TRANSPORT | Metrolink ‎Extension

[Motortownman]

Originally Posted by 1000Larrysullivan

Would your 100% correct as always so far source be able to find out the T68's up for The scrap man, i need to glue myself to the seats.......

Well it will either be a 1xxx or a 2xxx.... I will see if I can find out...

[coyotes_uk]

The Airport Metrolink works are really coming along now!

The chainlink fences along shadowmoss road now turn to run along Ringway Road and then Aviator Way, the section along Aviator way is going to be a service corridor. The old long stay carpark adjacent to the trainline and the roundabout with the PZ Cussons office is now the Airport Metrolink construction main site. Looking from the train station back towards this area you can see the excavation works already bringing the level from the car park down to the train line level.

There really is quite a lot of work going on at the moment for the Metrolink!

[Mayerdale]

Been lurking here for a while.

Im from the Shaw area and there has been alot of activity going on today!

Please forgive me for not knowing the various names of these things. At 7.30am on arriving at work I noticed a longish rail vehicle, that looked like it had a caravan on one end. A short time later it was put on the tracks and slowly moved up and down a couple of inches at a time.

Then in the afternoon, a rail vehicle arrived on the tracks that looked like some sort of freight train they put sand, coal in etc..Sadly that didn't move though.

Both of these were on the side where the station used to stand.
Sorry there aren't any pics. Im just lucky that I can have a nosey from my work window..

[Futurelink]

I hope 2003 stays for a while, it's secretly one of my favourites.

[Johnny de Rivative]

Welcome mayerdale, good to hear from you with your local eye on developments and cheers also coyotes. There is certainly plenty going on everywhere in places miles apart!!

Only a couple of snippets from the East end just now - poles at Cemetery Road :-



And heading towards Droylsden over the canal bridge :-



The first dot matrix was switched on today at Edge Lane - there's the guy switching it on over on the right, and others taking away the temporary signals. Note the change of colour of the poles down the hill, as Droylsden at its Western border gives way to Manchester :-





I must say they have been fiddling and faddling about with these traffic lights for eight months now, coming back every couple of weeks to try and get the new ones working! Tedious, as the temporary ones blocked off a lane and rotated to each direction individually, causing tailbacks for all that time. (If it takes 8 months to install a traffic light, what hope have we got for TMS??) Still at least they got there in the end . . . .



And a little bit more to follow next month :-



Williamson Lane is at the Eastern border of Droylsden (Phase 3a) and Audenshaw (3b), after which we think the poles will become blue . . .

[r02bapurdie]

Hi

Good picture of Droylsden line Johnny, I was in Ashton today and I notice that it look like they going to start putting track down near ALDI.

[bogblaster]

Originally Posted by Johnny de Rivative

Welcome mayerdale, good to hear from you with your local eye on developments and cheers also coyotes. There is certainly plenty going on everywhere in places miles apart!!

Only a couple of snippets from the East end just now - poles at Cemetery Road :-



And heading towards Droylsden over the canal bridge :-



The first dot matrix was switched on today at Edge Lane - there's the guy switching it on over on the right, and others taking away the temporary signals. Note the change of colour of the poles down the hill, as Droylsden at its Western border gives way to Manchester :-





I must say they have been fiddling and faddling about with these traffic lights for eight months now, coming back every couple of weeks to try and get the new ones working! Tedious, as the temporary ones blocked off a lane and rotated to each direction individually, causing tailbacks for all that time. (If it takes 8 months to install a traffic light, what hope have we got for TMS??) Still at least they got there in the end . . . .

Nice pictures JdR. They've certainly moved on at a cracking pace with those new poles. There was no sign of them when I was up that way about a week ago.

I wonder if the delay with the traffic lights has been connected to the fact that they must interface with the TMS and the difficulties that system has been causing in general all over the place?

[Freel07]

Originally Posted by bogblaster

Nice pictures JdR. They've certainly moved on at a cracking pace with those new poles. There was no sign of them when I was up that way about a week ago.

I wonder if the delay with the traffic lights has been connected to the fact that they must interface with the TMS and the difficulties that system has been causing in general all over the place?

Certainly good to see the progress and the news about the wiring.

The traffic lights can be installed totally independently of TMS even though there is an interface. The TMS is very little different than any other detector in the road and if it's not there the traffic light controller will simply ignore trams completely.

[kriis101]

Originally Posted by bogblaster

Nice pictures JdR. They've certainly moved on at a cracking pace with those new poles. There was no sign of them when I was up that way about a week ago.

I wonder if the delay with the traffic lights has been connected to the fact that they must interface with the TMS and the difficulties that system has been causing in general all over the place?

