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Trafford Park Line

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Trafford Park Line
A Bombardier M5000 tram approaching the Trafford Centre.
Overview
LocaleManchester
Trafford
Termini
Stations6
WebsiteTransport for Greater Manchester
Service
TypeTram/Light rail
SystemManchester Metrolink
Rolling stockBombardier M5000
History
Opened22 March 2020
Technical
Line length5.5 km (3.4 mi)
CharacterReserved track &
limited street running
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 volts DC overhead
Operating speed40 mph (64km/h)
Route map

Legend
to Pomona
to Exchange Quay
Pomona Docks
Trafford Park
boundary
0:13
 Wharfside
0:11
 Imperial War Museum
footbridges
to MediaCityUK
Manchester Ship Canal
0:08
 Village
0:06
 Parkway Parking
Bridgewater Canal
0:02
 Barton Dock Road
0:00
 The Trafford Centre
This diagram:

The Trafford Park Line is a light rail line on the Manchester Metrolink network in Greater Manchester, England, running from Pomona to The Trafford Centre. Its name derives from Trafford Park, an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, and the first planned industrial estate in the world.[1] The line opened in March 2020.

History

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Between July and September 2014, Transport for Greater Manchester conducted a public consultation to build the line.[2][3] In November 2014, the agency applied for power under the Transport and Works Act 1992 to build and operate the line.[4] In October 2016, power to build the line was granted by the Secretary of State for Transport.[5][6][7][8] Construction commenced in January 2017.[9][10]

The final stretch of track was laid in November 2019, with the first test trams running soon after. The line opened on 22 March 2020, eight months earlier than originally planned,[11][12] despite suggestions that it might be delayed[13] as part of a review of all Metrolink services because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[14]

Route

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The Trafford Park Line begins at a junction with the Eccles Line immediately west of Pomona stop, where concrete blocks were placed when the Eccles Line was constructed as provision for when the Trafford Park Line eventually opened.

After the junction at Pomona, the tram line descends and passes underneath Trafford Road Bridge and reaches Wharfside tram stop. It continues to run alongside the Manchester Ship Canal for about a quarter of a mile before making two sharp turns to get to Imperial War Museum tram stop. After the stop, it merges into the central reservation section of Trafford Wharf Road, and later makes another sharp left turn to run along Warren Bruce Road. There are stabling sidings along this section, but they are not regularly used.

The line turns right again to run along Village Way and reaches Village tram stop. Half of the way to Parkway, the line continues to run adjacent to the road, but later merges into the central reservation again and reaches Parkway tram stop. After traversing through Parkway Circle, the tram line turns to get out of the road and onto a purpose-built tram bridge (the fastest section of the line), then turns right and runs adjacent to Barton Dock Road before reaching its like-named tram stop. The tram line completely crosses Barton Dock Road after the stop and a short stretch brings the line to its terminus at The Trafford Centre.

Future provision has been made to extend the line to Port Salford.[15]

Map of the Trafford Park Line route (in red), and all stops on the route. One inaccuracy: intu Trafford Centre was renamed to The Trafford Centre in early 2021.

Rolling stock

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To provide rolling stock for the line and other service expansions, 27 Bombardier M5000 trams were ordered; these incorporate modifications to the existing fleet including new touch screen Vecom units for drivers.[16][17]

Services

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Services operate between The Trafford Centre and Deansgate-Castlefield at a frequency of every 12 minutes Monday-Saturday, and every 15 minutes on Sundays.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Nicholls, Robert (1996), Trafford Park: The First Hundred Years, Phillimore & Co, p. xiii, ISBN 978-1-86077-013-5
  2. ^ "Consultation on Manchester Metrolink extension set to begin]". Rail Technology Magazine. 16 June 2014.
  3. ^ "Trafford Centre Metrolink plans to be discussed". BBC News. 7 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Trafford Park Line". Transport for Greater Manchester. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Metrolink's Trafford Park £350m Tramline Approved]". BBC News. 13 October 2016.
  6. ^ "Green light for new Trafford Park Metrolink line". Metrolink. 14 October 2016.
  7. ^ "Metrolink line to the Trafford Centre will go ahead despite objections from Coronation Street and Manchester United]". Manchester Evening News. 14 October 2016.
  8. ^ "Powers granted for Manchester Metrolink Trafford Park extension". Railway Gazette International. 14 October 2016.
  9. ^ "Ground broken on Manchester's Trafford Park Line". Global Rail News. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  10. ^ Rucki, Alexandra (10 July 2018). "This is the route new tram line to the Trafford Centre will take". Manchester Evening News.
  11. ^ "Metrolink's Trafford Park £350m tramline opening date revealed". BBC. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  12. ^ "People in Greater Manchester urged not to use public transport for anything other than 'essential journeys, with services to be 'stepped down' from Sunday". Manchester Evening News. 21 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Metrolink's Trafford Park line to open as planned at weekend". Place North West. 20 March 2020.
  14. ^ Charlotte Cox (19 March 2020). "Trafford Park tram line opening in doubt as Metrolink bosses hold crunch talks about network reductions". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Metrolink future network" (PDF). TfGM. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013.
  16. ^ "27 new trams on the way for Metrolink". Transport for Greater Manchester.
  17. ^ "Manchester orders 27 LRVs to boost Metrolink capacity". International Railway Journal. 3 July 2018. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020.
  18. ^ "The Trafford Centre tram stop". The Trafford Centre tram stop | Bee Network | Powered by TfGM. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
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Media related to Manchester Metrolink Trafford Park Line at Wikimedia Commons

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