on the tram today. Track has appeared on the junction at Old Trafford heading to Chorlton! Narna's still present at Old Trafford and its coming along very well. I might go down and get some pictures soon :)

1011 is the latest of the T68's that has had its retrofit. And it's possible that 2001 might be returning to traffic. Spotted it outside Queens Road depot with panto up, new coupler covers and some people wandering inside it. Watch this space!

It is quite possible that 2001 is due to enter service. It's good to see that Metrolink are at least trying to repair it after a good few years.

It is quite possible that 2001 is due to enter service. It's good to see that Metrolink are at least trying to repair it after a good few years.

If it is to re-enter service why not roll her out fully refitted and respledent in the new corporate colours?

If it is to re-enter service why not roll her out fully refitted and respledent in the new corporate colours?
Perhaps they are not too confident about the repairs and don't want to spend money doing her up until they know she isn't going to just break again? It would be nice to see a T68 in the matching yellow and silver though. =]

If it is to re-enter service why not roll her out fully refitted and respledent in the new corporate colours?

Not possible, the detailed design of the refurbishment is still in progress. It will be a bit more than a quick repaint and some new seats. Refurbishments of rail vehicles can often be to such a high standard, passengers believe they are new (check out the east midland trains). GMPTE are also still in the process of deciding if and how the trams can carry bicycles.

We wont see a refurbished t68 for a while.

Failsworth station progress on the Oldham loop line is very slow, Hardman Lane which passes under is still closed due to extra work need on the bridge which i thought would have been replaced. New bridge over the canal further up the line is now in place. Also just behind failsworth station (off old rd) is a yard which has all the new sleepers stored so track laying must be starting soon.

Failsworth station progress on the Oldham loop line is very slow, Hardman Lane which passes under is still closed due to extra work need on the bridge which i thought would have been replaced. New bridge over the canal further up the line is now in place. Also just behind failsworth station (off old rd) is a yard which has all the new sleepers stored so track laying must be starting soon.

With the MediaCity stop being delayed a further few months, further delays on the OL line isn't going to be good for their reputation.

With the MediaCity stop being delayed a further few months, further delays on the OL line isn't going to be good for their reputation.

As I understand it, the Media City branch is more or less complete. Others have suggested that the surrounding Piazza (which is nothing to do with Metrolink) will take somewhat longer.

I'm quite impressed with the overall speed of construction, given the usual constraints. But then, I work in Dundee at the moment, and regularly travel to Edinburgh.

Train Guard

With the MediaCity stop being delayed a further few months, further delays on the OL line isn't going to be good for their reputation.

Compared to the mess that Edinburgh is in at the moment, a delay of 'a few months' is nothing.

With the MediaCity stop being delayed a further few months, further delays on the OL line isn't going to be good for their reputation.

Who is saying there are delays on the Oldham Line conversion. Just because it perhaps isn't going as fast as some of us would like doesn't mean it is delayed.

Last I heard on the progress of the OL conversion as a whole it was a month to 6 weeks ahead of schedule, though that was a couple of months back.

It is worth remembering that the oldham line (past central park) is not due to open untill late 2011 and early 2012 for the section past mumps.

If it is running late (which i have not seen any evidence to indicate this) then there is plenty of time to catch up.

There is outside pressure to open the Central Park to Shaw and Crompton section early (to take advanatge of a park and ride there), will be interesting to see if anything comes of that.

Media City is virtually complete. OHLE is live and station is in tact. However, i'm told its not opened because of the surrounding plaza's. No point running trams onto a spur when there's nothing there! :okay:

I've only recently found this forum. I used to live in Egerton Rd in Chorlton which backed onto the original line in the steam days before it closed. It's great to see it being brought back to life again after years of dereliction. The original station in Chorlton was famous for having the full name Chorlton Cum Hardy on the nameboards any idea if the new one will?

The Cum-hardy was there in maps a couple of years ago but seems to have dissapeared from recent maps being just 'Chorlton' now.

