TRANSPORT | Metrolink ‎Extension

[Joseph_Locke]

Originally Posted by future.architect

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

I heartily recommend shooting 10% of the local residents and displaying the corpses as a warning to others. This may seem extreme, but nothing else has ever worked.

(and if you haven't been narrowly missed by a scooter (petrol, running) thrown over a bridge parapet, then you may not understand my frustration ...)

[LNGCats]

Being reported elsewhere that TMS is to be used for the Irk Valley junction.

Is that correct? I thought it was going to be an old block signalling solution until TMS was working?

[martin2345uk]

Elsewhere?? There is no such place Kurt! Where be this elsewhere you speak of?

[Johnny de Rivative]

Originally Posted by laser2k

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)

Me too, laser. Stockport has good rail links North<>South, but very poor East<>West. It would also connect, say Marple/Stockport to Didsbury, Chorlton, Trafford, and the Cornbrook interchange possibilities to Media City, Quays, Eccles, Port Salford, etc.

# No reason why they shouldn't test doubles North of Victoria ro2, then after that I guess it will have to wait for Mosley St to close. (Unless . . .they decided to close it anyway without the promised Altrincham Indicator, until TMS comes along - now there's a naughty suggestion! But it sounds like the lack of info wouldn't be much different to what people are complaining about now, in this transitional phase . . .)

Double bananas :-

And when it finally arrived with a bang, it was a double whammy on 8th June 2011 !! :-



To date, these remain some of the very few pictures of a double banana in action! :-

I didn't expect to wait another 12 months before seeing this again!! The second one drew up behind the first at Central Park, so obviously there's no problem about that.

However, I was at South Chaddeh to-day, and the guy was very helpful with info, e.g.

• It is currently taking 17-18 mins from the Smedley to Mumps, although they are nowhere near line speed as yet;
• The points are still being changed manually on the Smed, but the crossover points at Mumps have been commissioned and are now being operated remotely by the controller at Queen's Road;
• The PIDs are working correctly but are slightly 'optimistic' due to the trainee drivers not being up to line speed;
• The 'brand new' drivers go slower than experienced ones who are just doing route learning;
• The training is being done in two shifts, 0600-1400 and 1400-2200. So NB photographers there may sometimes be a gap in trams passing around 2 pm!
• It's going well in general and they are hoping, all being well, possibly, probably, subject to exigencies and eventualities, for public service early June. That is, so long as nothing happens, and all being well. . . .

[martin2345uk]

Ballasting going well on the long straight stretch twixt Werby's and Withington

Then:



Now:



Love the little engine they use!

[LNGCats]

Originally Posted by martin2345uk

Elsewhere?? There is no such place Kurt! Where be this elsewhere you speak of?

The secret place where you need to hop on one leg and show your left nipple to get in.

Ask Dean

[Freel07]

Originally Posted by LNGCats

Being reported elsewhere that TMS is to be used for the Irk Valley junction.

Is that correct? I thought it was going to be an old block signalling solution until TMS was working?

TMS is not being used at Irk Valley, it uses a modified block signalling solution to link with the Bury Line signalling until TMS is commissioned right through from Victoria.

[LNGCats]

Originally Posted by Freel07

TMS is not being used at Irk Valley, it uses a modified block signalling solution to link with the Bury Line signalling until TMS is commissioned right through from Victoria.

Thanks, thought so.

[apologiesforthedelay]

Apologies if I have missed an update but.....Martin, have they connected up St Werby's to the rest of the Didsbury line yet?

[martin2345uk]

Originally Posted by apologiesforthedelay

Apologies if I have missed an update but.....Martin, have they connected up St Werby's to the rest of the Didsbury line yet?

Nope! Still gaps in both tracks, one 2 inches and one about 7 feet!

[BoyamIjealous]

Originally Posted by loweskid

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

Fabulous danglers! And great shots of all the action.

[BoyamIjealous]

Originally Posted by Johnny de Rivative

However, I was at South Chaddeh to-day, and the guy was very helpful with info, e.g.

• It's going well in general and they are hoping, all being well, possibly, probably, subject to exigencies and eventualities, for public service early June. That is, so long as nothing happens, and all being well. . . .

Has that guy considered a career in politics? Great news, and great pics.