The electronics in the signal will just be set to receive 1 of 3(?) data inputs from the TMS system (when it gets plugged in) so will just have a 'data input' wire. The system would revert to the stop aspect as shown in JdRs pics, if no input is being read. Any delays installing he signal lighting stem as seen in the pic won't be caused by the fact Thales can't get the TMS working anywhere else on the network.

What I mean is... just because your PC at home/office isn't working right, doesn't mean your computer monitor can't be sat on your desk.

[WatcherZero]

Probably more to do with experimenting with different timings effect on traffic.

[Mr Cable]

At 4am today I just saw a Southbound M5000 passing through Central Park!

[Freel07]

Originally Posted by kriis101

The electronics in the signal will just be set to receive 1 of 3(?) data inputs from the TMS system (when it gets plugged in) so will just have a 'data input' wire. The system would revert to the stop aspect as shown in JdRs pics, if no input is being read. Any delays installing he signal lighting stem as seen in the pic won't be caused by the fact Thales can't get the TMS working anywhere else on the network.

What I mean is... just because your PC at home/office isn't working right, doesn't mean your computer monitor can't be sat on your desk.

Actually traffic lights seem to be one thing that TMS can cope with fairly well now. The lights on the Eccles Line seem to be working and they are all interfaced with TMS. The inputs to the controllers are simply relay contacts not data signals just as with the older system in the City.

[kriis101]

Originally Posted by Freel07

Actually traffic lights seem to be one thing that TMS can cope with fairly well now. The lights on the Eccles Line seem to be working and they are all interfaced with TMS. The inputs to the controllers are simply relay contacts not data signals just as with the older system in the City.

Ah well yeah, I simply meant they have input wires that come from a TMS output. I kinda guessed it would be a relay so that if anything went over voltage on the TMS side, then the lighting signals wouldn't blow.

Electronics ex-student here

[High-Fi]

Originally Posted by Mr Cable

At 4am today I just saw a Southbound M5000 passing through Central Park!

Welcome Mr Cable! Thanks very much for the tip-off. Hopefully one of the guys will be able to get photographic evidence.

[Johnny de Rivative]

Originally Posted by Freel07

Certainly good to see the progress and the news about the wiring.

Yes the road-rail cherry pickers have arrived at the ASDA service road, and stand poised, ready and waiting for action!





Thanks, Mr Cable and welcome! If anyone knows of any testing on Oldham in the daylight, please give us a bell and I'll dash across & take a few snaps!

[r02bapurdie]

Originally Posted by Mr Cable

At 4am today I just saw a Southbound M5000 passing through Central Park!

Hi

Thanks for tell us that Cable and Welcome to Skyscraper board, I found this picture of tram at Central Park on flickr and it look like it was take on Monday 13th Feb, here question why are the doing testing at night when the got whole bloody daylights to do it, do anyone know?

image hosted on flickr

Metrolink Tram On Test

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanvirspics/6872652557/

[r02bapurdie]

Also I notice that 24,58,59,64,83,180,181,182 and 184 bus services are change they timetable on 11th March, reason why I saying this is becuase when Oldham line closed back in 2009, this buses change they timetable and is funny how they all change the timetable at same time again?

http://www.tfgm.com/buses/service_changes.cfm

[kriis101]

Originally Posted by r02bapurdie

Also I notice that 24,58,59,64,83,180,181,182 and 184 bus services are change they timetable on 11th March, reason why I saying this is becuase when Oldham line closed back in 2009, this buses change they timetable and is funny how they all change the timetable at same time again?

http://www.tfgm.com/buses/service_changes.cfm

Is weird but I doubt that the Oldham line will be up and running by the 11th. Although how long was it after the SSC trip to the Chorlton points testing, that the Chorlton line opened??

[Chorlton Bloke]

Originally Posted by r02bapurdie

why are the doing testing at night when the got whole bloody daylights to do it, do anyone know?

Assume to avoid men working in daylight on line.

[kriis101]

Originally Posted by kriis101

Is weird but I doubt that the Oldham line will be up and running by the 11th. Although how long was it after the SSC trip to the Chorlton points testing, that the Chorlton line opened??

Just read back through these forums around the time the Chorlton line opened. There were four consecutive weeks when the Altrincham line was closed before the Chorlton line opens. I suppose we could assume there would be less problem with the Bury-ORL points as at first they tried to fit the full TMS points at Trafford Bar didn't they? The last week before it opened had the last static tests on the junction (the day me, Johnny, Tony and a couple of others were there) and then there were a couple of days of a full ghost service - btw how can they do a full ghost service with the extension to Oldham without closing the SML???
I guess (optimistic) it could be possible to have passenger trams between St Werburgh's Road and Oldham Mumps on the 11th March, although it is also possible that Earth gets invaded by the Cybermen and Darleks on that day too!