On Mauldeth Road they are doing a short section of utilities work on the exact section where the trams will emerge onto the road itself!

:cheers: JdR and JoyDivision

Some pictures of the south Manchester line.

St Werboughs Road station from the bridge

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u141/amazingtrade/sw1.jpg



I really like comparing this previous photo taken from the same viewpoint

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad200/Vernon151/ChorltonJcn19591278x804screeensaver.jpg

A brilliant comparison, I am guessing that is 1920-1930's?

I am just getting very frustrated with the lack of work on the Chorlton line so my interest has now turned to the airport line and Didsbury. I wanted to take pictures near Jackson's Boat but it started to rain hard and it was raining even on the Hardy Lane pictures.

If I don't see trams going through Chorlton in the next couple of weeks I will assume when I joked it will open in September or later that I was correct:ohno::ohno:

At this rate Chorlton will open on the same day as Didsbury.

What was very interesting on my travels today I realised that there is a railway tunnnel under the junction of Lapwing Lane/Fog Lane/Palatine Road I never really thought about where the old railway was in Didsbury before.

I bet the people who live in the Pine Road mansions are not too happy about the trams running in their back garden!

A brilliant comparison, I am guessing that is 1920-1930's?

No it's the 28th March 1959

Wow looks a lot older than that from the picture. I suppose the picture 15 years later would have been quiet different although the line didn't actually close until the 1980's did it? I am just about old enough to remember the odd freight train.

I am just getting very frustrated with the lack of work on the Chorlton line so my interest has now turned to the airport line and Didsbury. I wanted to take pictures near Jackson's Boat but it started to rain hard and it was raining even on the Hardy Lane pictures.

If I don't see trams going through Chorlton in the next couple of weeks I will assume when I joked it will open in September or later that I was correct:ohno::ohno:

At this rate Chorlton will open on the same day as Didsbury.

What was very interesting on my travels today I realised that there is a railway tunnnel under the junction of Lapwing Lane/Fog Lane/Palatine Road I never really thought about where the old railway was in Didsbury before.

I feel the same was about the Chorlton line Joy!! I keep wandering down my road to Werby's station in the hope that the crossing will be manned which indicates imminent testing, but it never is!

The railway route through Didsbury is interesting, with the tunnel you mention and of course the filled-in tunnel under the Slug and Lettuce that I keep banging on about... I also keep driving there to see if any work has been done digging it out, on Saturday there was a large machine that I didn't recognise sitting on the earth mound right at the southern portal of this tunnel so maybe soon...???

Another great photographic weekend Chinas!
http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1199.jpg


One of the most wonderful and almost unpredicted side effects of this incredible public transport expansion (by my reckoning the biggest in the UK at the moment - CrossRail for example being mainly underground) is the way it will open up previously under utilised/appreciated parts of Greater Manchester.

Just look at that photo from Johnny's latest excellent collection above: here you have an almost ready-made new park - including a river running thru it - right on the edge of the CC, just waiting for picnic-ers etc to jump off the tram and have a nice much through their lunches on a warm summers afternoon?

I know this one is kind of in the middle of nowhere - but what better place for a bit of peace and quiet punctured only by the passing of environmentally friendly trammy-trams? Idyllic! And loads more of these to come in the long runs up to Shaw/Rochdale.

Seriously when people get the tram habit and a monthly smart-card, expect lots more people exploring and appreciating the formerly hidden wonders of GM - all we need is some decent weather (and the openings of course!:cheers:)

:-)
ParkMark

I'm old enough (just) to remember the Don Cinema (http://www.flickr.com/photos/15166960@N05/3188314871/) which used to stand just the other side of the Medlock bridge in Johnny's photo.

Wow looks a lot older than that from the picture. I suppose the picture 15 years later would have been quiet different although the line didn't actually close until the 1980's did it? I am just about old enough to remember the odd freight train.

The line south of Chorlton Junction used to be the former Midland Railway route to London St Pancras via the Peak Forest which closed on 5th May 1969 along with Manchester Central Station. The line had been particularly busy as a diversionary route to London during the electrification works on the West Coast main line after which most of the London expresses were run from Piccadilly. The Fallowfield loop remained and was singled in the early 1970’s being used primarily for freightliner trains from Trafford Park until it was closed on the 15th October 1988.
The Fallowfield loop has an interesting history. The Hull to Liverpool and Harwich to Liverpool boat trains passed through here, these were part of the route for European immigrants to America. There are a lot of American families today whose ancestors passed through Chorlton Junction. The Harwich to Liverpool trains also had the longest crew roster in the UK, the whole run from Harwich to Manchester being shared by Gorton and Ipswich crews. The line was also intended to be electrified from Reddish to Central Station and Trafford Park as part of the Woodhead scheme but unfortunately it didn’t happen due to cost restraints. Had it gone ahead the EM1 & 2 electrics would have worked into Central as well as Piccadilly. The Blues & Gospel Train TV programme was filmed at the former Wilbraham Rd Station in 1964 – Muddy Waters plays in Chorlton!! Finally the loop was the location for Project Light Rail in 1987 – the precursor to Metrolink.

A slight correction - I'm fairly sure that the Granada TV programme was filmed at Chorlton station. Wilbraham Road station was on the Fallowfield line, which had lost its passenger service in 1958.

No you were right. The station used for the Granada TV programme was Wilbraham Road, renamed "Chorltonville" for the occasion.

Major excitement on the Chorlton branch - there are 2 orangemen working on a grate beside the tracks!!

Ok so it's not that exciting but it's a sign of activity - also they have removed the metal barriers at the St Werburghs pedestrian crossing and replaced them with the small orange plastic ones again, maybe that has a significance...

Major excitement on the Chorlton branch - there are 2 orangemen working on a grate beside the tracks!!

Ok so it's not that exciting but it's a sign of activity - also they have removed the metal barriers at the St Werburghs pedestrian crossing and replaced them with the small orange plastic ones again, maybe that has a significance...

Just make sure you are standing by with your camera :banana:

Was on the Bury line this afternoon and there was a double T68 and an M5000 with their pantographs raised in the section between Queens Road Depot and the tunnel at Queens Road, so looks like some testing to Central Park has been taking place. :banana:

Hi

I just found this saying this
The park’s distinctive landmark is the £36.5m Gateway - a dedicated transport interchange that will provide direct access into Manchester City Centre when the Metrolink extension opens in April 2011.
Also this The new Metrolink line is due to open in April 2011, when trams to Manchester Victoria are expected to run every six minutes at peak times from Newton Heath and Moston (formerly Dean Lane railway station) and Central Park.
note have it said opens April 2011 if it is correct than it will open this month but I can't seeing that happening.

http://www.askdevelopments.com/projects/details/10785
http://www.redrow.co.uk/developments/hanson-gardens/

St Werboughs Road station from the bridge

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u141/amazingtrade/sw1.jpg


It occurs to me that by placing this stop just here they have blocked forever the possibility of a Metrolink Branch to Fallowfield and beyond... :bash:
(and by beyond I mean where it crosses the Marple line touted for tram-train....)

It occurs to me that by placing this stop just here they have blocked forever the possibility of a Metrolink Branch to Fallowfield and beyond... :bash:
(and beyond I mean where it crosses the Marple line touted for tram-train....

I think the placing of sainsburys a bit further down the line may have more to do with it.

If that line is ever built (which i doubt) then moving this stop is the least of their problems.

M500 Testing on Smedley Viaduct!
Pictures from Smedley Road and Collyhurst Road

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa328/upsource/IMG00169-20110404-1515.jpg
http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa328/upsource/IMG00168-20110404-1512.jpg

^^^ Now that is great news!

It occurs to me that by placing this stop just here they have blocked forever the possibility of a Metrolink Branch to Fallowfield and beyond... :bash:
(and by beyond I mean where it crosses the Marple line touted for tram-train....)

What concerns me much more is the bicycle "lockers".
That type of bike park may be fine for ten minutes in the high street but I would never leave my bike on one of those for the day.

I know!
The Tram was stationary for a while, so I'm not sure if it progressed up the line towards Monsall station. If so, it would be a bit of a landmark.
Sorry for the quality of the pictures! Blame the pitiful camera on my BB!

M500 Testing on Smedley Viaduct!
Pictures from Smedley Road and Collyhurst Road

Brilliant! Activity at last! :)

Hi

Well done M60 a less the start tested on that line, was it heading to Central Park?

What concerns me much more is the bicycle "lockers".
That type of bike park may be fine for ten minutes in the high street but I would never leave my bike on one of those for the day.
They have them at the Broadway tram stop and I've never seen a single bicycle fastened to them.

It's a cracker M60!! And what a sight for anyone happening to look up out of the windows of those houses- quite a shock if they weren't expecting it, after so many years of the line being quiet! :banana: Actually, it needs a stop there connecting to Queen's Road, but would need an expensive bit of civil engineering .

M500 Testing on Smedley Viaduct!
Pictures from Smedley Road and Collyhurst Road

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa328/upsource/IMG00169-20110404-1515.jpg

Is it me or is the pan really really low?

Exciting news to see the trams out on test. Does sound like the original idea was a April launch for the extension but the TOS issues have seen put to that.

But lets me happy that they are testing, means its ready for the next stage!

:banana::banana:

Oh any idea what number :banana: it was?

They have them at the Broadway tram stop and I've never seen a single bicycle fastened to them.
Isn't the point that the bikes go inside the lockers so you can't see whether there is anything inside it?

They aren't lockers, they're just bars coming out of the ground, take a closer look at the pic above.

Its come up before, the vertical bike lockers were what GMPTE prefered to install but then bike locker schemes users told them they couldnt fit some bikes inside because of size and they would rather have the horizontal type.

It occurs to me that by placing this stop just here they have blocked forever the possibility of a Metrolink Branch to Fallowfield and beyond... :bash:
(and by beyond I mean where it crosses the Marple line touted for tram-train....)

This stop is going to be pretty busy as it is, with three services. If the full Airport loop is taken up, there's another service. If a Fallowfield service is ever taken up, well St Werburgh will definitely need another platform or two, so I wouldn't worry, if you look to the left, there's plenty room.


I think the placing of sainsburys a bit further down the line may have more to do with it.

If that line is ever built (which i doubt) then moving this stop is the least of their problems.

It depends how well East Manchester develops over the coming decade I suppose, if it does become Disney Land as City fans say, then this potential line linking wealthy South Manchester with magical East Manchester would be lovely. And as its a tram line and not a train service, Im sure Sainsburys isnt the big obstacle it first appears.

