TRANSPORT | Metrolink - Future Phases & Fantasy Extensions

[Nathan Dawz]

Interesting also to see the stations on the TC line named as 'Parkway Circle' and 'Lostock Parkway' so maybe the route has changed.

Also, 'Barton Square' seems to have disappeared. That could have been quite a useful stop for the new outdoor Barton Square bit of the Trafford Centre, and the ASDA and Costco near by.

[Cherguevara]

Originally Posted by Nathan Dawz

Interesting also to see the stations on the TC line named as 'Parkway Circle' and 'Lostock Parkway' so maybe the route has changed.

Also, 'Barton Square' seems to have disappeared. That could have been quite a useful stop for the new outdoor Barton Square bit of the Trafford Centre, and the ASDA and Costco near by.

Sounds like they're taking the northern alternative route forward, rather than the original one that turned left/south through Park Village.

[Frodz]

Originally Posted by WatcherZero

Yes its interesting that the trafford line appears but the Airport loop and Stockport extensions dont. Up until now the Stockport has been regularly appearing and the Trafford hasnt for a while, does this reflect that behind the scenes some funding may have moved closer while other moved further away?

The Greater Manchester Transport Fund stated that the Trafford Centre line may be possible with further funding, it made no mention of the extension to Stockport though. I assume this has been put off for now, especially until we see what happens with the tram-train trials.

[NathanCaldecott]

Could this (the 'rerouteing') be a cost issue; i.e. Peel only agreeing to a certain amount of funding and then GMITA/Whatever working round it, or just preference?

[Mostly Lurking]

Originally Posted by MarkO

GREAT idea Seasonedbest! How cool would that be! The UK's first 24 rail service! Love it! Not so sure what the staff would think though!
(And cheers to the peeps above who thought this thread was a good idea)

:-)
M

I'm afraid it wouldn't be - sorry to be a party pooper!

[MarkO]

Originally Posted by Mostly Lurking

I'm afraid it wouldn't be - sorry to be a party pooper!

To paraphrase Julie Walters in 'Personal Services':

"You poop where you want Lurky!"

(But of course you are probably right - would need armed Police on every tram!)

[MattN]

There are already 24 hour rail services (Trans-Pennine York-Manchester Airport and Thameslink Bedford-Brighton spring to mind).

[markydeedrop]

The stop to get the chop!

[Johnny de Rivative]

Originally Posted by WatcherZero

The viaduct is being three tracked to the junction with the library and another platform is being added to Gmex, .

Watcher, can u help with why the 3rd platform and viaduct track are needed, and are they definite?

btw cheers Mark for this new thread, my only problem is that I get all the M/link ones mixed up when I try to find them! (is there an easy way?).

I would also like to post some pictures of the route to Ashton-under-Lyne which I took in the snow . . .

[WatcherZero]

Im 70% sure on the extra Gmex platform (the extra track from the centre would rejoin the existing two tracks just before or immediatley after this station depending on ther final plan) and the three tracking 100% sure, it will be bi-directional essentially allowing the 2cc traffic to use it in alternating directions, its needed because trams naturally slow on the steep ramp and with higher frequency theirs a danger that you would get them queueing to get up, especielly as town centre traffic could affect the timings.

[ScouseinManc]

Originally Posted by Johnny de Rivative

Watcher, can u help with why the 3rd platform and viaduct track are needed, and are they definite?

btw cheers Mark for this new thread, my only problem is that I get all the M/link ones mixed up when I try to find them! (is there an easy way?).

I would also like to post some pictures of the route to Ashton-under-Lyne which I took in the snow . . .

I have some of the Firswood to Chorlton High section, which I took in the snow very recently too.
Cheers for new post Mark

[MarkO]

Originally Posted by ScouseinManc

I have some of the Firswood to Chorlton High section, which I took in the snow very recently too.
Cheers for new post Mark

Love to see those photos Scouse!

And to answer Johnny deRiv, yeah it's an occupational hazard of a project that is partially completed and still the source of much chin-wagging, but also has other sections under construction and plans/aspirations for more!

But we should maybe count our blessings and remember how lucky are we that so much is happening and potentially on the cards for Metrolink? Not only is it evidently one of the most talked-about issues on this forum (given the rather thin selection of other projects that are currently going ahead in Manc), but also I still have to pinch meself to believe that the Met is actually going ahead with all this in comparison to the lamentable lack of urban rail expansion in places like Leeds or Brum or L'pool... which all also desperately need better/any transit.

Guess the best advice is to think thru what the point of your particular post is before you start typing (something which I freely admit I often don't always do properly meself!) and figure which is the best of the three ongoing threads to chuck it in (having said that which one of the three would this belong in!!)

[Gdogg371]

do you think that gmpte have ever seriously looked at a wilmslow road route for the tram?

[Cherguevara]

I don't really think Wilmslow Road suits the market that they're aiming the tram at. Metrolink as a system is used to transport rush hour commuters into and out of the centre, and to facillitate local journeys between suburban and town centre areas along the lines. Wilmslow Road doesn't generate that many commuters, so putting a Metrolink line down it would cost a great deal of money for few economic benefits.

Obviously the university corridor is an area with a huge commuter flow of its own (for staff) but these people don't live down Wilmslow Road, but throughout the city (and city region). There is an argument that the Universities/MRI need to be better connected to the transport network, but probably not by Metrolink, unless the line can be extended into other valuable markets.

