Manchester Metrolink (Non speculative discussion)

[Rail Ranger]

So it looks like we may have to wait until after the autumn blockade before the TSRs will be removed? Although there are blockades between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield on Sunday 9th August until 2pm and Sunday 6th September until 11am.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Went from altrincham to st peter’s square today. There are still 6 ‘temporary’ speed restrictions. Three weeks of closure doesn’t appear to have done anything outside of the dive under before cornbrook. Even the corner that’s had repairs after deansgate is still a painful 4mph

Have they removed any of the grafitti in the area of the diver-unde?r

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Have they removed any of the grafitti in the area of the diver-unde?r

Looks like it's been over-painted grey, this based upon the pics accompanying the news report on the BBC website earlier today.

 

[treasury brain]

Looks like it's been over-painted grey, this based upon the pics accompanying the news report on the BBC website earlier today.

Can confirm

 

[Kite159]

Looks like it's been over-painted grey, this based upon the pics accompanying the news report on the BBC website earlier today.

How long will it last though?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How long will it last though?

Suppose it's now a 'blank canvas' for those of an artistic bent.

 

[507 001]

I am currently travelling from Bury to Victoria.

I am staggered at the amount of temporary speed restrictions we have encountered we are easily over 10 before Crumpsall.

It seems line condition in some places and almost almost every cast iron bridge has a TSR of 20mph.


Is it me or this unusual? it seems to be having a massive affect on journey time. I imagine energy use will be increased with the braking and acceleration.

is work planned to deal with these TSRs? It feels an absolute stagger

It’s mostly down to rail conditions, nothing to do with the bridges. There’s an ongoing programme of rerailing going on but it takes time.

Went from altrincham to st peter’s square today. There are still 6 ‘temporary’ speed restrictions. Three weeks of closure doesn’t appear to have done anything outside of the dive under before cornbrook. Even the corner that’s had repairs after deansgate is still a painful 4mph

Most of those restrictions will be lifted in the coming days as things bed in. I don’t think the 4mph TSR will be lifted though as I’m fairly certain that’s waiting for a much bigger project to be completed.

 

[Tim33160]

Deansgate-Castlefield & Trafford Bar works - Sunday 9 August to 2pm

https://tfgm.com/tram-improvement-works

Oldham-Rochdale line

follow-up work at Newton Heath and Monsall and Track renewal works will take place between Oldham Mumps and Derker and site surveys at Beal Lane.

• On Sat 15 and Su 16 Aug only (no trams will operate between Victoria and Rochdale Town Centre).

• From Mon 17 to Fri 28 August (no trams will run between Oldham Mumps and Rochdale Town Centre).


Further follow-up work is also planned between Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar for one day on Su 6 Sept. Work begins from start of service to 2pm.

A second phase of track replacement work will take place between Mon 19 Oct and Su 1 Nov, with normal services due to resume from Mon 2 Nov. (hopefully in school holidays when replacement buses available ???) https://tfgm.com/tram-improvement-works#October

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

When all these remedial works this summer have finally been completed, what will be their life expectancy until renewal time again?

 

[edwin_m]

When all these remedial works this summer have finally been completed, what will be their life expectancy until renewal time again?

Guessing this is the first renewal in Oldham since the converted line opened in 2012, so this track has lasted about 14 years. It will be shorter on other routes with more frequent service. It looks like they are renewing the tight curve onto the old railway alignment at Mumps (since this prevents reversal at Mumps itself), but not clear if they are also renewing the relatively straight track onwards towards Derker which ought to last longer than the curve.

 

[TheSmiths82]

I went a tram for the first time yesterday. It is smoother and I am sure it is now a little bit faster, the extreme slowness near Cornbrook for the entire length but it still slowed down to a crawl at places. I would say it was around 2 minutes quicker from Deansgate to Trafford Bar.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How long will it last though?

Not that long. The first lot of decorative 'artwork' is now adorning the wall of the Manchester-Warrington Central rail line underpass.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Not that long. The first lot of decorative 'artwork' is now adorning the wall of the Manchester-Warrington Central rail line underpass.