Anyway, thats for another thread. :)


PS here is the wonderful Sister Rosetta Tharpe playing at a future tram stop near you, be it Chorltonville or on the Fallowfield Loop, make for a nice statue one day
v7lN1R2LP-4

^^^^

Bloody hell! she has more talent in her thumb than any of the lady gaga's and britney spears's of this world. She clealy cares about what she is singing as well, something you dont get with modern artists.

Well done M60 you get the prize!

Here are a few I caught today while heading into work.

:banana::banana: :cheers:

They were slowly advancing towards Central park, with a guy walking down the middle taking measurements

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01175.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01176.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01177.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01178.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01179.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01180.jpg

Well done Tony H1 for taking them :cheers: also I notice is 1002 for T68 and 3008 for :banana:

Cool the side by side clearance trial we saw on the Chorlton line some months ago.

Fantastic pictures M60 and Tony! It's always amazing to see brand new views of trams in brand new environments. I assume they were testing clearances on Tony's photos...?

Tony - any idea what which T68 was at the rear of the double unit?

....Im sure Sainsburys isnt the big obstacle it first appears.


Maybe not the Sainsbury's by itself, but the block of flats and doctors surgery built at the other end of their car park and the flats above Wetherspoons the other side of Wilmslow Road dont help... ;)

Still, I reckon you could squeeze past if you really wanted to, but I would be tempted to leave it as a spur terminating behind Wetherspoons in Fallowfield

They aren't lockers, they're just bars coming out of the ground, take a closer look at the pic above.
Ok, I see what you mean now. No, I wouldn't trust my bike in one for the day either! I was thinking of the kind of thing you see at some railway stations.

Fabulata Tony!

As was the musical number, TheGrand & future, fully agree.

It took me back to the very early days of ITV in the North of England, and how avant garde and inventive it was - e.g blues on a railway platform. That whole period is wonderfully documented in the biography of the late Jack Rosenthal - prolific screenwriter and a major scripter of Corrie - by his wife Maureen Lipman. His first commission from Sidney Bernstein in 1955 was to write something lasting exactly two and a half seconds (time was money, and as Lord Thompson of Fleet, then chairman of Scottish Television said, an ITV franchise was a licence to print it!). Jack came up with - "From the North, this is Granada".

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/ITV.jpg
c/- 'Old Television' - Andrew Emmerson, Shire Library ISBN 978 0 7478 0732 2

Sorry for wandering off thread - won't make a habit of it. Here's a few shots of the triple headshunt running wires behind Piccadilly :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1213.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1215.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1212.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1211.jpg

:banana:

Maybe they were not testing the Chorlton line because they were waiting for the central park section to be ready, so that they could test the whole St. Werburgh's - Central park route together. If that is the case maybe we will see testing start in the next few days!

Its come up before, the vertical bike lockers were what GMPTE prefered to install but then bike locker schemes users told them they couldnt fit some bikes inside because of size and they would rather have the horizontal type.

If you have a proper town bicycle (traditional, upright, Dutch-style) those BLUC are useless, because they are designed for cheap and nasty BSOs.

Good to see common sense prevail with the 'Sheffield' type stands. Shame they didn't think of a shelter too!

Maybe they were not testing the Chorlton line because they were waiting for the central park section to be ready, so that they could test the whole St. Werburgh's - Central park route together. If that is the case maybe we will see testing start in the next few days!

They need to hurry along and get the line connected up to the existing network! Will be keeping my eye on this ;-)

Well this is apparently the second set of tests done on the Central park section, the first being the single set up and down to measure clearance with lineside structures, and the second to measure the "kinetic envelope". Sounds so cool! lol. Simply to put... To see if the trams hit each other (hopefully not) on the curved sections at different speeds and what not.

Do you think they will run a ghost service CP to ST Werberghs road?

I sent you a message about the trams on the Central Park section earlier today JDR. Dont know if you got it?! How far do the wires stretch to now by the way?

Futurelink I wasn't able to see what the rear set number was, needless to say it wasn't 1025 or 1008 with the top hats, both being paired up together today.

The other T68 was 1006 I think, as when I looked it had a name on the cabside but didn't appear to have any numbers at the ends - and I think 1006 is the only one like that, although I stand to be corrected.

Would probably be a modified coupler-cover-wearing tram - as someone mentioned a couple of weeks ago they only seem to couple modified with modified and vice versa.

Judging by their trend of coupling trams of similar fleet number, it would probably be accurate to predict the rear unit being 1001 or 1003.

:)

EDIT - thanks andymark

Well this is apparently the second set of tests done on the Central park section, the first being the single set up and down to measure clearance with lineside structures, and the second to measure the "kinetic envelope". Sounds so cool! lol. Simply to put... To see if the trams hit each other (hopefully not) on the curved sections at different speeds and what not.

Do you think they will run a ghost service CP to ST Werberghs road?

I sent you a message about the trams on the Central Park section earlier today JDR. Dont know if you got it?! How far do the wires stretch to now by the way?

Futurelink I wasn't able to see what the rear set number was, needless to say it wasn't 1025 or 1008 with the top hats, both being paired up together today.

Hi Tony, can they run any kind of joined up ghost running if the tram signalling system isn't operating or do they need to keep the two sections separate? It now seems obvious at the moment that Cornbrook can't even be used.

No I don't think they can run any Ghost service at present (or at least a joined up one), but there's no reason why they cant run up and a down on the isolated sections. Both conveniently have access to depots.

They still need to modify the Signals in the centre of town and remove the railway signals. Ive not seen any work being done yet, its frustrating, I wanna ride the tram already! lol. You never know they may just surprise us all and switch on Cornbrook and what not, but I dont hold out much hope. Its meant to be LOS so less signals yet were still waiting for signals, aaahh

How far do the wires stretch to now by the way?

Still only as far as Portugal Street East, so not far yet Tony. But the opening to Velopark is surely on the cards this year, and will provide further turnback opportunities from the South. I can't wait either, never known so many things happening at once!! :banana::banana::banana: My head is still boglong with the new MC timetable on the other thread . . .

never known so many things happening at once!! :banana::banana::banana:

I agree, it's all beginning to happen !

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_0864.jpg

So is the train forced to enter (the wrong way) onto the main line, only to leave it again a few metres later? Was the track layout the same before the fin-back bridge was built?

Right, sorry to be so long but I've just dug out the signalling plan:

In the distance and from the right, the lines are the Down Loop, Down Rochdale, Up Rochdale and Up Loop. The two Down lines have full signalled moves to Rochdale, to two sidings on the depot and to the Down Oldham (now the Waste Siding) - you can just see the signals 867 and 713. The two Up lines have wrong direction shunt moves (GPLs 1631 and 1633) reading to the same (down) destinations, allowing the signaller to have trains waiting to get onto the Depot on all four lines if required.

does anyone else think this is a particularly ugly bridge? its not symmetrical from ANY direction

does anyone else think this is a particularly ugly bridge? its not symmetrical from ANY direction

It's pretty hard to make an asymmetrical structure symmetrical but I think it's pretty good, a bit 21st century unlike most of the design which barely creeps into the 20th century.

The bridge gives a bold statement, rather like the gateway at Central Park.

It' also worth remembering that it looks the way it does because of the geometry that it has to fit into. I think it looks great.

Yes it's a slinky bridge.

Its elegance comes not from any attempt at symmetry, but from the way it manages to arch across and plant its feet so daintily like a ballerina, in what might otherwise have been an ungainly stride over a very awkward footprint. Its essential beauty may not be fully revealed, however, until we see a double banana slinking snake-like across its intrinsic convolutions, curving and listing gracefully in all three dimensions at once.

A classic example of the sort of movement that can only be achieved by light rail, and one of the reasons why I just love it!! :banana::banana:

Yes it's a slinky bridge.

Its elegance comes not from any attempt at symmetry, but from the way it manages to arch across and plant its feet so daintily like a ballerina, in what might otherwise have been a ungainly stride over a very awkward footprint. Its essential beauty may not be fully revealed, however, until we see a double banana slinking snake-like across its intrinsic convolutions, curving and listing gracefully in all three dimensions at once.




Wow, your words are just ... :lovethem:

I dont think its a looker neither from materials or design but I do appreciate the engineering using a hollow bone idea like in birds.

From the last ever GMITA meeting on 25th March:

Cllr Ian Mcdonald previously the Chairman is stepping down as both the chair and a member.

Two presentations on the Transpennine Trail proposed steps and DDA alternative route, a cycle group and a local residents group. Both argued against the steps one proposing that the Transpennine Trail should be rerouted along the banks of the Mersey (bike group) and one arguing that the alternate DDA route become the official route (local residents).

It was decided to continue with the temporary construction diversion route and to explore alternate possibilities about how the route could continue along the Metrolink alignment while remaining DDA compliant and whether it could be diverted along the banks of the Mersey.

The Competition Commision will publish its investigation into local bus routes in April.

Thales page on the Metrolink, I think you may laugh at points!

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Markets/Security/Newsletters/Ground_Transportation/2010_Issue_4_-_December/Newsletter_Content/Trends_Case_study_Manchester/CASE_STUDY_–_MANCHESTER_METROLINK/

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Pages/Solution.aspx?id=9718&pid=1568

Thales page on the Metrolink, I think you may laugh at points!

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Markets/Security/Newsletters/Ground_Transportation/2010_Issue_4_-_December/Newsletter_Content/Trends_Case_study_Manchester/CASE_STUDY_–_MANCHESTER_METROLINK/

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Pages/Solution.aspx?id=9718&pid=1568

Nice one Watcher! I suppose reliability can be covered by always having a man on the ground to press the reset button when things stop working! It's also a bit of a cheek to say that Thales pioneered Line of Sight in the UK when Metrolink had it from 1992 and Sheffield from 1993/4.

Will be posting some images here once I have sussed out how to make it work !! :)

In the FAQs it mentions attachment management button under title box where is it ?

Tried linking to url but image isnt opening, will keep trying

Help appreciated please.

Will be posting some images here once I have sussed out how to make it work !! :)

In the FAQs it mentions attachment management button under title box where is it ?

Tried linking to url but image isnt opening, will keep trying

Help appreciated please.

you cant attach images on this forum

you need to upload to an image hosting site such as:
www.photobucket.com
www.tinypic.com
or
www.imageshack.us

you can also post photos from flickr

After you have uploaded to a 3rd party, you will be given a url. Use the 'image' button on the new post dialog or just add the codes to the begining and to the end of your url (with no spaces)

High Camera Ltd, welcome!