Media City is virtually complete. OHLE is live and station is in tact. However, i'm told its not opened because of the surrounding plaza's. No point running trams onto a spur when there's nothing there! :okay:

They could open it for operational reasons, ie to reverse trams so they can run extras through the quays when there is a match on? They have enough spares now to run a Victoria Media city service every 12 minutes. The trams could be emptied at Exchange Quay and taken on "special" to media city to reverse.

They could open it for operational reasons, ie to reverse trams so they can run extras through the quays when there is a match on? They have enough spares now to run a Victoria Media city service every 12 minutes. The trams could be emptied at Exchange Quay and taken on "special" to media city to reverse.

I think they should open it to provide more capacity during peak time hours.

The season has ended now though, so there won't be any matchdays for a while

There is outside pressure to open the Central Park to Shaw and Crompton section early (to take advanatge of a park and ride there), will be interesting to see if anything comes of that.

Lets hope so because driving / getting Worst Group buses into work is a thoroughly miserable experience!

Hi this might be of interest and apologies if its on other posts too:
http://programmeforgovernment.hmg.gov.uk/transport/

It's 'an invitation from the coalition govt' to participate. If enough Mancunians submit the case for transport investment in Manchester in all its forms, then it could influence spending priorities.
Hurry though - the deadline is Wednesday 10th June!

Hi this might be of interest and apologies if its on other posts too:
http://programmeforgovernment.hmg.gov.uk/transport/

It's 'an invitation from the coalition govt' to participate. If enough Mancunians submit the case for transport investment in Manchester in all its forms, then it could influence spending priorities.
Hurry though - the deadline is Wednesday 10th June!

Cheers Vision.

Should we participate by entering comments on the webpage of your link or is there another means of expressing our views. Please clarify.

Cheers Vision.

Should we participate by entering comments on the webpage of your link or is there another means of expressing our views. Please clarify.

No worries Ashtonian.
Comments on the link at the bottom of the page there should be a space. Future consultations based on popular responses may be planned so its worth making a clear case for investment in Manchester transport.

Edge Lane tram stop now has a road carriageway either side of it, and the island platform and tracks will be in a new central reservation of Manchester Road, Droylsden. The 231 bus stop, centre left, is on Manor Road. The Eastbound tracks and island platform will occupy the space including the orange mesh material, the central lamp post and the now obsolete bus stop+shelter. The Westbound tracks will be this side of the red and white barriers. Behind the central lamp post, you can see the thicker white kerbing, where the new bus stop for Eastbound through services will be :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5825.jpg

The new line turning out from Trafford Bar, past the depot towards Chorlton :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5826.jpg

And coming back up via the grade separated junction towards Trafford Bar :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/100_5828.jpg

Piling (exploration work) being done near the proposed site of the town centre Mumps stop in Oldham...

...not sure if it is for Metrolink or not though!

Monday, 07 June 2010
Extensions to bridge refurbishment work

Essential refurbishment work to two former railway bridges that will take Metrolink to Oldham and Rochdale has had to be extended.

GMPTE is converting the former Oldham loop rail line into a new Metrolink line which will be open to Central Park in spring 2011, Oldham Mumps in autumn 2011 and to Rochdale Railway Station in spring 2012.

MPact-Thales - made up of Laing O'Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales UK - is the consortium appointed by GMPTE to design, build and maintain the new line.

As part of this project, around 100 structures are undergoing refurbishments to ensure they are fit to carry trams on the new Metrolink line. This includes essential work to former railway bridges in Hardman Lane and Drury Lane, both in Oldham.

Based on initial surveys, Hardman Lane was due to be closed to traffic until May and Drury Lane until June.

However, in both cases the work carried out to date has revealed that more extensive refurbishments are necessary. As a result, both Hardman Lane and Drury Lane will now remain closed until July.

A spokesperson for MPact-Thales said: "Unfortunately, the surveys we carried out before starting work could not have identified just how extensive the work to the bridges needed to be.