[r02bapurdie]

Originally Posted by Johnny de Rivative

Me too, laser. Stockport has good rail links North<>South, but very poor East<>West. It would also connect, say Marple/Stockport to Didsbury, Chorlton, Trafford, and the Cornbrook interchange possibilities to Media City, Quays, Eccles, Port Salford, etc.

• It is currently taking 17-18 mins from the Smedley to Mumps, although they are nowhere near line speed as yet;
  
• The 'brand new' drivers go slower than experienced ones who are just doing route learning;
• The training is being done in two shifts, 0600-1400 and 1400-2200. So NB photographers there may sometimes be a gap in trams passing around 2 pm!
• It's going well in general and they are hoping, all being well, possibly, probably, subject to exigencies and eventualities, for public service early June. That is, so long as nothing happens, and all being well. . . .

Thanks for info Johnny, So 7th June is look good then also I have notice today that some trams have been going slower up to Mumps that probably why, I have notice they start early but I will't say they finish at 10pm is more likely 9pm or bit early but aleast everything looking good on the Oldham line.

[Johnny de Rivative]

Well no-one mentioned the 7th ro2? It could be December 8th, like Paris have already announced, but for Oldham they may be hoping for early June.

Possibly . . . . (but not definitely!)

I regret to say that one of the trams was showing the display "St Werburgh's Road via Victoria".

This is fine on the PIDs, for ease of geography or unfamiliarity, but if we are to have trams swanning all around town with lots of complicated information on the front, pretty soon I fear it will all look very messy and amateurish.

Keep it simple!







Viaducts are not all that snapper-friendly when you can't get up there, but we do what we can! :-





I'm surprised the lift-shaft isn't brick clad as at Firswood, given the amount of closely adjacent brick-built property, and including quite a bit of brand new stuff :-

[mackenziesoley]

Originally Posted by Johnny de Rivative

Well no-one mentioned the 7th ro2? It could be December 8th, like Paris have already announced, but for Oldham they may be hoping for early June.

Possibly . . . . (but not definitely!)

I regret to say that one of the trams was showing the display "St Werburgh's Road via Victoria".

This is fine on the PIDs, for ease of geography or unfamiliarity, but if we are to have trams swanning all around town with lots of complicated information on the front, pretty soon I fear it will all look very messy and amateurish.

Keep it simple!

Viaducts are not all that snapper-friendly when you can't get up there, but we do what we can! :-

Wow those last few with the owl are amazing. Thanks for sharing!

[mackenziesoley]

Originally Posted by Tramboy

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.

Thanks. Currently not looking at adding the train-trains as not sure where to put them across in the city centre. Been far to busy working on maps for Oldham.

However a current network style map with the original service plans is in the offing.

[dpjones1978]

Originally Posted by metropolitics

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

That livery would of been perfect on the T68s.

[mackenziesoley]

Originally Posted by metropolitics

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):


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

Looks more like a trolley bus than a tram!

[fallowfield_fergy]

Morning folks,

First of all, wonderful pictures of both SML and Oldham Loop, thanks as always for publishing.

Rail Magazine landed on my doormat yesterday morning and there were two small pieces on the Metrolink extensions. Neither will expand the collective body of knowledge that much but in the name of free discourse:



Droylesden: Continued problems with the high-tech management system may delay the opening of Metrolink's new East Manchester extension until at least the autumn, although trams could run to the Ethiad Statium on match days.

And the second piece:

Driver training starts at Oldham Driver training started on May 5 on the newest section of Manchester's Metrolink network - the extension to Rochdale Town Centre, including the temporary line that runs south of Oldham town centre.

Construction is substantially complete along the route as far as Oldham Mumps, with former railway buildings demolished and replaced by new structures.

The 14-mile extension to Oldham and Rochdale will leave the Bury Metrolink line just outside the city centre, and run along the abandoned railway corridor to Central Park in east Manchester. There it will join the former Oldham Loop rail line between Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale.

Oldham Mumps will see an integrated Metrolink and bus interchange built, along with a new park and ride site. Once complete in 2014, the temporary section of the line will be decommissioned.

Transport for Greater Manchester spokesman Joanne Shepherd hinted that a mid-Summer opening of the line is possible.



So, there we have it. The unalloyed truth, guaranteed to be correct in every detail.

Neil

[Backwater]

Originally Posted by fallowfield_fergy

So, there we have it. The unalloyed truth, guaranteed to be correct in every detail.

Lol. LIAR is always right!