If your images are already uploaded then all you need do is

at the start and at the end

So it should look like Http://Yourwebsite.jpg with no spaces.

Yes and what Future posted! ^^^^

Thanks, any idea of photo file size restrictions ?

Thanks, any idea of photo file size restrictions ?

most of those sites will automaticaly resize the photos to a default resolution, 800*600 is quite common.

the forum itself does not know or care how big the files are.

Yes it's a slinky bridge.

Its elegance comes not from any attempt at symmetry, but from the way it manages to arch across and plant its feet so daintily like a ballerina, in what might otherwise have been a ungainly stride over a very awkward footprint. Its essential beauty may not be fully revealed, however, until we see a double banana slinking snake-like across its intrinsic convolutions, curving and listing gracefully in all three dimensions at once.

A classic example of the sort of movement that can only be achieved by light rail, and one of the reasons why I just love it!! :banana::banana:


yes, accompanied by the melodic sounds, like an angelic harp, of screeching (think any sharp curve on any section of current operations).

As long as you have an MP3 player blasting your ears with Tchaikovsky, the ballerina analogy will hold strong :lol:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085300/


Future architect can you see this image ?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085300

yes, accompanied by the melodic sounds, like an angelic harp, of screeching (think any sharp curve on any section of current operations).

As long as you have an MP3 player blasting your ears with Tchaikovsky, the ballerina analogy will hold strong :lol:

I doubt the curvature on the bridge will create much screeching. I's nothing like the curves (or is that corners) in the City or on the Eccles Line. The curves are far more gentle.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085300

The url you posted was of the flikr page not the actual picture

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5269/5595085300_07dd3c9f52_b.jpg

this is your image :)

Welcome to the forum High Camera Ltd. In order to post pictures from Flickr you need to press the "Grab the HTML/BBCode" tab and make sure the BBCode radio button is checked. The code you copy and paste is a bit of an essay but it works OK. Hope this helps.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085076/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/

again, you have used the link for the page not the image.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5179/5595085076_14691d80d0_b.jpg
^^^^

this is what you want. you can normaly find it by right clicking on the image and clicking 'properties'

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5179/5595085076_14691d80d0_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5269/5595085300_07dd3c9f52.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085300/)
1-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085300/) by High Camera Ltd (http://www.flickr.com/people/61448744@N02/), on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085076/in/photostream/

Close ... but no cigar.
You seem to have some Flickr Account setting which when you get to the Grab The Link option you only get the link to the page and not the HTML/BBCode options that you need to show the image outside of FLickr.

The alternative (in Chrome anyway) is to right click the image and do Open Image In New Tab - then the URL of that Tab is what you paste between the [ IMG ] and [ / IMG ] on here

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5179/5595085076_14691d80d0_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5269/5595085300_07dd3c9f52.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085300/)
1-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595085300/) by High Camera Ltd (http://www.flickr.com/people/61448744@N02/), on Flickr

congratulations! im sure you can work out how i managed to select a larger version of that. :)

On Flikr, where it says "Download", right click the link and then "copy shortcut"

This gives you a link to the image direct.

Then just click insert image on here and paste the link in.

My God :doh::doh:

Next question, how do you delete all the dross messages !!!

OK seem to be up and running (sort of)

I will upload a load more later, have work to do, thanks for all the help.:)

My God :doh::doh:

Next question, how do you delete all the dross messages !!!

you can't!

just edit them and write 'deleted'

My God :doh::doh:

Next question, how do you delete all the dross messages !!!

Hi High

You can click on the "Preview Post" button before you submit the reply to check that it's actually what you want to post.

These shots and the couple earlier were taken last year in Ancoats, where the new line leaves the Piccadilly undercroft, between the old buildings and then drops under the ring road.

Taken using an elevated camera on a mobile mast.


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5595179398_55935ca057_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595179398/)
2-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595179398/) by High Camera Ltd (http://www.flickr.com/people/61448744@N02/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5595179040_44214947b2_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595179040/)
6-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5595179040/) by High Camera Ltd (http://www.flickr.com/people/61448744@N02/), on Flickr

All kinds of landscaping going on behind Piccadilly today - trees being planted on the verges next to the tracks and along Sheffield Street.
You can sorta see them being planted here:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p136/nickthegreek2k2/IMG_0677.jpg

And these are lined up ready to go:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p136/nickthegreek2k2/IMG_0678.jpg

There were about half a dozen geezers snagging at Chorlton Stop today.

There was an email to the yahoo group today stating that a 30xx was going down the Chorlton from the Old Trafford Depot at slow pace with guys all around it.

Last min checking that everythings ok still before maybe handing over?

When I walked through St Werboughs before the fences was across the line so I had assumed there has been no activity, it is great to hear another tram has been down there.

I am walking down there daily now as I am getting more and more excited as I have a feeling something is going to happen :banana::banana::banana::banana:

I notice it said that A tram was seen at North Manchester Business Park on 25th March wood that mean that was one tram to run up to Central park.

There were about half a dozen geezers snagging at Chorlton Stop today.

We must have missed all the fun when we were at Chorlton last week - Oh! sorry, snagging, I see!

And welcome Highcamera - fabulous shots and well worth waiting through the birth pangs! I want one!! :banana:

I am walking down there daily now as I am getting more and more excited as I have a feeling something is going to happen :banana::banana::banana::banana:

I do that too! glad it's not just me!

I was even there this late afternoon but again the fencing was across the track...

Oh! sorry, snagging, I see!

:lol:

What IS snagging!?

Last minute problem fixing before handover to client, things like cracked tiles/paving stones, scratches, a spot missed when painting, etc...

South Manchester ......21st June if we are lucky,
Just saying

South Manchester ......21st June if we are lucky,
Just saying

Last day of spring. Good shout.

South Manchester ......21st June if we are lucky,
Just saying

I reckon it could be sooner than that if we're lucky.

I reckon it could be sooner than that if we're lucky.

Or realistically if Thales dont pull thier finger out and get TOS actually working it might not be till next year given there current rate at lack of progress :bash:

Last minute problem fixing before handover to client, things like cracked tiles/paving stones, scratches, a spot missed when painting, etc...

As snags are usually fairly minor items, projects are handed over with an agreed list and a future date by which they are to be rectified.

Oldham and Rochdale Line

Triangles of display boards have been appearing outside Spindles Shopping Centre, Oldham.

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae306/Ashtonian_photos/Metrolink/DSC00012.jpg

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae306/Ashtonian_photos/Metrolink/DSC00013.jpg


:banana:s are-a-coming

That route map on the Metrolink site which showed limited service at Woodlands has been replaced by the old one.

As snags are usually fairly minor items, projects are handed over with an agreed list and a future date by which they are to be rectified.

But difficult were running will interfere with snagging or snagging interferes with running.
Today, oops yesterday, they were working on the platforms and possibly the lift.

But difficult were running will interfere with snagging or snagging interferes with running.
Today, oops yesterday, they were working on the platforms and possibly the lift.

They still must have a snagging list for the city centre track renewals they supposedly finished a year and a half ago. Still no rubber on some tracks and bits of metal hanging off piccadilly gardens platform and the state of St Peter's square half painted. It seems that stop was never finished. Perhaps they already knew it wouldn't last long. Makes you wonder!

Or realistically if Thales dont pull thier finger out and get TOS actually working it might not be till next year given there current rate at lack of progress :bash:

:yes: A critical point which seems to be continually ignored in all the excitement.

How's TOS working at media city? It's taken months to get something up and running on one stop. For south manchester to come into service does it need to work just at the junction near Trafford Bar or the whole South Manchester line? If it's the latter, how are they going to do that in two months?

Plus won't there be at least a month or test drives along the new track?

Is the south mcr line actually connected to the main network yet?

Oldham and Rochdale Line

Triangles of display boards have been appearing outside Spindles Shopping Centre, Oldham.

:banana:s are-a-coming

Also 2 near Mumps too! :)

Also 2 near Mumps too! :)

:lol: You can tell I don't get out as much as I should. ;)

:yes: A critical point which seems to be continually ignored in all the excitement.

How's TOS working at media city? It's taken months to get something up and running on one stop. For south manchester to come into service does it need to work just at the junction near Trafford Bar or the whole South Manchester line? If it's the latter, how are they going to do that in two months?

Plus won't there be at least a month or test drives along the new track?

Is the south mcr line actually connected to the main network yet?

Reports on here seem to imply its working fairly well although there have been failures needing technician attention and I guess that the fact that the service does run in the peaks yet means that there is a lack of confidence.

For the new lines to open it really needs to work right through the length of any new service. By that I mean that for South Manchester to Central Park it needs to be in place ideally on both new lines, the junctions at Trafford Bar and Irk Vally and all areas in between. PIDs won't work properly without it either.

I would imagine that trial running combined with driver familiarisation would need 3 or 4 weeks but that could possibly be accelerated.

The permanent connections at the junctions can't be made until the signalling system is ready to changeover as it will affect the existing track circuits.

That route map on the Metrolink site which showed limited service at Woodlands has been replaced by the old one.

About Woodlands Rd, will it be completely demolished? or will the platforms etc remain to allow nature to take over them?

Well it was to be completly closed but then that map which briefly appeared on the Metrolink site had it listed as operating daytime offpeak and closed in the peak and at weekends.

About Woodlands Rd, will it be completely demolished? or will the platforms etc remain to allow nature to take over them?

I reckon they'll remove all equipment/signage/lighting then erect some high/pallisade fencing arounf the site.

Well it was to be completly closed but then that map which briefly appeared on the Metrolink site had it listed as operating daytime offpeak and closed in the peak and at weekends.

The restricted service may be an interim measure prior to gaining authority to close it fully. Shades of the once a week one way only Stockport to Stalybridge service which is run to avoid a full closure procedure.

A 'Parliamentry Service' I think they're called! Will they do the same at Moseley Street?

A 'Parliamentry Service' I think they're called! Will they do the same at Moseley Street?

:) "Welcome aboard The Parliamentary calling also at Woodlands Road and Mosley Street".

I suspect Woodlands Road will be completely removed once it has closed - although how long it takes to demolish is another matter! For those who remember it in BR days, the platforms are already much shorter than they used to be and the station had unusual slightly 'S' bend platforms, with the southern end demolished before Metrolink opened.

Its basically a wooden platform isnt it? Wouldnt take long to demolish.

