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Metrolink - Proposals

10M views 52K replies 763 participants last post by  Little Spoon 
#1 · (Edited)
In order to seperate progress on the extensions from other chat about Metrolink, am kicking off this new thread with some images of the work on the Chorlton branch which I've brazenly borrowed from some nice chap on flickr (called Andrew L. Roberts - bravo to you fella, :cheers: very well taken and informative piccies! This first one has Wilbraham Road Bridge in the background:



Looking north from Ayres Road Bridge:



Looking south from Ayres Road Bridge:


Anyone got any more???
 
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#201 ·
I would be very dissapointed to see a Metrolink platform in Albert Square. It would completely spoil the ambience in the Square. Metrolink already passes the Town Hall in St Peters Square. The tramlines would probably need to be built on rubber to stop shaking the Albert Memorial to pieces.

Is it possible that they could run the track from Cross St into Princess St connecting in St Peter's Square with the original line.

There seems little space to put platforms in along any part of this route except in Albert Square and Exchange Square.
 
#204 ·
Zapa - my response was related to the plan to put an extra turning point on the line at Victoria to allow for faster turning of trams at that stations.

I would imagine that stops will appear somewhere in Albert Sq, hopefully near to where the Square Albert pub used to be / still is. Think there is plenty of room down there to avoid making a mess of the square.

Almost certain that the turning circle of the tram would not allo for them going along Princess St.

As has been also pointed out, where the wheel currently is seems another sensible locaion for another stop.

Wonder what will happen with the bollards to stop traffic?

Could be removed I presume and it made very clear that it is only a bus and tram route with people who chose to ignore the signs sent fines in the post, the route being monitored by saftey cameras.
 
#207 ·
For what it's worth and to add my weight to the debate I think that the Cross St option is probably the best. I say this primarily because of the road closure issues that would result if Metrolink were to run down Corporation St and Deansgate. I guess the transit times between Vic and Gmex would also be quicker down Cross St as there would be fewer tight bends to negotiate (I may be wrong - comments welcome). The other issue would be where to locate the stops.
With the Cross St route it should be fairly easy to locate stops at Exchange Square and then at Albert Square. The stop at Exchange Square would be close to where the big wheel is currently (temporarily) located and close the steps into the new section of the Arndale.
A stop at Albert Square would also be fairly simple to locate without blocking (vehicular) access to nearby buildings. The location would probably be along where the taxi rank is currently located, ie opposite Brazennose St and Lloyd.
Good points here IMHO. And to add to the debate here's an extremely amateur rough guess at walking times to tram stops on the various options.

Offered not as an argument for or against either, simply to enable debate. (Obviously as pointed about above this is not a simplistic argument, there are loads more issues than simply discussing a geographic spread of stations, or journey times across the centre, and I am a complete amateur not a professional, but I offer this simply to give us more thoughts on the discussion - and because zapaman mentioned possible station locations).

One aspect that this does show up which has perhaps not been mentioned much before on either side is that the very centre of Manchester geographically - ie King Street/Brown St/Spring Gardens (what used to be called the CBD) - is one of the furthest from either existing or planned routes!

 
#215 ·
I am too sure it is possible, I just worry that tram add significant complexity to a relatively simple current setup.

With complexity brings costs, not just setup but also maintenance costs.

For example, how long does it take to shift a car that has got impaled onto a bollard at the moment? During that time the trams are diverted or stuck.

When will the devices be repaired if they are hit?

I ain't saying it is impossible, just I am interested in how this particular problem will be overcome.
 
#217 ·
Indeed, but the risk that the bollards may possibly damage the trams will cause those that operate the things to charge the council a much higher fare to run the things as the risk to their bottom line will have gone through the roof.

I agree it may not be worth keeping the things, not sure how many cars actually try to travel down Mosley Street as it is.
 
#218 ·
For what it's worth and to add my weight to the debate I think that the Cross St option is probably the best. I say this primarily because of the road closure issues that would result if Metrolink were to run down Corporation St and Deansgate. I guess the transit times between Vic and Gmex would also be quicker down Cross St as there would be fewer tight bends to negotiate (I may be wrong - comments welcome). The other issue would be where to locate the stops.
With the Cross St route it should be fairly easy to locate stops at Exchange Square and then at Albert Square. The stop at Exchange Square would be close to where the big wheel is currently (temporarily) located and close the steps into the new section of the Arndale.
A stop at Albert Square would also be fairly simple to locate without blocking (vehicular) access to nearby buildings. The location would probably be along where the taxi rank is currently located, ie opposite Brazennose St and Lloyd.
While a stop at Albert Square should be fairly easy with regard traffic etc, I hope if they do put it there, (especially if its in front of Brazennose St) they sink the track by a foot and a half (just for the station) so that the platforms are only a foot and a half off the ground and do not cause such a break in the area. A stop there could create a major barrier for pedestrians crossing Albert Square, down brazannose down to Deansgate which during markets like x-mas would be a particular shame.

Personally I'd prefer they sink all the station lines so they create less of an impact on the area but I don't think thats going to happen, partly from cost and partly from operationally the trams going down sudden gradients needing better breaks and slowing down acceleration when they move off from stations.
 
#219 ·
Indeed, but the risk that the bollards may possibly damage the trams will cause those that operate the things to charge the council a much higher fare to run the things as the risk to their bottom line will have gone through the roof.

I agree it may not be worth keeping the things, not sure how many cars actually try to travel down Mosley Street as it is.
That implies the council is the client and has commissioned the bollard and farmed it out to a private operator. Maybe the council's representative on the PTE will speak about it.
 
#220 ·
While a stop at Albert Square should be fairly easy with regard traffic etc, I hope if they do put it there, (especially if its in front of Brazennose St) they sink the track by a foot and a half (just for the station) so that the platforms are only a foot and a half off the ground and do not cause such a break in the area. A stop there could create a major barrier for pedestrians crossing Albert Square, down brazannose down to Deansgate which during markets like x-mas would be a particular shame.

Personally I'd prefer they sink all the station lines so they create less of an impact on the area but I don't think thats going to happen, partly from cost and partly from operationally the trams going down sudden gradients needing better breaks and slowing down acceleration when they move off from stations.
A stop in Albert Square would be an Aesthetic disaster.
 
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