"As can happen when dealing with structures of this type and age, carrying out one piece of work can uncover another set of issues that would otherwise not have been apparent and that is exactly what has happened here.

"As a result, we have had to revise the schedule for these two projects - but this will not impact on the overall delivery of the new line. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank people for their patience and understanding."

In both cases, traffic diversions are signposted and a covered walkway is in place to maintain pedestrian access.

To find out more about the project, call the Metrolink public liaison team on 0161 244 1555 (open during office hours), email future.metrolink@gmpte.gov.uk or visit www.gmpte.com/futuremetrolink.


http://www.gmpte.com/2009_news.cfm?news_id=9003610?submenuheader=3

St Werburgh's Road as taken by our kid.

http://i50.tinypic.com/34xqmau.jpg

Is that station going to be long enough for a double tram?

Fantabulosa - and yes it is, and yes to the length of the reversing siding, which seems to go all the way with double tracks to the overbridge at Mauldeth Road West! - building 3b already so they can't take the money away from us? Well done to Our Kid!

St Werburgh's Road as taken by our kid.

http://i50.tinypic.com/34xqmau.jpg

Is that station going to be long enough for a double tram?

And how will one cross the tracks? Surely not a level crossing at a station such as this? It looks ridiculous. Please somebody admit that the station above is probably one of the most ridiculous to date.

Three level crossings:
http://www.metrolink.co.uk/pdf/future_metrolink/south-manchester-line/st-werburghs-road.pdf

All the new phase 3 stations have level crossings

The idea is their usually on the side of the track after the platform so you can see a stopped or slowly accelerating tram or right next to the platform itself, if youve used the Trafford stations or GMEX you will be used to it.

Three level crossings:
http://www.metrolink.co.uk/pdf/future_metrolink/south-manchester-line/st-werburghs-road.pdf

All the new phase 3 stations have level crossings

The idea is their usually on the side of the track after the platform so you can see a stopped or slowly accelerating tram or right next to the platform itself, if youve used the Trafford stations or GMEX you will be used to it.

Maybe I'm not lookng at the picture correctly, but it looks as if you will be crossing the track where the trams will be coming in to the station, not stopped at it?

Or stopping.

They are usually by design just after a platform stop so the tram will still be accelerating or right next to the platform where the trams already braking to stop.

Fundamentally however its a limit upon design if their isnt a suitable path for people to leave the allignment right next to the stop so like this station you have to cross move further down then cross back again.

Fantabulosa - and yes, and yes to the length of the reversing siding, which seems to go all the way with double tracks to the overbridge at Mauldeth Road West! - building 3b already so they can't take the money away from us? Well done to Our Kid!

The tracks would have to extend to the Mauldeth Rd bridge for the OLE to connect to the substation there.

And how will one cross the tracks? Surely not a level crossing at a station such as this?

It looks like a level crossing is being provided on the Chorlton side of St Werburgh's Rd bridge for the cycle track to cross the line

Firswood just before, Platforms look like they will be done by the end of the week. Must say i prefer the lift shafts in the concrete colour. But then again,i'm a modernist and i suppose they have to blend in with the 1930's housing.

Am i the only one who thinks that all the stops on this line are in the wrong place? Firswood should realy be kings road: a busier road and it interchanges with the bus. There should also be a stop on manchester road, again interchanges with buses and a busy road. Cholton (by morrisons) and st werbeghs are fine.

anyway on with the photos

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0155.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0156.jpg
the precast platform segments are on the 'road rail' vehicle

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/golddigga19/DSCF0157.jpg
looks like the finished surface on the platform, you can see the raised warning boudary

Good pics F.A. I'm with you on the concrete lift shafts. Are the top bits real brick, or even worse, preformed concrete pretending to be brick?

When I saw the other stops 'under construction' other posters were sayng they'll build the sides from brick, infill with rubble and sand, then do the surface and I wonered why the didn't use the precast concrete parts. But they are! I like pre-fab as well as concrete. :)