A lot of action in Chorlton today, they seem to be doing the finishing touches to the lifts and stair cases. In Chorlton the general jist still seems to be June but I have my doubts, but that is still a couple of months so it might happen. Once the line is connected it will all happen very quickly.

My guess is it will open late June and close early July :).

A lot of action in Chorlton today, they seem to be doing the finishing touches to the lifts and stair cases. In Chorlton the general jist still seems to be June but I have my doubts, but that is still a couple of months so it might happen. Once the line is connected it will all happen very quickly.

My guess is it will open late June and close early July :).

They certainly won't be doing that - I suspect the problems at MediaCity will ensure that no passengers are carried on any lines until they are perfectly happy with the operation. If it takes a few extra months to get it ready is it really a bad thing - better to have a safe and reliable system than rush into opening it before it is ready.

I am sure the bad headlines from a delayed opening will be nowhere near as bad as they would be from having to close sections again because of problems. To me, it would appear that it is the signalling installation that is holding everything up, but I suspect the contract will be fairly tight and any delays will undoubtedly cost the contractor money rather than GMPTE (oops sorry, TfGM)!

Its basically a wooden platform isnt it? Wouldnt take long to demolish.

I'm pretty sure they're pre-cast concrete, pretty insubstantial, you can see daylight under them!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5150/5582332294_f88c6d3bf6_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16278997@N06/5582332294/)
Prangl Metrolink (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16278997@N06/5582332294/) by drtime (http://www.flickr.com/people/16278997@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5582332508_0e678f55f8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16278997@N06/5582332508/)
Prangl at Metrolink Depot (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16278997@N06/5582332508/) by drtime (http://www.flickr.com/people/16278997@N06/), on Flickr

3030 has been delivered!

:banana: x 30

Took some more snippy snaps today, hope you like them!

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0025.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0026.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0028.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0033.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0029.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0036.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0038.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0046.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0047.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0049.jpg

I'll take some more tomorrow, i just had to stop there because i was approached by some youths and i think they saw my camera so i decided to call it a day! haha.

Cool pix, mr cool! Here's a couple more:

Droylsden Market Street has re-opened with both its tracks now complete (at that point, anyway) :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1233.jpg

Behind Piccadilly, end of speculation about the triangular pocket of land, it's being nicely landscaped :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1245.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1246.jpg
:banana:

Great Pics mr.cool...seems you have captured some new environs...keep up the good work.

Hi

Good picture Johnny and Mr cool nice to see line to Central Park nearly finish, Also somebody take me today that the was speaking to one of workmen who working at Freehold Station and he said that the line to Oldham Mumps could be up and running by end of November, it will be nice to see that happen but as it stand it more like Dec but u never know.

07/04/2011 - Additional working hours at Yates Street bridge

We are 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 in spring 2012.

Throughout April 2011 we will be extending our working hours at Yates Street bridge from Monday to Friday. Currently, our working hours are from 8am to 6pm, this will change to 7:30am to 7pm.

This change in working hours is to enable works to be completed in this area as soon as possible. Extensive structural refurbishment has been required at Yates Street bridge. We apologise for any inconvenience caused during these works and thank you for your patience while we build your new Metrolink line.



07/04/2011 - Featherstall Road weekend closures 9, 10, 16, 17 April

We are converting the former Oldham loop rail line into a new Metrolink line which will be open to Central Park and Oldham Mumps this year and to Rochdale in 2012. I am writing to inform you of the temporary closure of Featherstall Road on 9th, 10th,16th and 17th April.

This work is necessary in order to carry out essential renovation work on Featherstall Road bridge. The closure will be on the section of road that crosses the former Oldham Loop heavy rail line.

First closure: 6am on Saturday 9th April to 7pm on Sunday 10th April 2011

Second closure: 6am on Saturday 16th April to 7pm on Sunday 17th April 2011


..

Thales page on the Metrolink, I think you may laugh at points!

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Markets/Security/Newsletters/Ground_Transportation/2010_Issue_4_-_December/Newsletter_Content/Trends_Case_study_Manchester/CASE_STUDY_–_MANCHESTER_METROLINK/

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Pages/Solution.aspx?id=9718&pid=1568

I love the line.

“That’s why we’ve provided the customer with fixed headway mode” says Mr. Hooley.

Yeah.:nuts:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5150/5582332294_f88c6d3bf6_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16278997@N06/5582332294/)
Prangl Metrolink (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16278997@N06/5582332294/) by drtime (http://www.flickr.com/people/16278997@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5582332508_0e678f55f8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16278997@N06/5582332508/)
Prangl at Metrolink Depot (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16278997@N06/5582332508/) by drtime (http://www.flickr.com/people/16278997@N06/), on Flickr

3030 has been delivered!

:banana: x 30

3030! Time does fly by, doesn't it? Not long now until there are more bananas than blueberries in Manchester :)

Hi

They started to put track down a Freehold Station today and it can't be long until they get them down a Werneth also it can't be long until start putting overhead pole in too.

I had a walk from Rochdale to Shaw this afternoon. Still a lot to do and although as we have seen elsewhere track seems to appear fast once they start it does seem a daunting job still.

The view from Elizabethan Way Milnrow looking back to Rochdale.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1000981a.jpg

Milnrow Station site showing new ramps and new footbridge.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1000985a.jpg

Lots of activity between Ladyhouse Lane bridge and Milnrow Station.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1000987a.jpg

Bridge ORL 70 alongside Elizabethan Way Milnrow. Note the track bed seems to have been lowered to gain OLE clearances.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1000991a.jpg

View from New Hey Road bridge note the lorry taking spoil away. There was a lot of this traffic raising the dust on the track bed today.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1000994a.jpg

New Hey Station
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1000999a.jpg

View south from Two Bridges Road New Hey showing track bed lowering in progress.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010002a.jpg

One taken between New Hey and Jubilee Bridge Shaw to show the rural nature of this part of the route.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010009a.jpg

Bridge renovation at Jubilee Bridge Shaw.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010015a.jpg

View north from Milnrow Road bridge Shaw showing the footbridge at Bridge Street clad for shot blasting and painting.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010019a.jpg

Finally Linney Lane north of the old Shaw Station site.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010023a.jpg

As I say there's loads to do but also loads going on all along this section.

You would almost forget this is Manchesters Metro network looking at those pics :s

You would almost forget this is Manchesters Metro network looking at those pics :s

Yes this section is far more rural than even the north end of the Bury Line. most of the work seems to be associated with restoring the formation to 2 track width and lowering through bridges to give OLE clearance.

Don't contribute to this thread much. Leave it to the experts. :master:

Have to say, looking at the last set of pictures, this is a seriously big project and worth all the hype. :) (and gold stars)

When they constructed the Metrolink out to Bury there was a lot of rural land not only between Bury and Radcliffe but Radcliffe and Whitefield and even some between Whitefield and Besses. Of course, now, it's tightly-packed urban housing certainly between Besses & Whitefield but also between Whitefield & Radcliffe, so I assume it won't be too long before the spaces are filled in on the Rochdale line.

Maybe TfGM could buy the land and actually build houses on it to increase passenger usage and scrape back money to pay for the line?

I'd rather they left it alone. It is a rather beautiful little area which doesn't deserve to be spoilt by a load of houses and shops.

I'd rather they left it alone. It is a rather beautiful little area which doesn't deserve to be spoilt by a load of houses and shops.

I have to agree after my afternoon stroll today. That stretch between New Hey and Jubilee Bridge is lovely.

Go build houses in on Brown land.

While we seem to have drifted out of Manchester here is another shot of preparation for the underpass/overpass of the Mainline at Milnrow road Rochdale.


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5263/5602407581_8a8a957339_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5602407581/)
Metrolink Rochdale (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5602407581/) by High Camera Ltd (http://www.flickr.com/people/61448744@N02/), on Flickr

And while we are at it another one at the other end of the network. This is preparation for retaining wall and bridge work.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5602422839_c987274514_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5602422839/)
Manchester Airport Metrolink (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61448744@N02/5602422839/) by High Camera Ltd (http://www.flickr.com/people/61448744@N02/), on Flickr

One quickie of the goings on over the Didsbury tunnel - looks like some piling about to happen!

Excuse the quality, iPhones don't like bright sunlight!

http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab93/martin2345uk/IMG_0679.jpg

Oldham & Rochdale Line - Mumps

From the footbridge over Oldham Way. Progress at last on the removing the rails towards Werneth.

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae306/Ashtonian_photos/Metrolink/DSC00019.jpg

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae306/Ashtonian_photos/Metrolink/DSC00015.jpg

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae306/Ashtonian_photos/Metrolink/DSC00018.jpg

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae306/Ashtonian_photos/Metrolink/DSC00017.jpg

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae306/Ashtonian_photos/Metrolink/DSC00016.jpg

I still don't know what the brown metal pipes are for! (drainage perhaps)

I still don't know what the brown metal pipes are for! (drainage perhaps)

They look remarkably like the piles used on the South Manchester line to support the overhead poles.

Oldham & Rochdale Line - Mumps

From the footbridge over Oldham Way. Progress at last on the removing the rails towards Werneth.


I still don't know what the brown metal pipes are for! (drainage perhaps)

Good to see that the temporary station is coming along. It looks as though the Manchester bound line is being lifted to allow it to be realigned to go on the south side of the island platform. They are supposed to be using as much of the old track as possible between Werneth and Mumps to save money as obviously it won't be there long. Despite what that Euro MP says they are doing the job as cheaply as possible.

The steel tubes are piles and will at some point be sunk into the ground for some purpose.

Works has begun (just) on the airport bridge just east of the airport station. Why they didn`t just build it for 3 heavy and 2 light rails in the first place I don`t know, instead of widening it a second time.

Also, just seen this in another thread. Note the Metrolink tunnel under Ringway Rd West. Wishful thinking or confirmation?

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/6480/screen20110401212350.jpg

I just realised this is actually a brand new render (facing South) - it relates to an article in the MEN this week on the announcement of new Enterprise Zones, (last heard of in the 1980's) one of which will be at 'Airport City' or some such name. The image is a mock up of it, occupying a large site to the North of the Airport, and extending through Woodhouse Park towards Wythenshawe Centre.

