Manchester Metrolink master thread

[WatcherZero]

Any reason why Chorlton has SIX ticket machines on the Manchester platform?

Its expected to be a highly busy station in peaks, already within a week of opening the trams are full on the new line, frequency will be doubled around November.

 

[northwichcat]

already within a week of opening the trams are full on the new line

Really? The new trams are supposed to hold 198 passengers (seated and standing) to be full. The whole idea of the new trams was less seats and more standing room means a greater overall capacity. So are you saying between 8 and 8.40 there's almost 600 passengers using the new service?

Off-peak they're carrying around 20 passengers at most on Chorlton services so even with the new trams having less seats you've got more chance of getting a seat on a new tram on a Chorlton service between Deansgate and Victoria than an old tram running an Altrincham-Bury service, unless the latter is doubled up.

 

[WatcherZero]

Experiencing 50-65% loadings, amazing after such a short period. I think the surprising thing is a dozen or so travelling within the three new stops on most services and many travelling only a single stop, I expected longer before seeing mode-shift over such a short distance.

 

[northwichcat]

amazing after such a short period.

From what I've seen posted elsewhere Metrolink have uncut the bus fares between Chorlton and Manchester by around 1/6th and a tram should be faster than a bus, so it's hardly surprising people are converting. I wouldn't be surprised if some bus routes get axed or truncated in the near future.

 

[tbtc]

From what I've seen posted elsewhere Metrolink have uncut the bus fares between Chorlton and Manchester by around 1/6th and a tram should be faster than a bus, so it's hardly surprising people are converting. I wouldn't be surprised if some bus routes get axed or truncated in the near future.

Bit awkward for Stagecoach in that the trams they are contracted to operate are taking revenue from their profitable bus services.

As I've said before, the "new" lines (rather than the conversion of the Oldham railway) all tend to be on the "Stagecoach" side of Manchester, rather than the "First" side.

 

[northernrail]

Really? The new trams are supposed to hold 198 passengers (seated and standing) to be full. The whole idea of the new trams was less seats and more standing room means a greater overall capacity. So are you saying between 8 and 8.40 there's almost 600 passengers using the new service?

Off-peak they're carrying around 20 passengers at most on Chorlton services so even with the new trams having less seats you've got more chance of getting a seat on a new tram on a Chorlton service between Deansgate and Victoria than an old tram running an Altrincham-Bury service, unless the latter is doubled up.

Well let the 55,000 people who use the system a day answer that

 

[northwichcat]

Well let the 55,000 people who use the system a day answer that

How's that point in anyway related to the post of mine you quoted?

Watcherzero was claiming the new trams running the Chorlton service were full at peak times, so I was pointing out that they were ordered with less seats than the old trams to have a greater standing capacity and consequently a greater total capacity.

 

[radamfi]

Stagecoach have already withdrawn the 46/47 services, probably in anticipation of the start of the Metrolink service to Chorlton.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Stagecoach have already withdrawn the 46/47 services, probably in anticipation of the start of the Metrolink service to Chorlton.

Sorry, I think that clarification needs to be made on this matter. Whilst the b-directional services 46/47 were withdrawn, this was to allow a new larger area to be served by services 42A and 84, both by Stagecoach Manchester, with service 84 being the main service which was extended from its former route to carry on to Reddish (Bulls Head) to meet an increased demand for Monday to Saturday day time journeys.

Service 84 now serves:-
Manchester Piccadilly Gardens
Trafford Bar.....Metrolink Stop
Chorlton Bus Station
Chorlton, Hardy Lane
Chorlton, Arrowfield Road
Southern Cemetery
Withington, St Paul's Church
Didsbury, School Lane
East Didsbury, Parrs Wood....for East Didsbury railway station
Didsbury Road/Mauldeth Road
Heaton Chapel, Wellington Road North....for Heaton Chapel railway station
Reddish, Houldsworth Square
Reddish, Bulls Head.

This newly routed service gives Metrolink passengers from Trafford Bar direct access into the centre of Chorlton (the bus station). It also gives links with both the Styal Line rail services and the Stockport to Manchester line rail services. This was the reason why the changes were made and the new 42A and 84 joint timetable was published by TfGM in the issue dated 1st May 2011 that carries the new TfGM logo at the foot.

There are other services from Southern Cemetery to Manchester such as the 111 service via Ladybarn and services 101, 105 and 109 via Princess Road.

Services 85 and 86 still run from Chorlton to Manchester, Piccadilly Gardens, via Whalley Range.

I think that you will find that Stagecoach Manchester are the main, if not sole, operators of all these services.

 

[northernrail]

How's that point in anyway related to the post of mine you quoted?

