Manchester Metrolink Speedrun

[pokemonsuper9]

I'm planning to attempt to travel the entire Manchester Metrolink network on Saturday.
According to the transitruns website (https://www.transitruns.org/manchester/) and some searching, I haven't been able to find video of any times better than the 06:25:27 by Goran Newsum with video evidence.

My planned route is:

Boarding	Time	Dur	Time	Disembark	change
Altrincham	10:06	00:17	10:23	Trafford Bar	00:02
Trafford Bar	10:25	00:14	10:39	East Didsbury	00:08
EDY	10:47	00:10	10:57	MIA	00:10
Airport	11:07	00:45	11:52	Cornbrook	00:04
Cornbrook	11:56	00:17	12:13	Trafford	00:02
Trafford	12:15	00:15	12:30	Eccles	00:04
Eccles	12:34	00:09	12:43	Brodway	00:06
MediaCityUK	12:49	00:16	13:05	Deansagate	00:02
Deansagate	13:07	01:01	14:08	Rochdale	00:04
Rochdale	14:12	00:39	14:51	Bury	00:04
Bury	14:55	00:33	15:28	Market St	00:01
Picc Gardens	15:29	00:33	16:02	Ashton

It certainly has some tight connections, particularly at The Trafford Centre, where I have to do 300 metres in 2 minutes, and right at the end, with 1 minute to run from Market Street to Piccadilly Gardens. Should be a final time of 5h 56m.
I expect something to go wrong, but I can miss up to 2 12 minute cycles and still get the record.

Have any of you done this run (if so, what's your time)?

 

[Haywain]

particularly at The Trafford Centre, where I have to do 300 metres in 2 minutes,

Are the platforms at Trafford Centre that far apart, or am I missing something?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Are the platforms at Trafford Centre that far apart, or am I missing something?

From the tram stop to the bus station for the connection to Eccles.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Are the platforms at Trafford Centre that far apart, or am I missing something?

Indeed. It's an island platform at the end of the line. Only need to make a dash if catching a bus from the nearby Trafford Centre bus station to Eccles Interchange. So, is getting the bus cheating?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Indeed. It's an island platform at the end of the line. Only need to dash if catching a bus from the nearby Trafford Centre bus station to Eccles Interchange. So, is getting the bus "cheating"?

No, I'm working on the rules of the transitruns site, which is generally the same as the tube challenge and similar.
The connections are East Disbury - Manchester Airport by train, Trafford - Eccles by bus, and Bury - Rochdale by bus.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Not going too well so far, missed connection at Trafford (tram got delayed for a ticket check), then an Eccles tram was cancelled, then a MediaCity tram was cancelled, and then a points issue near Harbour City, and missing a connection at Victoria.
About an hour behind schedule

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Ended up as 07:05:02.
3rd place.
Planning to attempt again some time next week.
Weekdays should probably go a bit better (they'll be quieter) but it costs more becuase peak time (not during the run, but to get to/from it).

 

[Paul AC]

Just seen this, and not surprised about the failure at Trafford Bar, it's a long walk/run between the two platforms via the street!

Perhaps worth noting that MediaCityUK and Imperial War Museum are only a few minutes walk apart over the Ship Canal (you can see them from each other), but I suspect that is of no help.

By doing it on a Saturday mid-day you can't do the curve between MediaCityUK and Broadway, but I assume this 'challenge' is "all stops", not "all routes" which is of course harder. Trams start to use this curve at about 18:30 on a Saturday (later on a weekday) but of course the general service frequency is falling at the same time. I've now noticed you're not covering the curve between Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens anyway.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Just seen this, and not surprised about the failure at Trafford Bar, it's a long walk/run between the two platforms via the street!

Trafford Bar wasn't the problem, The Trafford Centre was.
Tafford Bar did suprise me a bit at the length, but since I was running a bit early I didn't run.
It's only 110 metres so should be do-able in 30 seconds.

By doing it on a Saturday mid-day you can't do the curve between MediaCityUK and Broadway,

Yes, except for some reason an Eccles tram did get sent round that curve when no MediaCity tram showed up for a while. I wish I'd known since I've not used that curve.

, but I assume this 'challenge' is "all stops", not "all routes" which is of course harder.

Yes it's all 99 stops (like the tube challenge).
If it was all routes then you'd need to cover all sides of the delta junction.
all regularly used track and you'd need to do the whole challenge in reverse, as well as things like Airport trams at Victoria to use platform B/C, and getting the lesser used terminus platforms, might not even be possible.

Trams start to use this curve at about 18:30 on a Saturday (later on a weekday) but of course the general service frequency is falling at the same time.

In those terms its not actually that much of an issue.
But with the timetable it doesn't actually save any time, since it's still a ~3-4 min deviation compared to 6 minutes from the tram, meaning you make the same connection for the 2CC if doing it towards Manchester.



My legs (the back muscles at the bottom) are hurting a bit this morning when walking.
Putting together the evidence to get it on the leaderboard, even though it's 3rd place.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Trying again today!
Cost me a bit more because I've had to get an anytime ticket into Manchester (and depending on the final time, will probably need one to get home too), but there shouldn't be any big events (the run itself is during off-peak) causing issues like football did last time.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Started ~3 minutes early due to delays (the intended 10:06 is running at least 4 mins late)

 

[pokemonsuper9]

At Eccles now, barely made the connection at East Didsbury and at the Trafford Centre.
There was a broken down tram on the Rochdale line but it looks to be fixed now with some delays.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

By the time I was in the City Centre there was no Rochdale tram any time soon, so I'm headed up to Bury first.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

And the record is mine!
6 hours, 23 minutes and 40 seconds.

 

[Topological]

And the record is mine!
6 hours, 23 minutes and 40 seconds.

Many congratulations.

Though it sounds like it can be beaten...

Would be awkward if they open a Port Salford extension though.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Though it sounds like it can be beaten...

It absolutely can.
The best time I managed to route was a 5:56.

On this run I lost time to
- Starting 3 minutes early due to the planned starting tram running late
- Doing 1CC and Bury before Rochdale (loses time due to buses)
- Missing a tight (potentially impossible?) connection from Exchange Square to Picc Gardens.