It was always stated that final plans for the alignment of Metrolink in that area were awaiting announcements on the new road patterns under the SEMMMS plans. So it could be that the underpass of Ringway Road West is a brand new idea which might be on the cards. . . It is certainly a very fast and busy artery on which to have a level crossing, and e.g. the plans at Shadowmoss seem to have been altered to reflect this :-

I saw some plans on tfgm of traffic management schemes on the Airport Route, including a massive reorganisation of the roads around Shadowmoss tram stop, but blowed if I can find them again now! The tram crossing was moved way to the North of the stop on Shadow Moss Road, with the road itself then veering away on to the field to the East of the tramstop, before joining the newly aligned Ringway Road

BTW great pictures lately - love the high ones, Oldham & Dids, love 'em all!! (There has been a suggestion in the past, dismissed elsewhere, that the line might be single through the Werneth tunnels to accommodate the overhead, but I don't know if there's anything in it. If true, it would be another timetabling constraint on the temporary through service to Rochdale.)
:banana:

I just realised this is actually a brand new render (facing South) - it relates to an article in the MEN this week on the announcement of new Enterprise Zones, (last heard of in the 1980's) one of which will be at 'Airport City' or some such name. The image is a mock up of it, occupying a large site to the North of the Airport, and extending through Woodhouse Park towards Wythenshawe Centre.

It was always stated that final plans for the alignment of Metrolink in that area were awaiting announcements on the new road patterns under the SEMMMS plans. So it could be that the underpass of Ringway Road West is a brand new idea which might be on the cards. . . It is certainly a very fast and busy artery on which to have a level crossing, and e.g. the plans at Shadowmoss seem to have been altered to reflect this :-

I saw some plans on tfgm of traffic management schemes on the Airport Route, including a massive reorganisation of the roads around Shadowmoss tram stop, but blowed if I can find them again now! The tram crossing was moved way to the North of the stop on Shadow Moss Road, with the road itself then veering away on to the field to the East of the tramstop, before joining the newly aligned Ringway Road

BTW great pictures lately - love the high ones, Oldham & Dids, love 'em all!! (There has been a suggestion in the past, dismissed elsewhere, that the line might be single through the Werneth tunnels to accommodate the overhead, but I don't know if there's anything in it. If true, it would be another timetabling constraint on the temporary through service to Rochdale.)
:banana:

From memory both Werneth and Central Tunnels have pretty generous dimensions compared to Collyhurst and Heaton Park on the Bury Line. I'd be very surprised (and disappointed) if single track was provided.

Looking at the render of Airport City the metrolink tunnel is further right to where the alignment is currently blue pegged. The tunnel is sitting on the site of the business park roundabout. The roads in front of the Regus building and the left of new PZ Cuzzons office are all that would remain of the north side of the roundabout. Maybe the tunnel is a future wish and would be built during removal of the roundabout when the roads are tidied up. Working in the Regus building I would say the tunnel ramp starts just where the current estate portacabin is.
On the subject of Shadowmoss Road. There is an alignment of pegs in the field towards the runway lights. It looks too narrow for a road. Does this mark the Metrolink alingment? It's about 30 to 50 metres aways from Shawdowmoss Road. I'd be interested on any views as all is clearly visible when drinving up Ringway Road from Heald Green.

A few Photos I took along the East Manchester Line yesterday. there was a lot of work going on considering it was Saturday, I guess they were taking advantage of the good weather.

Down at Sheffield Street one of the Tram Management System loops visible cut into the roadway.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010028a.jpg

Pollard Street Substation on Carruthers Street opposite the old Bank of England Pub
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010036a.jpg

Holt Town from Cambrian Street.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010050a.jpg

The view from New Viaduct street, in bright sunlight quite a pleasant view.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010054a.jpg

Sportcity Stadium Stop, I took this because I hadn't realised how steep the climb up to this stop from New Viaduct street area was. Look at the poles in the backgound.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010066a.jpg

Tracklaying in progress on the Sportcity Velodrome Turnback ramp.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010083a.jpg

Sportcity Velodrome Stop Equipment Room on the corner of Ashton New Road and Alan Turing Way.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010087a.jpg

Paving works on Sportcity Velodrome Stop. Not ideal laying concrete in hot sunlight. They were having to spray it with water to keep in wet.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010092a.jpg

Clayton Stop under construction.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010112a.jpg

A couple on Ashton New Road Clayton showing the finished job and closing one of the last gaps on this stretch with the re-bar installed.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010118a.jpg
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010120a.jpg

Hi

Good Picture everyone who took them this weekend :cheers: also I thought that track from Werneth to Mumps they was going to keep them and just reuse the overhead poles and wires. Also they where doing work at Freehold Station yesterday putting stones down and putting track down, I took some picture but I don't know how good that are, if the are alright I'll put they up.

Philip Purdy, GMPTE’s Metrolink director, said: “The current Mumps to Featherstall Road section has to be converted into a Metrolink line in order for trams to reach Oldham Mumps during autumn this year, but costs will be kept to a minimum.

“Rather than laying entirely new track through this section, we will be reusing as much of the existing heavy rail track as possible.

“When the line through Oldham town centre opens during spring 2014, we will decommission that section and then reuse and recycle as much of the equipment, fixtures and infrastructure as possible on other sections of the network.”

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/54700/tram-claim-dismissed

Hi

Here are them picture I was taking about if they don't show up just check on the link.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5021/5606935290_4d0d9504e9_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/5606935290/)
Freehold Metrolink Station (http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/5606935290/)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5606350853_812ae66ce2_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/5606350853/)
laid track at freehold (http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/5606350853/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5606935862_2e017535a9_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/5606935862/)
track laying machine (http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolink_work/5606935862/)

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

Just heard in another forum that

MediaCityUK is closed again and will stay closed due to points needing replacing.

Also poster states Abraham Moss will open on Monday 18th April.

Mosley Street will be closing late May.


Not good news for the MediaCityUK branch but maybe they want to start again to fix the faults rather than doing mini fix after mini fix?

On the positive side it sounds as if they've finally nailed the Media City problem.

poster states Abraham Moss will open on Monday 18th April.



No doubt they'll be changing the maps around the network then, but surely they won't want to be making two new map "rounds" now and then when the Chorlton/Velopark line opens? Will the new map feature this new line (even though it may not open for a few weeks yet)?

I think we had a good luck at that new map when it was accidentally on the Metrolink site. Though if they are replacing the points there may be a disclaimer on the altered MediaCity service (though doesnt take them a fortnight to change out points does it unless their altering the allignment itself?)

Well it does depend on how much the points need changing. If it means they need to alterate the ones on the running line to/from Eccles then 2 weeks may be a too little time.

I'm guessing that map was designed to go up once the MediaCityUK shuttle had started after a few days but seems that once it when up the points had problems again so they decided to remove it.

Why do I get the feeling that Chorlton - Central Park may open before MediaCityUK final proper opening (ie doesn't close again).

On the positive side it sounds as if they've finally nailed the Media City problem.

Or they've given up and going to start again with a fresh set up?

Then again I like the positive thinking you've got there!

Well it does depend on how much the points need changing. If it means they need to alterate the ones on the running line to/from Eccles then 2 weeks may be a too little time.

I'm guessing that map was designed to go up once the MediaCityUK shuttle had started after a few days but seems that once it when up the points had problems again so they decided to remove it.

Why do I get the feeling that Chorlton - Central Park may open before MediaCityUK final proper opening (ie doesn't close again).

I wonder whether it actually is the points or the point machine. If the track elements need changing there can be a fairly significant lead time on the components they are not generally in stock. Obviously the source of the info isn't known so we'll have to see whether anyone on here has inside info.

I still don't know what the brown metal pipes are for! (drainage perhaps)

They look remarkably like the piles used on the South Manchester line to support the overhead poles.


The steel tubes are piles and will at some point be sunk into the ground for some purpose.

Thanks Chorlton and Freel !!

Walking past St Werburgs today I noticed that they now have a proper set of buffers on the down line.

Walking past St Werburgs today I noticed that they now have a proper set of buffers on the down line.

Thank you. Hopefully someone will post a photograph.

Its good to see the work being done! The metro link will be pretty big once all the extensions are finished!

On the positive side it sounds as if they've finally nailed the Media City problem.

Is that meant to be ironic?

I read this news as 'we've decided it's more buggered than we know how to fix, so sod even trying to get it open, it's time for indefinite closedown'. I appreciate many on here are blinkered cheerleaders for Manchester, but the Media City Metrolink opening has been undeniable high farce. :bash::bash::bash:

Is that meant to be ironic?

I read this news as 'we've decided it's more buggered than we know how to fix, so sod even trying to get it open, it's time for indefinite closedown'. I appreciate many on here are blinkered cheerleaders for Manchester, but the Media City Metrolink opening has been undeniable high farce. :bash::bash::bash:

No, it wasn't ironic.
There comes a time when make do and mend is no longer a viable option and the only sensible option is to replace.
Rather than an indefinite close-down, I see it as an end to an indefinite period of tinkering.
I don't see it as high farce,just typical British lack of conviction and cost cutting finally brought to an end.

I agree. There seems to be something badly wrong with the MC spur and it needs fixing. I just have some doubt that they actually know what it is and will do something about it quickly! Closing it down is not necessarily a step towards getting it sorted.

But closing it down to rectify the problem is most definitely a step towards getting it sorted!
If they have finally identified the problem as being with a set of points, how else will they rectify it?

I guess maybe I'm just overly sceptical in thinking that the problem might not really be identified. After all, Metrolink have been feeding me c**p for more than 7 months now about the MC service.

But if it's really the points then hopefully they'll get on and fix it quickly. I'm not holding my breath!

Hi

I found this on Metrolink website

Metrolink Service Changes
From Monday 4th April and Monday 18th April, there will be some changes to Metrolink services;

Monday 4th April
Altrincham Line

We are implementing a new service, and this means that the first tram time from Altrincham will depart 6 minutes later than currently, at 0559 instead of 0553. This will affect all first tram times on the Altrincham line.

Customers can refer to the online Journey Planner by clicking here www.tfgm.com.

Information will be up at all Metrolink stops from Monday 18th April.

Will there be a change to the double tram services?

Customers may see the double trams running at slightly amended times; however we have ensured that they are operated at the times when they are most needed.

Monday 18th April
New stop at Abraham Moss
A new stop at Abraham Moss will be opening. Click here for a map of Abraham Moss.

Where is the stop located and how do I get there from Woodlands Road?

The Abraham Moss stop is located on the campus of The Abraham Moss which is off Crescent Road.

Access to the stop can be gained through the Campus entrance on Crescent Road, or through what was the old subway off Woodlands Road. The subway is no longer there, and a track crossing is in its place.