How many railway by-laws are contravened by these intruders?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Where on the Metrolink network are there still 5 m.p.h. temporary speed restrictions in place, and when is expected that all these various TSRs are likely to be fixed? This year? Longer than that?

 

[Tim33160]

Where on the Metrolink network are there still 5 m.p.h. temporary speed restrictions in place, and when is expected that all these various TSRs are likely to be fixed? This year? Longer than that?

Approach to Cornbrook from Trafford Bar / Eccles now has a 5mph limit
4mph from Deansgate Castlefield going round the bend onto the down ramp - still in place

Presume these will be fixed in the two week shutdown at the end of October?

Further follow-up work is also planned between Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar for one day on Su 6 Sept. Work begins from start of service to 2pm.

A second phase of track replacement work will take place between Mon 19 Oct and Su 1 Nov, with normal services due to resume from Mon 2 Nov. (hopefully in school holidays when replacement buses available ???) https://tfgm.com/tram-improvement-works#October

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is there nothing that can be done to stop kids riding bicycles on the Metrolink platforms at Wythenshawe Town Centre?

 

[AlastairFraser]

Is there nothing that can be done to stop kids riding bicycles on the Metrolink platforms at Wythenshawe Town Centre?

Have you ever reported this personally to TfGM?
I guess they could send some of the security types that hang around Victoria to Wythenshawe, but they support revenue operations around that area, so I'm not sure how willing they'd be to do this.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Have you ever reported this personally to TfGM?
I guess they could send some of the security types that hang around Victoria to Wythenshawe, but they support revenue operations around that area, so I'm not sure how willing they'd be to do this.

There are TfGM staff in their offices at Wythenshawe Interchange who see this happening, but are they only responsible for the bus operations at the interchange only and not for what happens on the adjacent tram platforms at Wythenshawe Town Centre Metrolink stop?

 

[AlastairFraser]

There are TfGM staff in their offices at Wythenshawe Interchange who see this happening, but are they only responsible for the bus operations at the interchange only and not for what happens on the adjacent tram platforms at Wythenshawe Town Centre Metrolink stop?

I would clarify this directly with TfGM.

 

[py_megapixel]

The statement on TfGM's website about the 5tph base frequency being restored from the autumn has disappeared. It now says, very vaguely, "work is ongoing to return to a 12/6-minute frequency in the future."

So presumably this means, contrary to what was originally promised, we'll stuck with 4tph for quite a while yet.

On the plus side, the Media City terminators are back from the start of next week. This at least means there are no longer any stops that have been cut from 10tph to 4tph!

Tram service frequency

tfgm.com

 

[Rail Ranger]

Bury services run through to Ashton from Monday 14th September and Eccles and Media City services start from Piccadilly station. Apparently this timetable (still with the 15-minute basic frequency) runs through to the end of the calendar year.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Bury services run through to Ashton from Monday 14th September

That will enable me to directly visit my two favourite Greater Manchester markets without changing en route between them as from today.

 

[Tim33160]

"From Mon 19 Oct to Su 1 November, tram improvement works will take place at Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar. During this time, additional works will take place in the city centre, allowing us to reduce further closures of the tram network.

The following changes will be in place across the network:

No trams will operate on the Eccles, Trafford Centre and Altrincham lines
Services operating on the East Didsbury/Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood.
Services operating on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square."

Deansgate-Castlefield & Trafford Bar - Tram improvement works | Bee Network | Powered by TfGM


As it still when schools are in, a lack of available buses means NO REPLACEMENT BUSES for ALTRINCHAM, NAVIGATION RD, TIMPERLEY or DANE RD – passengers to use increased 263s ! or the hrly Train via Stockport to Piccadilly

Also NO REPLACEMENT BUSES ON ECCLES – MEDIA CITY. No extra buses shown on 33 etc.
No replacement buses will serve CORNBROOK either – use 255 or walk to 250 263