Oldham Loop

[142001]

Hey guys. I use the Oldham Loop line almost daily for my college run. I heard on the grape vine that the track could be being lifted in preparation for the conversion to Metrolink as early as December. Does anyone have any idea if there is any truth in this?

 

[Nick W]

I am aware that the contract for the works has been awarded and will try to find out the start date.

 

[142001]

I am aware that the contract for the works has been awarded and will try to find out the start date.

Thanks mate. I'd have thought they wouldn't start work during the holiday season, considering the ammount of extra passengers there will be, and the weather will be awful (then again, it usually is up here...)
If I had it my way, I'd suggest they raise the gantries first, which would disrupt services to a much lesser extent and then when passengers are sparse, replace the rails. I love the Oldham line, fishplate jointed track is music to my ears!

 

[Mojo]

From GMPTE (http://www.gmpte.com/content.cfm?subcategory_id=6029059)

Construction work on the Oldham and Rochdale line is due to start in early 2009. Trains will stop operating on the line in autumn 2009. The new Metrolink line will then open as far as Central Park in spring 2011, Oldham Mumps in autumn 2011 and Rochdale in spring 2012.

So it's not due to close for at least another year now.

 

[142001]

From GMPTE (http://www.gmpte.com/content.cfm?subcategory_id=6029059)
So it's not due to close for at least another year now.

Heh, they've been saying things like that for about fifteen years now. However, things do seem a bit more serious.
Ah well, it seems after a year of rail travel, I'll be relegated to the bus again:cry:

 

[driver9000]

I recall a notice saying the 'heavy rail' service ends in October 2009

 

[1D53]

Diagrams will become self contained from December with closure between October and December 09.

 

[142001]

Will anyone else here be disappointed to see the line move over to Mass Transit? I for one will, the jointed rails are lovely to relaxe to on the journey home from a long day at college (yes, even on a Pacer!) But it's not just that, I read that some stations will indeed be demolished, Oldham Mumps being one of them. Now, Mumps is in an awful state, I've seen cleaner public toilets, but the point is the original buildings are there, and I do feel they should be preserved in some way, though there is no doubt that they won't be
The line's lovely semaphor signals will also be disappearing, and probably a lot of the infrastructure surrounding the line as well. Finally, the sheer atmosphere it holds will also disappear.
Although, from what I gather, at least some of the old Miles Platting Avoiding Line is being reopened, so it's not all bad news, eh?

 

[LilLoaf]

Who's bright idea was it to make that part of the tram line. It'll take ages on a tram and it'll be a lot less fun.

I've only used the Oldham loop once and thought it was great. I will have to have a few more trips on it before they close it.

 

[furryfeet]

why on earth is it taking so long to convert ?

the bury line was shut for 9 months when it was converted to a tram system. this drove people away.

Surely people are going to use cars instead and keep using them once the tramway is eventually opened ?

 

[adamp]

Im gutted at the conversion! Means our school cant do the christmas train anymore

I plan for this year to ask for a cab ride...if teachers are present maybe they will let me haha doubt it.

However the loop is in a mess, especially when on a pacer.

-Adam

 

[Techniquest]

I did the Oldham loop yonks ago in early 2007 (or something like that, I've got the date somewhere). I had the extreme unfortunateness (I know it's not a real word) to have a 142 to Shaw and Crompton from Manchester Victoria on an all-stopper. At one point we had really bad flange squealing, it hurt my ears somewhat. The slow acceleration and horrible noise, not to mention the not-too-good seats of an ex-FNW set, drove me nuts. Not even the rhythms of jointed track helped me enjoy the journey (and I usually enjoy the jointed track sounds).

So basically I'll be glad to see the rails ripped up and the Metrolink lot put up instead. Although I hope they have a refurbishment of the Metrolink trams, they're dreadfully uncomfortable and that noise they make when the doors close got on my nerves when I did a Victoria to Piccadilly leap last.

Bring on the end of the loop if you ask me!

 

[Mojo]

Yep, DMUs aren't the most efficient way of transporting numbers of people and at present the service to some of the stations is pretty infrequent. Sure you'll lose out on some of the fast trains, but in this day and age of City traffic congestion we need to attract as many people as possible and modern electric vehicles, running to a high frequency with more stations is the way to do it in my opinion!

 

[Nick W]

I did the Oldham loop yonks ago in early 2007 (or something like that, I've got the date somewhere). I had the extreme unfortunateness (I know it's not a real word) to have a 142 to Shaw and Crompton from Manchester Victoria on an all-stopper.

This happened to use a few weeks ago. We missed the first Oldham stop we wanted to get off had and had to pay for 2 taxis!

Why on earth is it taking so long to convert ?

Probably because firstly the whole line will have to be inspected to make sure all the earthworks aren't about to collapse, and rectificaitons made. As part of this they will need to know about the foundations that they are shoving supports into. Then of course they actually have to put the supports and the rest of the OHLE into the foundations of the track, which will take a lot of time. They'll have to build substations and wire it all up. Then comes the signalling systems. Hopefully they will also do up the stations and install displays. Finally they've got to test the line.

 

[theblackwatch]

Probably because firstly the whole line will have to be inspected to make sure all the earthworks aren't about to collapse, and rectificaitons made. As part of this they will need to know about the foundations that they are shoving supports into. Then of course they actually have to put the supports and the rest of the OHLE into the foundations of the track, which will take a lot of time. They'll have to build substations and wire it all up. Then comes the signalling systems. Hopefully they will also do up the stations and install displays. Finally they've got to test the line.

When the Bury & Altrincham lines were converted to Metrolink, they were converted within a matter of months - the Bury line, although electrified, was 3rd rail so needed full construction of the overhead system. For two years, commuters on the line are going to have to suffer an inferior/no service. I have one friend who commutes into Manchester on the line, he is likely to be buying a motorbike to get to work. I'm sure a lot of others will do similar. Will they return to public transport two years later, with a 'new' service that offers less seats, no toilets, higher fares (if Metrolink is anything to go by) and no through tickets to destinations of any distance on the national rail network?

 

[LilLoaf]

i did the loop in a merseyrail 142 pacer, which was kinda fun actually. I then went and done Manchester to Leeds changing at Huddersfield all on 142's.

 

[alex57601]

Surely people are going to use cars instead and keep using them once the tramway is eventually opened ?

They'll flock back if the proposed congestion charge for Manchester gets approval in December.

And you will also find that a lot of the proposed public transport improvements across Greater Manchester, including further expansion of the Metrolink network, is reliant on the congestion charge being approved by the residents of Greater Manchester.

I personally think that converting it to Metrolink is a good idea though. The line needs money throwing at it and conversion will give the route a new lease of life. Another advantage is that Northern will have a few more units being freed up for vital capacity improvements elsewhere.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Milnrow, New Hey, Shaw & Crompton, Derker, Oldham Mumps, Oldham Werneth, Hollinwood, Failsworth and Dean Lane stations will all close at the end of service on 3rd October 2009.

 

[laseandre]

You have a year to bash the line. Go do it.