How far is Abraham Moss from Woodlands Road?

It is 0.2miles – approximately a 5 minute walk.

What service will there be at Abraham Moss?

There will be direct services to Bury, Altrincham and Piccadilly – the same as what is provided currently at Woodlands Road.

What facilities are there at the stop?

There are all the standard stop facilities, including Ticket Machines, Passenger Emergency Call points and Journey Planning information.

There is no Metrolink car park at Abraham Moss, however there are 2 disabled parking bays which can be used by any Metrolink customers who display a valid blue badge.

Will the stop be able to accommodate double trams?

Yes - the platform is long enough to take double trams, and there will be double trams running in the morning and evening peaks from this stop.

What is the price of a ticket to Abraham Moss?

Tickets to Abraham Moss will be the same price as they are for Woodlands Road.

How do I buy a ticket to Abraham Moss?

Daily tickets can be bought from the ticket machines on the platform.

Season Tickets can be bought from ticket machines, at Transport for Greater Manchester Travelshops, at PayPoint outlets and online.

Reduced service at Woodlands Road
What will the service be at Woodlands Road when Abraham Moss opens?

The service will operate between 1000 and 1600 between Monday and Friday only. There will be no service at weekends.

Why is the service being reduced?

The 10am to 4pm service has been agreed as the best option to reduce peak time impact on the Bury line service as a result of both Abraham Moss and Woodlands Road stops being open. This is an interim solution only.

Where do I get a tram from outside of these hours?

Abraham Moss is a 5 minute walk away where passengers can benefit from the full Bury line service.
Why is the ticket machine switched off before 0945 and after 1600?

The machines will be switched off outside of these times as there is no tram service available from this stop outside of these hours.

How do I buy a ticket outside of these hours?

Customer wishing to travel before 1000 and after 1600 can use the new stop at Abraham Moss.

Who has made the decision to reduce the service at Woodlands Road and why?

This decision was made by Transport for Greater Manchester with support from members of TfGMC.

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/servicechanges/

Taken over the weekend, apart from the first pic whcih was taken last week and shows the whole Kingsway/Didsburt Road site.

Didsbury Village.

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/1247/047sa.jpg

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7766/048nt.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/4248/051ic.jpg

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/4385/049wuc.jpg

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/186/050sfa.jpg

Kingsway/Didsbury Road.

http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/6414/052h.jpg

http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/3471/053yb.jpg

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/1694/054ov.jpg

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/7725/039puy.jpg

Hi

I found this on Metrolink website

Metrolink Service Changes
From Monday 4th April and Monday 18th April, there will be some changes to Metrolink services;

Monday 4th April
Altrincham Line

We are implementing a new service, and this means that the first tram time from Altrincham will depart 6 minutes later than currently, at 0559 instead of 0553. This will affect all first tram times on the Altrincham line.

Customers can refer to the online Journey Planner by clicking here www.tfgm.com.

Information will be up at all Metrolink stops from Monday 18th April.

Will there be a change to the double tram services?

Customers may see the double trams running at slightly amended times; however we have ensured that they are operated at the times when they are most needed.

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/servicechanges/

Will the new service be the mediacity uk shuttle or even possibly the chorlton line opening. Would have been nice for them to expand on which it was.

Will the new service be the mediacity uk shuttle or even possibly the chorlton line opening. Would have been nice for them to expand on which it was.

The service status suggests that MediaCity is open again but I thought they were replacing the points...? :nuts:

Will the new service be the mediacity uk shuttle or even possibly the chorlton line opening. Would have been nice for them to expand on which it was.

The new service is as the website says. An amended set of times for the Altrincham Line and the new stop at Abraham Moss on the Bury Line along with reduced hours at Woodlands Road. The new line openings are some time away yet I guess. Nice to see Media City has re-opened.

The service status suggests that MediaCity is open again but I thought they were replacing the points...? :nuts:

It has been closed for a week, perhaps theyve finished in that time.

The new service is as the website says. An amended set of times for the Altrincham Line and the new stop at Abraham Moss on the Bury Line along with reduced hours at Woodlands Road. The new line openings are some time away yet I guess. Nice to see Media City has re-opened.

sorry i took the new service bit as meaning the altrincham times changing to make way for something else must have just got a little bit too excited lol

sorry i took the new service bit as meaning the altrincham times changing to make way for something else must have just got a little bit too excited

With all the changes I think we all are.

Featherstall Road bridge has lost it's sides, massed amount of men in orange beavering away today.....

It has been closed for a week, perhaps theyve finished in that time.

I thought it closed on Thursday afternoon. Whatever the period was I don't think they would have replaced a set of points in that time without closing Eccles as well.Can anyone say what the source of the information regarding replacing the points was, I know it was supposed to be on another forum but which one?

Hi

MediaCity have re-open here detail of tram that going they

Until further notice, services to MediaCityUK will operate as follows:-

From start of service until 07.30 Eccles - MediaCityUK - Piccadilly.

07:30 and 10.00 Eccles - Piccadilly (services will not operate into MediaCityUK).

10:00 - 16:00 Eccles - MediaCityUK - Piccadilly.

16:00 to 20:00 Eccles - Piccadilly (services will not operate into MediaCityUK).

20:00 to the end of service Eccles - MediaCityUK - Piccadilly.

This service will run Monday to Saturday (excluding public holidays). This means that services during peak times will operate direct from Eccles to Piccadilly. This is to allow further modifications to the signalling system which manages trams in and out of MediaCityUK

I don't know if this is now by just found this

http://www.salfordonline.com/localnews_page/27298-no_mediacityuk_trams,_so_walk_instead,_say_tgm.html

I thought it closed on Thursday afternoon. Whatever the period was I don't think they would have replaced a set of points in that time without closing Eccles as well.Can anyone say what the source of the information regarding replacing the points was, I know it was supposed to be on another forum but which one?

Could the set of points that need changing be the set that were involved in the original fracas? You remember, when the tram half reversed through them.

Hi

MediaCity have re-open here detail of tram that going they



Now I don't want to diss you and I mean no upset, but if you spoke sense people might pay attention to you, just saying ...

Or it could be the set that split for the two platforms after the singling.

"Media City has re-opened, here are details of the trams now going there". Not everyone has English as a first language Volde?

Watcher, yes those points are mentioned specifically in the link to Salford Online provided by r02bapurdie. Hopefully this means that the whole pantomime of MediaCity will soon be sorted ? (Then its just TMS . . .)

Makes you wonder if faulty points sending incorrect or misleading data to the control system had some part in the slow pace of progress on TMS. But that would be pure speculation.

Now I don't want to diss you and I mean no upset, but if you spoke sense people might pay attention to you, just saying ...

I can generally work out what 'r02bapurdie' is trying to say. He contributes a lot of interesting information to this thread so I would urge people to try and pay attention to his posts. :)

I would like to be able to contribute more to this forum myself but living in County Durham there is a limit on the amount of useful information/pictures I can get hold of. I, therefore, rely on posters such as 'r02bapurdie' for their updates.

Good to see that the temporary station is coming along. It looks as though the Manchester bound line is being lifted to allow it to be realigned to go on the south side of the island platform. They are supposed to be using as much of the old track as possible between Werneth and Mumps to save money as obviously it won't be there long. Despite what that Euro MP says they are doing the job as cheaply as possible.

The steel tubes are piles and will at some point be sunk into the ground for some purpose.

Maybe they're an art project.:lol:

I can generally work out what 'r02bapurdie' is trying to say. He contributes a lot of interesting information to this thread so I would urge people to try and pay attention to his posts. :)




here here :)

The more eyes and ears we have out there the more info we get.

Makes you wonder if faulty points sending incorrect or misleading data to the control system had some part in the slow pace of progress on TMS. But that would be pure speculation.

The incident at Harbour City last year with 3002 was nothing to do with the points, it was 'operator error' in that the driver was instructed to reverse whilst standing half way over a set of sprung points. The points behaved exactly as they should in that after every wheel passes through them towards Eccles/ MC they spring back to the crossover position. I still don't believe that any points have been replaced as it has all happened too quickly, it takes months to manufacture a set of points.

Featherstall road bridge works

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-6/1193624/11.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-6/1193624/22.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-6/1193624/3.jpg

The incident at Harbour City last year with 3002 was nothing to do with the points, it was 'operator error' in that the driver was instructed to reverse whilst standing half way over a set of sprung points. The points behaved exactly as they should in that after every wheel passes through them towards Eccles/ MC they spring back to the crossover position. I still don't believe that any points have been replaced as it has all happened too quickly, it takes months to manufacture a set of points.

This set hadnt been used since the station opened, the manual operation incident had nothing to do with TMS either as that occured before the signalling had even been fully installed, wasnt for months after they even installed the signal lights.

The incident at Harbour City last year with 3002 was nothing to do with the points, it was 'operator error' in that the driver was instructed to reverse whilst standing half way over a set of sprung points. The points behaved exactly as they should in that after every wheel passes through them towards Eccles/ MC they spring back to the crossover position. I still don't believe that any points have been replaced as it has all happened too quickly, it takes months to manufacture a set of points.

From where I live and often work I can see the Media City junction. If they have replaced points since Thursday then it has happened either in the dead of night or very quickly. I suspect it has not happened, I suspect the problem is elsewhere, and I suspect Metrolink have not a clue what it is or how to fix it!

From where I live and often work I can see the Media City junction. If they have replaced points since Thursday then it has happened either in the dead of night or very quickly. I suspect it has not happened, I suspect the problem is elsewhere, and I suspect Metrolink have not a clue what it is or how to fix it!
I would go with Freel07's suggestion that you can't just produce a set of points overnight!

The operation into and out of MediaCity from the Eccles line uses 3 sprung points and 3 powered ones. It sounds like either the old points at Broadway or the new ones at MC are not 'talking' to the operating system, so they are hoping that replacing them will sort it out.

I would go with Freel07's suggestion that you can't just produce a set of points overnight!

The operation into and out of MediaCity from the Eccles line uses 3 sprung points and 3 powered ones. It sounds like either the old points at Broadway or the new ones at MC are not 'talking' to the operating system, so they are hoping that replacing them will sort it out.

From the piece on the Salfordonline News site http://www.salfordonline.com/localnews_page/27298-no_mediacityuk_trams,_so_walk_instead,_say_tgm.html as posted by r02bapurdie it sounds like the work is to update the operating system to allow the set of points in MC stop to be used rather than actually changing a set of points physically.

