TRANSPORT | Metrolink ‎Extension

[martin2345uk]

A quickie in the sunshine from the Airport Line - Moor Road stop.

Then:



Now:



Track finished, platforms almost complete, great stuff!

[Johnny de Rivative]

Cheers Martin, nice one! Fancy those platforms having now to stay there for four years before coming into use . . . still, the umbrello at Central Park has waited for at least seven.

In the June edition of 'To-day's Railways' they publish a similar photo which they describe as Martinscroft, but it's actually Benchill.

Meanwhile, over at the Electric Circus, Collyhurst, the Skids are playing 'Into the Valley' . . .

[r02bapurdie]

Good picture Martin and Johnny hopely in three weeks time Oldham line will opened and we all be going up and down that line hopely

[loweskid]

Seems a few of us were out and about in the sunshine today - I had a walk into town along Ashton New Road before jumping on a tram to the Quays. Near Clayton Hall they were grinding small grooves in the concrete, alongside the rails. I just missed the actual grinding, they were brushing it clean when I passed. Any idea why they do this? The only thing I can think of is to give a bit more grip to car tyres when they are on the rails......



The famous Yellow Dots....



Section isolator near Velodrome, now completed and cables connected...

[Freel07]

Originally Posted by loweskid

Seems a few of us were out and about in the sunshine today - I had a walk into town along Ashton New Road before jumping on a tram to the Quays. Near Clayton Hall they were grinding small grooves in the concrete, alongside the rails. I just missed the actual grinding, they were brushing it clean when I passed. Any idea why they do this? The only thing I can think of is to give a bit more grip to car tyres when they are on the rails......

I think its done to ensure that the concrete is below rail head level so the tram wheel tread does end up running on the concrete as the tyre wear slightly hollow. The Metrolink wheel profile does overlap the rail head slightly.

[soupçon]

Originally Posted by Johnny de Rivative

I'm glad they've left room for cyclists in the layout. You'd think it would be obvious, but not so for the designers/engineers in Sheffield. As a cyclist, Langsett Road is a nightmare - there's no room for trams to overtake you. So you have three options - cycle at 20mph to keep ahead, illegally pedal on the pavement for a bit or get a blast from the horn of doom...

Then you have the issue of the stops themselves, that mean the gap to the left of the rail narrows to a foot or so, or you have to bunny-hop over the rail.

Mini-rant over.

[TommyD]

Can somebody technical please explain the meaning of "clip and scotch the points"? Exactly what is involved and why is it done. Ta.

[Rail Ranger]

Points are clipped and scotched if they are not locked by the signalling system (in this case of course the signalling has not been commissioned). They are clipped and scotched to prevent the point blades from moving under the vehicle. The clip holds the point blade and the rail together and the scotch is a block of wood which keeps the other point blade and the other rail apart.

[Train Guard]

Originally Posted by Rail Ranger

Points are clipped and scotched if they are not locked by the signalling system (in this case of course the signalling has not been commissioned). They are clipped and scotched to prevent the point blades from moving under the vehicle. The clip holds the point blade and the rail together and the scotch is a block of wood which keeps the other point blade and the other rail apart.

It's not a fun job. Much better to have a functioning signalling system.

Train Guard

[High-Fi]

Originally Posted by Rail Ranger

Points are clipped and scotched if they are not locked by the signalling system (in this case of course the signalling has not been commissioned). They are clipped and scotched to prevent the point blades from moving under the vehicle. The clip holds the point blade and the rail together and the scotch is a block of wood which keeps the other point blade and the other rail apart.

image hosted on flickr

IMG_1353 by carlf18, on Flickr

Great pictures Martin, Johnny and Vincent.

[dpjones1978]

Nice pics guys, am i the only one that misses the orange and brown round manchester, i wonder what a tram would look like if one got painted into GM Buses livery.

[Ashtonian]

Originally Posted by dpjones1978

Nice pics guys, am i the only one that misses the orange and brown round manchester, i wonder what a tram would look like if one got painted into GM Buses livery.

You're certainly not only one!

I miss the conformity of pte bus liveries. I also miss the blue and grey liveries of British Rail.

[dpjones1978]

TFGM,GMPTE or whatever they called these days, should do a london and put the buses that run around the region of greater manchester into orange and brown;image hosted on flickr

Preserved GM Bus 8697 by 8304(MNC 504W) TE (was jonesy3001), on Flickr
and yes that me in the pink.

[Tramboy]

Originally Posted by mackenziesoley

Cheers guys. Wonder how this will compare! Suppose I'll have to wait a few years for the answer....

image hosted on flickr

Metrolink 2030 by Sparkyscrum, on Flickr

Martin not quite. There's too much space in between Newton Heath and Failsworth. Then again that's my eye for you.

Excellent map! have you thought about adding in the possible Marple tram/train route?, as that will no-doubt be operated by Metrolink, and was in the original plans all those years ago?

Although I wouldn't do the route to stockport via East Didsbury,(too long a Journey) I'd place it off the Marple route & follow the old alignment of the Trans-Pennine trail, Taking in Brinnington, Portwood (for TESCO & the retail park) & then road into Stockport.

apologies for rudely interrupting the flow.

[r02bapurdie]

Is a first time today that I seen tram on the Oldham line saying St Werburgh's Road on it, I was going to take picture of it but it shot off bye the time I got my phone out.

[Johnny de Rivative]

Here's a few shots of the training/testing between Monsall and Central Park :-









Heading for Monsall :-



One down, one up :-







Another one :-









Two :-





Two.

[laser2k]

Although I wouldn't do my route to stockport via East Didsbury,(too long a Journey)

I believe the idea isn't for end-to-end journeys (which are already served by the mainline), but to open up Stockport for shorter journeys. Personally I'd have the Met running as far as Stockport rail station for fully-connected-up-ness (and we're venturing dangerously in the 'Metrolink future' thread territory)

[future.architect]

Great pics, but they need to do something about the flytipping.

[r02bapurdie]

Originally Posted by Johnny de Rivative

Here's a few shots of the training/testing between Monsall and Central Park :-




Heading for Monsall :-

Two.

Good picture at Central Park Johnny I see u took picture of tram saying Oldham Mumps on it and I'm bit surprise they where two trams closes to each other at Central Park, Wonder if we will see Double M5000 trams on Oldham line like we did on Chorlton line when they word testing the trams out or driving training?

[metropolitics]

Originally Posted by dpjones1978

Nice pics guys, am i the only one that misses the orange and brown round manchester, i wonder what a tram would look like if one got painted into GM Buses livery.

I'm not sure of the M5000s in orange and brown, but GMPTE had these illustrations drawn up featuring possible GM-livery trams (other renderings exist):

image hosted on flickr

GMPTE: Proposed Leyland LRV, 1986 by Lady Wulfrun, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Project Light Rail by The Laird of Oldham, on Flickr