All Metrolink Services Suspended - Sunday 14 May

[LNW-GW Joint]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39916615

The whole of Greater Manchester's tram network has been shut down because of a control room failure.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said its control room staff had lost visible sight of trams although drivers remain in radio contact.
A TfGM spokeswoman said the communications failure was discovered at about 15:50 BST

First Metrolink tweet was about 1630.
https://twitter.com/MCRMetrolink

 

[WatcherZero]

Not the first time its happened, there was an incident a couple of years ago when workmen accidentally sliced through the data cable just outside the Trafford Control room building.

 

[Crossover]

I don't think it is that long since all comms got dropped on Metrolink

 

[WatcherZero]

Yeah just read same happened a month ago as well, engineers sliced through the network cable.

 

[Greybeard33]

Reportedly the stranded trams have been returning to depot out of service. Not yet known if the system can be fixed in time for the Monday morning peak.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Seems mostly back to normal today, although the Metrolink web site reports delays on the Ashton, Bury and Eccles lines.
From TfGM site:

Tram services to operate as normal on Monday

All tram services are set to operate as normal on Monday morning*following a major technical issue on Sunday which affected the network.
This is not an issue Metrolink has experienced previously. Technicians have worked throughout the evening to identify and fix the issue which is believed to have been caused by a component attached to the Metrolink control network sending out spurious communications, which resulted in the safety system correctly shutting down.
Metrolink runs a closed IT network with high levels of security and there is no indication of any form of hacking or cyber attack which would also result in shutting down the system.
Passengers are advised to check the Metrolink website and Twitter feed for the latest updates but a full service is expected to be running as normal.
Danny Vaughan, Head of Metrolink at TfGM, said: "I'd like to apologise once again for the disruption caused on Sunday and to let people know that we have now identified and fixed the problem.
"We have had a team of technicians working hard to resolve the issue and they have done so.*
"Tomorrow morning*there will be a full service running across all lines and looking ahead we will conduct a review to look at what lessons can be learnt to avoid this type of issue occurring again."