New Platform opened at Deansgate-Castlefield

[thenorthern]

Haven't seen this mentioned yet but there is a new platform at Deansgate-Castlefield opened last Wednesday I think.

It means the old northbound platform is now the southbound platform which also form an island platform with a new northbound platform opposite.

It also means that the old 1992 southbound platform built when the stop was called G-Mex is now going to be rebuilt.

Personally I am not impressed with the new station as I find the platform is rather congested and narrow now but I suppose that its only going to be temporary. I would have much preferred them as well to extend the Manchester Airport tram there to terminate at the new platform so that the Airport trams would at least run into the city centre but that's just me.

What does everyone else think of it?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

When all the future platform upgrading works are finally competed, it will only be then that the situation can be fully evaluated. My personal view is that eventually it will be a better interchange stop than Cornbrook, being much nearer the city core and with a heavy rail facility that can be easily accessed.

 

[edwin_m]

Cornbrook is the best interchange between the Altrincham/Airport/Didsbury/Eccles/MCUK lines, because to interchange at Deansgate-Castlefield would involve travelling the distance between them twice. Also as Cornbrook has a spacious island platform it's just a question of walking across it - but a shame it's so draughty on a windy day (but D-C is probably nearly as bad)!

It is possible to interchange between Airport/Didsbury and Altrincham lines at Trafford Bar but that involves going up onto the street and down the other side, and the on-tram announcements give Cornbrook as the place to make this change.

I think when the third platform is finished at D-C, only terminating trams will normally use the middle track alongside the island, so there won't be cross-platform interchange between opposite directions as there is at Cornbrook. Once St Peters Square is rebuilt that will provide good interchange between trams in the same direction and will probably be the recommended place to do so.

 

[thenorthern]

I know Cornbrook its a good interchange and it would involve doubling back but for now if they had built platform 3 at Deansgate-Castlefield for terminating trams from Manchester Airport and kept platform 1 open for a bit longer it would allow trams from Manchester Airport to reach the city centre as Cornbrook to me is quite far out from the city centre.

Isn't it weird as well how 9 years ago Cornbrook was an interchange only stop with no passenger access and since then its grown to be the most important stop on the whole Metrolink based on the number of trams stopping there and routes serving it.

 

[edwin_m]

I know Cornbrook its a good interchange and it would involve doubling back but for now if they had built platform 3 at Deansgate-Castlefield for terminating trams from Manchester Airport and kept platform 1 open for a bit longer it would allow trams from Manchester Airport to reach the city centre as Cornbrook to me is quite far out from the city centre.

Isn't it weird as well how 9 years ago Cornbrook was an interchange only stop with no passenger access and since then its grown to be the most important stop on the whole Metrolink based on the number of trams stopping there and routes serving it.

That may be, but looking at the surrounding area I think the number entering/leaving the station would be a tiny fraction of the number interchanging (I did actually leave the station once!).

Once Deansgate-Castlefield is finished they could probably terminate the airport service there, but not very long after that comes the St Peters Square blockade. Would they want to extend the Airport service for such a short period?

For some periods during this blockade they will probably have to have three terminating modes to cope with the number of trams that need turning back:
- Tip out at Cornbrook and reverse via the pocket track to go back into service in the southern platform.
- Reverse in middle platform at D-C
- Tip out in northern platform at D-C, draw forward to crossover on ramp and reverse to go back into service in the southern platform.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

When I made reference to "interchange" at Deansgate-Castlefield, I was referring to interchange with the heavy rail network, which as far as I am aware is not planned for Cornbrook in current plans.

 

[507 001]

I know Cornbrook its a good interchange and it would involve doubling back but for now if they had built platform 3 at Deansgate-Castlefield for terminating trams from Manchester Airport and kept platform 1 open for a bit longer it would allow trams from Manchester Airport to reach the city centre as Cornbrook to me is quite far out from the city centre.

Isn't it weird as well how 9 years ago Cornbrook was an interchange only stop with no passenger access and since then its grown to be the most important stop on the whole Metrolink based on the number of trams stopping there and routes serving it.

The Deansgate rebuild needs to be complete before St. Peter's square closes next year. Keeping the outbound platform open would only extend these works.

To terminate the airport services at Deansgate would require the new layout to be fully completed and signalled anyway. Reversing trams on the current outbound line would reduce capacity considerably.