Featherstall road bridge works

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-6/1193624/3.jpg

Great shot with the old tram track in the foreground.

From where I live and often work I can see the Media City junction. If they have replaced points since Thursday then it has happened either in the dead of night or very quickly. I suspect it has not happened, I suspect the problem is elsewhere, and I suspect Metrolink have not a clue what it is or how to fix it!

Remember the responsibility for correcting whatever is wrong down there rests with the contractor who provided the system/equipment not TfGM or Stagecoach. Can you see whether the points at the Media City stop have been altered/ I'd still like to know where the original information about changing a set of points came from or which forum it was posted on as it seems to me it might be leading us up a blind alley.

From the piece on the Salfordonline News site http://www.salfordonline.com/localnews_page/27298-no_mediacityuk_trams,_so_walk_instead,_say_tgm.html as posted by r02bapurdie it sounds like the work is to update the operating system to allow the set of points in MC stop to be used rather than actually changing a set of points physically.

That story made little sense as it was posted this monday after the MediaCity service restarted (after falling down Monday last week on the first day of the new timetable).

Remember the responsibility for correcting whatever is wrong down there rests with the contractor who provided the system/equipment not TfGM or Stagecoach. Can you see whether the points at the Media City stop have been altered/ I'd still like to know where the original information about changing a set of points came from or which forum it was posted on as it seems to me it might be leading us up a blind alley.

Was posted by someone on RailUK after they talked to an engineer on the ground on the day it closed again, April 4th I think it was.

That story made little sense as it was posted this monday after the MediaCity service restarted (after falling down Monday last week on the first day of the new timetable).



Was posted by someone on RailUK after they talked to an engineer on the ground on the day it closed again, April 4th I think it was.

Thanks for that Watcher, it just seemed strange that suddenly a set of newish points needed changing.

I suspect Metrolink have not a clue what it is or how to fix it!

They probably don't, just as well that they aren't the contractors isn't it :lol:

Remember the responsibility for correcting whatever is wrong down there rests with the contractor who provided the system/equipment not TfGM or Stagecoach. Can you see whether the points at the Media City stop have been altered/ I'd still like to know where the original information about changing a set of points came from or which forum it was posted on as it seems to me it might be leading us up a blind alley.

I will have a look later. What I do know is that there has been very little workman presence around the points in the past week. I have no idea how difficult replacing points would be, but there certainly hasn't been heavy lifting equipment, lorries. etc.

Hi

I found this on Metrolink website

Earthworks at Rochdale viaduct and Newbold stop

We are converting the former Oldham loop rail line into a new Metrolink line which will be open to Central Park and Oldham Mumps this year and to Rochdale in 2012.

Over the next week we will be starting earthworks at the Rochdale viaduct site to build ramps on either side of the new viaduct structure. We expect this work to take 6 to 8 weeks and during this time you will see workers and vehicles transporting material to the site and constructing the ramps.

Further along the new Metrolink line we will soon begin work to lower the ground at the site of the new Newbold Metrolink stop. The new stop will be several metres lower than the former Newbold railway station. In mid-May we will start to remove a large amount of earth from this site. We expect this work to take 6 to 8 weeks and during this time you will see workers and vehicles transporting material away from the site.

We will aim to keep any disturbance to a minimum.

Hi

I found this on Metrolink website
blah, blah, blah ....... to a minimum.


I don't wish to cause offense but it really is rather annoying to keep copy & pasting details from the met website. I mean , we all know where it is and how to find whatever update there is :nuts::nuts:

I don't wish to cause offense but it really is rather annoying to keep copy & pasting details from the met website. I mean , we all know where it is and how to find whatever update there is :nuts::nuts:I'm sure we do, but does everyone check it every day for updates? I certainly don't so I am very grateful to those who do repeat new info. It only gets irritating for me when the same information appears in several places.

I don't wish to cause offense but it really is rather annoying to keep copy & pasting details from the met website. I mean , we all know where it is and how to find whatever update there is :nuts::nuts:


Hm! do we all know where updates are and do we all want to go trawling around to find them?

I'm grateful for each and every update posted to this forum, those that I have seen elsewhere then I just ignore them.

Just post the URL will make it easier :).

Presentation work to make it more readable would be appreciated, for example putting the press releases in quotation boxes.

Remember the responsibility for correcting whatever is wrong down there rests with the contractor who provided the system/equipment not TfGM or Stagecoach. Can you see whether the points at the Media City stop have been altered/ I'd still like to know where the original information about changing a set of points came from or which forum it was posted on as it seems to me it might be leading us up a blind alley.


I had a look around and think the original information might have come from here:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43987

I would always be wary of information picked up from site workers as they generally only know anything abut the bit they are working on and don't have knowledge of the whole.

I had a look around and think the original information might have come from here:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43987

I would always be wary of information picked up from site workers as they generally only know anything abut the bit they are working on and don't have knowledge of the whole.

Thanks for the link Manc. Like you I would treat the info from site workers with caultion. Replacing points could mean anything from wholesale replacement through to a software change depending on what their discipline is.

I had a look around and think the original information might have come from here:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43987

I would always be wary of information picked up from site workers as they generally only know anything abut the bit they are working on and don't have knowledge of the whole.

I thought the info about replacing points was posted here before the 9th (the date on the railforums post)

Hi

I took some picture today of Platform being put in at Freehold Metrolink Station, I don't know if the picture will show so here the link for them.

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

I don't wish to cause offense but it really is rather annoying to keep copy & pasting details from the met website. I mean , we all know where it is and how to find whatever update there is :nuts::nuts:

If u what me to stop posting metrolink update then I will.

I thought the info about replacing points was posted here before the 9th (the date on the railforums post)

The first reference I can find is posting 7898 on the 10th:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=75820747&postcount=7898

The first reference I can find is posting 7898 on the 10th:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=75820747&postcount=7898

Thought wrong didn't I :lol:

They're stringing up the OLE by the Mitchell Arms and Holt Town this evening. No Pics as I was driving

If u what me to stop posting metrolink update then I will.

No Mr Purdie,

You keep posting and do it anyway you like.:)

If someone doesn't want to read what is written then there is a convenient button at the side, which if you hover your mouse over it, moves the page down so they don't have to read it!

There aren't any rules. Some would be better to mind their manners or look at how they have written something before pressing the "Submit Reply" button. One thing I always remember being told by my mother. "The only thing you get for free in this life is good manners. It costs nothing." .. usually followed by a hard slap on the back of the legs if I wasn't listening!:lol:

It's always good to get info on here as not everyone looks.

Well said Motortownman.

No Mr Purdie,

You keep posting and do it anyway you like.:)

If someone doesn't want to read what is written then there is a convenient button at the side, which if you hover your mouse over it, moves the page down so they don't have to read it!

There aren't any rules. Some would be better to mind their manners or look at how they have written something before pressing the "Submit Reply" button. One thing I always remember being told by my mother. "The only thing you get for free in this life is good manners. It costs nothing." .. usually followed by a hard slap on the back of the legs if I wasn't listening!:lol:

It's always good to get info on here as not everyone looks.

I'll :cheers: to that!

I think we should encourage contributions as we all have a part to play in recording this great project.

Yes ro2, please post whatever you feel is appropriate (great picture of the platform coming down from the sky!)- there are people looking at this all over the world who don't always know the useful links.

Don't know about others but I am still having problems with the Photobucket Management System 24 hours after the outage :-

Photobucket Site Maintenance
Sorry for the inconvenience. We're in the middle of resolving an issue that affects a small percentage of our users. Rest assured your photos are safe, and we're working hard to get it fixed ASAP.

The estimated time to get this completed is approximately the end of today (04/12/11), 11 pm EDT. We apologize sincerely for the error, and we understand the problems this creates.

Thanks for your patience. We'll update with info on our Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/photobucket) and Twitter pages (http://twitter.com/Photobucket) as we know more.

Great news about the OHLE at Holt Town Norb for us Eastenders :banana: Must get down there at first light!

They're stringing up the OLE by the Mitchell Arms and Holt Town this evening. No Pics as I was driving

Thats good news. Are they actually stringing contact wire or more headspans?

A quick test post to see if Photobucket have managed to get my album back online. My album was unavailable yesterday like that of JDR but it looks as though its back now.

Taken at Jubilee Bridge Shaw last Friday looking towards Shaw.
http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae333/freel07/Metrolink/P1010013a.jpg

Thats good news. Are they actually stringing contact wire or more headspans?

How come they don't use catenary on the road sections as they do this as a norm in many cities in Germany. When I'm driving down Eccles New Road especially in summer when the wires really are sagging in the heat, I wonder if say one span wire came loose on the lampost, would it bring the others down further along. Paranoid i know, but i don't want my car sliced in 2 like a cheese slicer :lol: maybe not soooooo daft:nuts:

Hi

I just found this website with metrolink picture on it, I don't know if anyone on here have posted them.

http://tramways.blogspot.com/2011/04/manchester-metrolink-6.html

How come they don't use catenary on the road sections as they do this as a norm in many cities in Germany. When I'm driving down Eccles New Road especially in summer when the wires really are sagging in the heat, I wonder if say one span wire came loose on the lampost, would it bring the others down further along. Paranoid i know, but i don't want my car sliced in 2 like a cheese slicer :lol: maybe not soooooo daft:nuts:

Basicaly, because the single wire 'simple equiptment' looks nicer/ less intrusive and because of the low speeds catenery isnt realy required.

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How come they don't use catenary on the road sections as they do this as a norm in many cities in Germany. When I'm driving down Eccles New Road especially in summer when the wires really are sagging in the heat, I wonder if say one span wire came loose on the lampost, would it bring the others down further along. Paranoid i know, but i don't want my car sliced in 2 like a cheese slicer :lol: maybe not soooooo daft:nuts:

I doubt that would happen, but then again I'm not usually the most informed person on the planet. I like your vision of a wire shooting down and cutting your car in half though, wouldn't be ideal of you're in a McLaren F1, where the driver is sat smack bang in the centre! :lol:
Some good pictures as usual, guys! As I've mentioned before, I don't know the areas of the extensions at all well, so these updates are a great way for people like me to keep track of how things are coming along.

Happy days! :)

Thats good news. Are they actually stringing contact wire or more headspans?

Contact wire :)

Basicaly, because the single wire 'simple equiptment' looks nicer/ less intrusive and because of the low speeds catenery isnt realy required.