[Johnny de Rivative]

METROLINK IN TAMESIDE - 36 Wintertime images from January 2010 :-

The first significant announcement in the New Year of 2010, was that the Metrolink Phase 3b ‘accelerated’ extensions to Ashton-under-Lyne and East Didsbury were now finally “funded”. The Phase 3a line as far as Droylsden was already half built, and the new Coalition government later undertook to honour all the previous commitments.

Here is a sequence of photos taken on a wintry bus ride in that first month of the New Year, looking down on the future route alignment of Metrolink, as planned within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside :-



At the boundary, the Halfway House at the top of Ashton New Road on the corner of Edge Lane, is eponymously the midpoint between Manchester and Ashton. Now that the savings bank on the left has been demolished, a wider panorama of the Pennines comes into view up ahead :-



After demolition of all the necessary property, the footprint of the future Edge Lane station was a blank space for five years prior to 2009 :-



Proceeding along Manchester Road, Droylsden, on the right is Sidebottom Street, the future location of 'Cemetery Road' tram stop, an unfortunate name as it is surrounded by old people’s homes. The footprint of the stop is actually on Sidebottom Street, so that would be my choice of name, after the late Frank Sidebottom (Chris Sievey), a famous Mancunian comedian. Houses have also been demolished here beside the Jolly Carter, to make way for the approach to the tram stop :-



Approaching Droylsden Centre, on the right is the 1920’s Branch Library, which has unfortunately lost some of its ‘Art Deco’ type railings in the widening of the bridge:-



Now we arrive at Droylsden Centre, the temporary terminus of Phase 3a, which will give Droylsden the fame and fortune of having its name emblazoned on the tram destinations for about 18 months! That should be long enough for all the tramway 'explorers' to discover the delights of 'Our Town', before the 3b line opens through to Ashton, and the Droylsden destination disappears forever. Here the tracks will cut across the corner of Villemomble Square, to reach the terminal stop. Until 2010, this was going to be in the space centre right beyond Market Street, to the North of the roadway. However, both here and at Edge Lane, the alignments have been revised from the original proposal. In both cases there will now be an island platform in a central reserve, with single road carriageways on either side in opposite directions. As well as reducing the severity of the rail curves, this arrangement has the advantage of eliminating 2 x conflicting crossings of road traffic. It also appears that there will now be less 'take' of Villemomble Square:-



The clock tower bears the legend “OUR TOWN – DROYLSDEN”, and it will have to budge over a bit :-



Moving into Phase 3b proper, along Ashton Road towards Audenshaw, it looks more like a traditional street tramway location:-



Audenshaw tram stop will be in the gyratory, among the bushes on the right, where lots of semis have been demolished:-



Then it moves over on to a trambaan on the left, where a sound barrier has been built, looking worse than the Wall at Piccadilly Gardens. . .then through the trees behind The Snipe, a famous junction in trolleybus days. (In Gainsboro Road, off to the left after the bus stop, there used to be a trolley reversing triangle in the double overhead wiring, unique in Manchester, and removed in 1959) :-



I would hate to have this between me and the trams :-



Onwards between the hotel and the start of the by-pass, Lord Sheldon Way :-



Crossing the garden centre access road, still in trambaan on the left :-



At the next junction, Ashton Moss tram stop will be on the left, with space for a big park and ride. After this, the alignment moves over to the central reservation, which now becomes visibly wider, having been built that way to accommodate two Metrolink tracks :-



This is where the route crosses over the M60 motorway :-



Affording a view similar to that at the absolute summit of Metrolink, Besses o'th'Barn :-



After which the route swings left within this roundabout, to reprise the central reservation and then up and away over the Moss :-



Ashton West tram stop will be in the central reserve, just before this junction with Richmond St :-



And then a blob on the horizon looms. I know some people who live near there and used to have a lovely view of the hills, now they look straight at a dark blue wall :-



This roundabout has been built since the original plans were drawn. The route will now leave the central reserve by the pedestrian crossing, on to a segregated alignment. It will take over the location of the the oncoming slip road from the roundabout, which will be 'moved over' and re-jigged :-



The alignment will then run on another trambaan on the right hand (South) side of Wellington Road, towards ALDI, top left in this shot :-



On the right here, for the final approach into Ashton:-



The site of the 3b terminus at Ashton Bus Station. By 2010 only one building remained in the middle, next to the Probation Office, and that was soon to go as well :-



A last look back over the Moss from Ashton, shows Manchester gleaming on the far horizon (I fancy a bit like Christminster in 'Jude the Obscure' . . .?)



See you in 2013?

[WatcherZero]

Nice pictures, taken from the top deck of a double decker bus?

[Accura4Matalan]

Fantastic phototour. A lot more of this is going to be on reserve section than I thought, which can only be a good thing.

[metman123]

Fantastic Pics Johnny de Rivative, and enjoyed the commentry, not been on for ages was good to catch up. got some pics to put on tomoz Bananas in the depot in the snow lol

[Johnny de Rivative]

Originally Posted by WatcherZero

Nice pictures, taken from the top deck of a double decker bus?

Correct! To see the whole Ashton line, take a 216 as far as Audenshaw, then a 217, but NB the 217 is only double-decker on a Saturday. The only bit you can't see this way, is about 1 km between Holt Town and Sportcity-Velodrome (Asda). (That section is off-road in open country, between the River Medlock and the Ashton Canal, and including the Sportcity-Stadium stop for Man City football.) Quite a pretty route, considering it is in a so-called 'rough' area of the city

[apologiesforthedelay]

Originally Posted by metman123

Fantastic Pics Johnny de Rivative, and enjoyed the commentry, not been on for ages was good to catch up. got some pics to put on tomoz Bananas in the depot in the snow lol

Yay!!!