Watcherzero was claiming the new trams running the Chorlton service were full at peak times, so I was pointing out that they were ordered with less seats than the old trams to have a greater standing capacity and consequently a greater total capacity.

If that many people use the system a day surely theres over 600 pessengers on the new line.

 

[northwichcat]

If that many people use the system a day surely theres over 600 pessengers on the new line.

I was saying between 8am and 8.40am that around 600 people would need to get a tram to Manchester on the Chorlton line for them to be full i.e. 200 people on one tram (maybe a 08:10 tram), 200 people on the next (08:22 tram) and 200 people on the next (08:34 tram.)

The passenger counts you quote don't mean anything because it's a new service (not replacing a train service) and figures are published annually so we'll have to wait until next year to officially see how successful the new line has been.

 

[185]

My view of the future for Metrolink....

1. Middle cars purchased for all trams, all trams 3-car and infrastructure altered.

2. 2nd City Crossing to start from Cornbrook along the old viaduct, averting a bottleneck.

 

[WatcherZero]

Teatime at St Werburghs, image courtesy of Johnny De Rivative.

 

[snail]

My view of the future for Metrolink....

1. Middle cars purchased for all trams, all trams 3-car and infrastructure altered.

2. 2nd City Crossing to start from Cornbrook along the old viaduct, averting a bottleneck.

Both highly unlikely. Doubling up trams is the realistic option, with service intervals being increased once the line of sight signalling is sorted out.

The crossing from Cornbrook has been considered and thrown out, primarily because the gradient for ramping the track off the viaduct down to ground level at Deansgate is too severe.

 

[WatcherZero]

I think hes refering to the current route but 4 tracking it. The previous plans for this route included three tracking the Gmex ramp from Manchester Central to ground level but they changed their mind and three/four tracked through St Peters Square instead.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The last two dates to attend the Metrolink Second City Crossing exhibitions are:-

Saturday, 23rd July........0900-1800.....Triangle

Tuesday, 2nd August.....0800-1730.....Bridgewater Hall

If any forum members still have not attended, please go and ask any questions of the TfGM staff in attendance.

 

[northernrail]

Are the T68`s allowed on the South Manchester??

 

[northwichcat]

Are the T68's allowed on the South Manchester??

Would imagine so. Both types work on all the other lines, although there are some minor issues with the M500s on the Altrincham line but not so major that they can't be used.

 

[WatcherZero]

They are gauge cleared but wont be used unless they have to. They have also tweaked the track rail head profile to be more favourable to M5000's as opposed to the standard BR profile on the existing lines which T68's love but M5000's dont.

 

[317 forever]

From what I've seen posted elsewhere Metrolink have uncut the bus fares between Chorlton and Manchester by around 1/6th and a tram should be faster than a bus, so it's hardly surprising people are converting. I wouldn't be surprised if some bus routes get axed or truncated in the near future.

Do any bus routes serve the new Chorlton or St Werburghs Road stops directly?

 

[futureA]

Do any bus routes serve the new Chorlton or St Werburghs Road stops directly?

The best bus direct to Chorlton Station to/from the city centre is the 85, you can also get the 168 from Ashton.

St Werburghs road is a quiet residential street which buses do not run down, but it is not far to walk to the main bus routes from this stop.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

St Werburghs road is a quiet residential street which buses do not run down, but it is not far to walk to the main bus routes from this stop.

The main road at the head of St.Werburghs Road is Wilbraham Road (A6010) and there are three main bus routes that use that road:-
16....Altrincham to Manchester
85....Chorlton to Manchester
168..Chorlton to Ashton under Lyne

 

[317 forever]

Thank you both for your feedback. I know routes 85 (admittedly not as well as route 86!) and 168 so can easily ride either when I ride the new Metrolink extension.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In the August 2011 edition of Modern Railways on page 7, there is a full-page news update on the new extensions, with photographs of the new trams at both Firswood and St Werburghs Road stations.

 

[northernrail]

According to British Trams Online 1018 is under Repair at Old Trafford Depot, could this be the first T68 to Old Trafford Depot???

 

[WatcherZero]

I think its mainly there to free up space at Queens Road, day to day operations are still based out of there at the moment.

 

[northernrail]

3017 (Or 18 i forget) is still at Queens Road.
Anyone know why

 

[185]

According to this, Manchester Metrolink may be older than we think.....

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/news/index.asp?id=458

(that may be a typo)

 

[northwichcat]

According to this, Manchester Metrolink may be older than we think.....

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/news/index.asp?id=458

(that may be a typo)

And there was me thinking that CERN only developed a global computer network in the 1980s, never the world wide web.

 

[WatcherZero]

Its a search parameter, all articles from the last century to the present day.