True, although in Cologne it can sometimes be extremely obtrusive. I've put in a link. If you look at the 14 th picture down in makes you wonder how they actually manage to string catenary on this junction and not only the single wire. I can only count 6 poles supporting all of this.

http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/de/trams/Koeln/misc/pix.html

The first reference I can find is posting 7898 on the 10th:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=75820747&postcount=7898

I got the info off Rail Uk Forum tho didn't post a direct link as some forums don't allow/like this.

I don't wish to cause offense but it really is rather annoying to keep copy & pasting details from the met website. I mean , we all know where it is and how to find whatever update there is :nuts::nuts:

arse.

Just post the URL will make it easier :).
No. No. No. There's nothing worse than loads of uncaptioned links in a thread. By the time you've explained what the link is to you may as well have posted the text, unless it's really long.

Contact wire :)

That's great shows the committment to getting up and running in August I reckon.

How come they don't use catenary on the road sections as they do this as a norm in many cities in Germany. When I'm driving down Eccles New Road especially in summer when the wires really are sagging in the heat, I wonder if say one span wire came loose on the lampost, would it bring the others down further along. Paranoid i know, but i don't want my car sliced in 2 like a cheese slicer :lol: maybe not soooooo daft:nuts:

It's less expensive, less obtrusive and as Future Architect says unnecessary for low speeds. I wouldn'y worry that the wire might come down if a single spawire failed. It is designed to stay at a minimum height with a single failed support. I can't remember what the height is but is over 5.5 metres I think.

I have just checked the ORR regs on this. It must not drop below 5.2 metres when one support fails.

Hi

I just found this website with metrolink picture on it, I don't know if anyone on here have posted them.

http://tramways.blogspot.com/2011/04/manchester-metrolink-6.html

The guy who runs the blog is a long standing member of the Tramway Museum at Crich in Derbyshire and takes loads of good photos of tramways around UK and the world in fact. He's from the area local to the museum.

I like your vision of a wire shooting down and cutting your car in half though, wouldn't be ideal of you're in a McLaren F1, where the driver is sat smack bang in the centre! :lol:


More likely is the wire snapping in cold weather (when it is under tension). OLE contact wire is cold drawn copper, and will spring back into a coil when released ...

Multi-wire catenary systems are used to control sag, which has a detrimental effect on pantograph behaviour as speed increases. At street speeds pan performance isn't terribly critical, so fixed tension trolley wires it is. A secondary reason is that the street sections are so twisty that the longer spans acheivable with a caternary wire would never be utilised.

The segregated sections are more likely to have a simple catenary to manage sag at the higher typical speeds.

My friend just told me that today on the tram the "conductors" (I'm not sure who he means by that) were telling people that the Chorlton line won't be open till Christmas! Why would they be saying that!? Why!? Why?!?!!!

My friend just told me that today on the tram the "conductors" (I'm not sure who he means by that) were telling people that the Chorlton line won't be open till Christmas! Why would they be saying that!? Why!? Why?!?!!!

Leg pull?

'The war will be over by Christmas'

With the greatest respect, not all the inspectors seem to 60w bulbs, if you catch my drift!! In the past they were intimidating. Now they are just embarrassing. Last week I was on an M5000 and there was a group of 6 inspectors just dicking about. The worse thing though was the language!! Now I ain't no saint, but I don't expect my 3 year old daughter to have to listen to that on public transport from the mouths of employees there purely to maintain order!!!!!

My friend just told me that today on the tram the "conductors" (I'm not sure who he means by that) were telling people that the Chorlton line won't be open till Christmas! Why would they be saying that!? Why!? Why?!?!!!

Lol, that would be history repeating itself.

When the Jubilee extension openend in London, there was a long delay due to the signaling system not being ready. In the end they had to abandon the fancy new signaling and install conventional signaling.

Who knows, maybe the bosses at TfGM are thinking allong similar lines?

Due to the amount of traffic which will have to go via Cornbrook the way I understand it is there is no choice but to use the new TOS.

However I would be very surprised if the line opens by summer, I joked on the sweapstake thread that it will open in September, I now think my original estimate is true and I will be owed several pints in the Bar (Chorlton).

I did see people working on what liked the points at the trafford depot junction of the Chorlton line today though which was a good sign.

A couple of shots to show how Edge Lane station is coming along :-

The final bit of track on Ashton New Road is now being laid :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1255.jpg

Otherwise the road surface is finished all the way down to Clayton - just needs OHLE and kerbs/pavements etc now :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1256.jpg

On the original layout the old TSB Bank would have been replaced by a lot of trees. Not much room for that now, although there will be some landscaping, and we hope that no-one will write grafitti on the exposed white gable end of the café. Being at an angle, the house for sale in the centre of the picture, will give someone an excellent view of the Mertrolink in both directions :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1257.jpg

A lot of black pipeage has now appeared for draining surface water from the middle of the island platform :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1259.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1269.jpg

About 90% of the track is also in place now along Manchester Road between Edge Lane and Droylsden. The large rectangular building sitting on the alignment in the distance, top right, is the old Co-op Hall, now a night-club and dance academy in the centre of Droylsden, and the ley line is on the horizon, far left :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1258.jpg

At this rate, if the TMS is delayed much longer, all the lines will be opening at once! :banana::banana::banana:

Does anybody know what is actually not working with the TOS and how they know its not working?

Does anybody know what is actually not working with the TOS and how they know its not working?

'Software problems' which could mean anything and is rather surprising since it is supposed to be an 'off the shelf' system.

'Software problems' which could mean anything and is rather surprising since it is supposed to be an 'off the shelf' system.

This is what I don't get it. It is really quite simple if tram on line show red light or what ever.

I suspect the problem is a lot more serious than just a software problem, I suspect they are saying its a software problem but the software problem may be caused by hardware.

I assume the engineers working on it are experienced and not some first year computer science drops out they have nicked from Salford University.

It could even be that it does work but there are bugs around the fail safe code, and of course the system has to be fail safe.

A couple of shots to show how Edge Lane station is coming along :-

The final bit of track on Ashton New Road is now being laid :-


On the original layout the old TSB Bank would have been replaced by a lot of trees. Not much room for that now, although there will be some landscaping, and we hope that no-one will write grafitti on the exposed white gable end of the café. Being at an angle, the house for sale in the centre of the picture, will give someone an excellent view of the Mertrolink in both directions :-

A lot of black pipeage has now appeared for draining surface water from the middle of the island platform :-


About 90% of the track is also in place now along Manchester Road between Edge Lane and Droylsden. The large rectangular building sitting on the alignment in the distance, top right, is the old Co-op Hall, now a night-club and dance academy in the centre of Droylsden, and the ley line is on the horizon, far left :-

At this rate, if the TMS is delayed much longer, all the lines will be opening at once! :banana::banana::banana:

Good to see your album's back on line Johnny. I saw they had started the last section of the outbound line just east of Clayton stop on Saturday.

'Software problems' which could mean anything and is rather surprising since it is supposed to be an 'off the shelf' system.

The system is a combination of 'off the shelf' subsystems. These have to be integrated into a single control and monitoring system. This means the TOS system for Metrolink is not truly off the shelf and has been put together specifically for Metrolink.

The problems we have all seen at Media City UK seem to be reliability related recently with the systems freezing. Early problems down there involved what seemed to be conflicting movements and would appear to have been a result of inaccurate tram position information. Often with computer based equipment systems which work well in factory testing eventually fail under the amount of traffic encountered in real life where events are not as predictable as in the workshop.

When my car GPS from 2003 knows exactly where I am at all times, and we have complete mobile phone data coverage to relay GPS data back to base, it is surprising that whatever system they are installing isn't working.

Give me £500K and I'll whip something up out of surplus GPS units, a few old Nokias, and a mountain of duct tape. Job done.

Sorry they are not amazingly clear...

Wires now stretch under the Cambrian Street Bridge, as seen tonight. :)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01185.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01184.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a260/Geeves8612/DSC01186.jpg

Woo hoo!

They have also put the OLE poles up at Velopark station.

Also, if my eyes weren't playing tricks on me today, whilst day dreaming at the end of the platforms at Victoria, I could see what looked a new tramway type signal for the cross over just outside the station.

To be fair I can understand why the problems have happened but I just wish they would be more honest about it. How can they still say it will be open by Spring when in reality they have no idea than my cat when it will be open?

My friend just told me that today on the tram the "conductors" (I'm not sure who he means by that) were telling people that the Chorlton line won't be open till Christmas! Why would they be saying that!? Why!? Why?!?!!!

Hi

Are u joking about that because if the did happen why don't the open all the line like have trams running to Rochdale and droylsden then. I can seeing chorlton line opened before june 30 and central park the next day.

My friend just told me that today on the tram the "conductors" (I'm not sure who he means by that) were telling people that the Chorlton line won't be open till Christmas! Why would they be saying that!? Why!? Why?!?!!!

Today also saw a Polish guy go nuts at Cornbrook. One of them called him a 'dick' and he lost it.

The OHLE running wire has now moved on apace, now extended from Portugal Street East as far as the Medlock Bridge :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1291.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1296.jpg

The new pedestrian alignment towards Great Ancoats Street is also now complete :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1301.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1307.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1309.jpg

Going down :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1311.jpg

New Islington tramstop :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1313.jpg

My favourite pub the Auld Lang Syne, and cell block H :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1315.jpg

Looking back to New Islington :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1322.jpg

The Bank of England :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1325.jpg

Down Merrill Street :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1328.jpg

Up Merrill Street :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1331.jpg

The Mitchell Arms, and some interesting vectors :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1340.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1341.jpg

Holt Town :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1344.jpg

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1345.jpg

Echoes of Chorlton Meadows ? :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1346.jpg

There is still a short gap in the track beneath Cambrian Street :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1350.jpg

The River Medlock :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1351.jpg

The Overhead Line currently ends above where the blokes are working in orange :-

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Johnny_de_Rivative/101_1353.jpg

:carrot::carrot::carrot::banana:

My friend just told me that today on the tram the "conductors" (I'm not sure who he means by that) were telling people that the Chorlton line won't be open till Christmas! Why would they be saying that!? Why!? Why?!?!!!

Why would you believe them?

Fantastic update Johnny. I really do love this line. :)

Boom, managed to be invisible to the workers and take some snaps of Central Park.. ;)

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0924.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0902.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0903.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0904.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0906.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0907.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0908.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0910.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0920.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0919.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0915.jpg

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/razzledazzle_2010/DSC_0911.jpg