Metrolink Trafford Park line to Deansgate

[py_megapixel]

Manchester Metrolink appears to have quietly extended services on the Trafford Park line one stop inwards from their previous terminus at Cornbrook through to Deansgate-Castlefield. This makes sense to me as an outsider - terminating trams were already heading some distance in that direction in order to use the reversing siding, so if the capacity is there, they might as well go through to the centre platform at Deansgate, providing some extra connectivity with the city centre and an interchange with national rail (and finally giving that new platform a purpose!).

When I say quietly, I do mean extremely quietly. There appears to have been zero media coverage - in fact, very little publicity at all. The official network map hasn't even been updated to reflect this; seemingly the one of the only ways you can find out without physically going to a stop and looking at the destinations of the trams is to search for the first and last tram times for a journey from Trafford Centre to Deansgate on the TfGM website and observe that it says "direct". I assume this obscurity is somewhat deliberate, with the aim being to avoid backlash if they have to make a short-notice decision to go back to terminating at Cornbrook.

When did this start, is this a permanent change, and is the ambition still ultimately to run services through the city centre to Crumpsall?

 

[507020]

I assume this started following the infrastructure failure at Piccadilly Gardens last year, which resulted in no trams between Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter’s Square for most of October and November. During this period of closure services from Ashton-under-Lyne did use the new turnback at Crumpsall. Apparently the delays to the track renewals were the fault of the army!

I took this picture of the works ongoing on 25 November (an RMT strike day I believe) and apparently the line reopened on 30 November, so this is the most likely date for the extension, but it was early December before I noticed. I actually asked some Metrolink staff at when the service was extended and they insisted that it hadn’t been and that Trafford Centre services have always run through to Deansgate-Castlefield since the line opened in 2020, which is obviously not the case.

Really an appalling lack of transparency from TfGM on both the extension to Deansgate-Castlefield, the further extension to Crumpsall and whether this will run via Market Street or Exchange Square (I would prefer the latter) if you ask me.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Probably one that @507 001 will be able to advise upon.

 

[Greybeard33]

Manchester Metrolink appears to have quietly extended services on the Trafford Park line one stop inwards from their previous terminus at Cornbrook through to Deansgate-Castlefield. This makes sense to me as an outsider - terminating trams were already heading some distance in that direction in order to use the reversing siding, so if the capacity is there, they might as well go through to the centre platform at Deansgate, providing some extra connectivity with the city centre and an interchange with national rail (and finally giving that new platform a purpose!).

When I say quietly, I do mean extremely quietly. There appears to have been zero media coverage - in fact, very little publicity at all. The official network map hasn't even been updated to reflect this; seemingly the one of the only ways you can find out without physically going to a stop and looking at the destinations of the trams is to search for the first and last tram times for a journey from Trafford Centre to Deansgate on the TfGM website and observe that it says "direct". I assume this obscurity is somewhat deliberate, with the aim being to avoid backlash if they have to make a short-notice decision to go back to terminating at Cornbrook.

When did this start, is this a permanent change, and is the ambition still ultimately to run services through the city centre to Crumpsall?

On 30 November 2022 it was reported on the SSC forums that the Trafford Centre trams had been extended from Cornbrook to Deansgate-Castlefield that morning. There was no publicity other than updating the online Live Departures and First/Last Tram Times information.

I believe it is still intended to extend the service to Crumpsall, once sufficient trained drivers are available.

 

[Starmill]

It may have been to help with Christmas shopping, which I reckon it probably did a bit. That may explain why it was "silent" so to speak, in case it reverted. Equally I've nothing written to back this up so it could be anything.

As Greybeard33 suggests above it should be going through the city centre proper in due course; I don't think any date has been given.

 

[507 001]

There was a slight timetable change in November which allowed us to revert back to the practice of running them to DCF. The difference being that this time they do so in service.

It is still the intention to run through to CRP, but nobody knows exactly when it’ll happen due to staffing issues. I have, however, just filmed the route learning videos for it.

 

[py_megapixel]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Out of interest has it been decided which route they will take through the city centre? I'd been assuming second city crossing (i.e. via Exchange Square) as Moseley Street is already quite busy, but I suppose that doesn't necessarily follow.

 

[507 001]

Out of interest has it been decided which route they will take through the city centre? I'd been assuming second city crossing (i.e. via Exchange Square) as Moseley Street is already quite busy, but I suppose that doesn't necessarily follow.

Nobody seems to know yet (so I’ve filmed it both ways).

It should, logically, be 2CC.

 

[markymark2000]

May be a strange question but why would you have to do route learning videos for the extension? Drivers will already be trained beyond Deansgate as they will need that knowledge for the other routes. The scenery and track layout doesn't change along the 2CC if you're on the East Didsbury to Rochdale or the Trafford Centre to Crumpsall line so why make route learning videos for it? It literally just follows existing lines. The only bit which is different to anyone could be Crumpsall.

 

[Vespa]

I assume this started following the infrastructure failure at Piccadilly Gardens last year, which resulted in no trams between Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter’s Square for most of October and November. During this period of closure services from Ashton-under-Lyne did use the new turnback at Crumpsall. Apparently the delays to the track renewals were the fault of the army!

I took this picture of the works ongoing on 25 November (an RMT strike day I believe) and apparently the line reopened on 30 November, so this is the most likely date for the extension, but it was early December before I noticed. I actually asked some Metrolink staff at when the service was extended and they insisted that it hadn’t been and that Trafford Centre services have always run through to Deansgate-Castlefield since the line opened in 2020, which is obviously not the case.

Really an appalling lack of transparency from TfGM on both the extension to Deansgate-Castlefield, the further extension to Crumpsall and whether this will run via Market Street or Exchange Square (I would prefer the latter) if you ask me.

Did they replace the track simply by pulling it out of a pre prepared grove in the concrete slab and drop the new one in and rubber seal it to prevent earth leakage ?

I remembered when they first laid the concrete slab there were grooves moulded for sit tracks in, it would make sense to have less digging out, alignments and track gauge retained.

It would mean a quicker change over tracks and less disruption.

 

[507 001]

May be a strange question but why would you have to do route learning videos for the extension? Drivers will already be trained beyond Deansgate as they will need that knowledge for the other routes. The scenery and track layout doesn't change along the 2CC if you're on the East Didsbury to Rochdale or the Trafford Centre to Crumpsall line so why make route learning videos for it? It literally just follows existing lines. The only bit which is different to anyone could be Crumpsall.

Yes you're right in that the route knowledge already theoretically exists, but we have a full library of route learning videos of every route we do. It's mostly for new drivers to learn the core routes, but having the extra does no harm.

 

[ian1944]

I don't have the reference, but someone used to do a regular FoI request to Metrolink to obtain the full working timetable for each route. If this is still available, would it make a distinction between a passenger-carrying movement and one for placement purposes?