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Metrolink now running to Oldham


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They were still running across at 22;20 last night, I was stopped on my way back from band rehersal for one to go through Manchester bound. interestingly it had tram not in service on the destination indicatiors but by the time it got uo the incline to the Platform it had become a service tram to St Werberghs Road, so obviously they are now starting to integrate them into the normal service

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sits back and awaits the first taxi jumping lights collision there just amatter of time the way some of them drive

But of course it will be the trams fault...

 

"well couldn't you have steered round me..." was the quote from one motorist in Fleetwood who left the back end of her 4x4 overhanging the tram lines!

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At the STORM meeting earlier this week it was revealed that Shaw and Crompton would be open in February, but that us Rocdalians will be waiting until June before we can take the long way round to the city. It will have taken over two and a half years to convert it to light rail - someone should be penalised, and heavily.

 

Never mind, still happy with the heavy rail connection, despite Northern :no:

 

Andy,

You are being over generous to TfGM The loop closed on October 9th 2009. I make that - 3 1/2 years !

(it only took the Lanky 4 years to build the line from Thorpes Bridge Jct, to Werneth (from scratch) with only picks and shovels) and as you say someone should be penalised for late delivery ( but it will probably us as Council Tax payers)

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It is now official Metrolink opens to Shaw this Sunday (16th December).

 

For anyone planning to sample the extension to Shaw on opening day wanting a little variety from M5000s; Sunday is also the last operating day for the year on the Heaton Park Tramway (easily accessed by Metrolnk being approx 5 minute walk from either Heaton Park or Bowker Vale station on the Bury line). It is intended that Manchester 765 will be in service, possibly for the last time for a while as it is planned to have a major overhaul in time for its 100th birthday in 2014...

 

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The outbreak of World War Two in 1939 meant not just a stay of execution for many trams and buses, it also led to a nationwide conservation movement that effectively turned Britain into a living museum for at least a decade. The war had shown that buses could last much longer than the common pre-war seven-year span, and this enabled post-war transport enthusiasts to ride on buses that, in some cases, had been built in the early 1930s. It was all good fun, but the harsh reality was living conditions from the end of the war through to the 1960s in many of the industrialized towns were also straight out of the 1930s… gas lights, tin baths, outside toilets and no hot running water.

 

Time stands still on the streets of Oldham on this cold Winter Sunday afternoon in January 1946. The town centre was almost 700ft above sea level and the damp soot-laden atmosphere that pervaded this industrial locality had already discoloured the whitened kerbstones and other markings that dated from the dark years of war, while the Town Hall loomed large in the shadows on the right of this scene. The Cenotaph, erected in memory of a previous conflict, and the magnificent Greaves Hotel, look on as a Manchester Corporation Leyland TD5 No.887 (FND 869) with streamlined Leyland-built bodywork adds a splash of colour to the scene. The bus was passing the locally-famous ‘iron railings’ on its way to Greenfield with the No.10 limited stop service to Greenfield. This and other limited stop services to Uppermill and Delph were worked jointly by Manchester, Oldham and the North Western Road Car Company, and had been in the hands of double deck buses since around 1941.

 

Tram No.18, built by English Electric and delivered new to Oldham Corporation in 1925, was climbing Yorkshire Street on Oldham’s last remaining tram route. The No.1 service from Waterhead to Hollinwood was a short working of the service to Manchester. Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company horse-drawn trams had originally worked this steeply graded line from 1880; but in 1901 Oldham Corporation obtained powers to rebuild existing tracks for electric traction and establish its own tramway system. Although British Electric Traction (BET) was denied powers to construct tramways to Oldham in the 1890s, by a twist of fate, some of the town’s last trams, including Car 18, left Oldham to work out their final days on a BET system at Gateshead.

 

Oldham’s only Leyland TD3 with English Electric body, No.58 (BU 7946), was purchased in 1934 together with Crossley Mancunian No.57 (BU 7945) in order to determine future purchasing policy. The Leyland vehicle had endured a busy life on all-day service (unlike the Crossley) and had even been turned out for this Sunday service to Stalybridge, route letter N, a service worked jointly with Ashton-U-Lyne and SHMD (as their No.8 route). By the time the TD3 was withdrawn in 1948, it had witnessed the arrival of post-war built Crossley, Daimler and Leyland buses, as well as the abandonment of Oldham’s last tram route on 3rd August 1946.

 

Delapsus Resurgam....When I fall I shall rise.

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Copyright L.W.Goddard

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Made a quick stop at Shaw on the way to Heaton Park today to see the new extension in action. All the journeys I saw (3x arrival and departures) were busy - probably curious joyriders rather than typical Sunday traffic...

 

The station is on the opposite side of the road to the site of the former heavy rail station and consists of two main through platforms plus a dead-end bay (Manchester facing)

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All services today were using the bay, though I'm not sure why this would be a regular turn-back point, so not sure how much use this will get once the line opens beyond here...

 

3001 which operated the first public service journey this morning is seen here later in the morning.

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3059 and 3056 which have been used for testing/training but not yet in service were stabled in the Rochdale bound platform.

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and 3035 was stabled in the bay seemingly being used as a staff room for the many Metrolink staff that were on hand to greet passengers.

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Meanwhile at the Park; 765 operated as intended for the full day, and was joined in service in the afternoon by Blackpool Railcoach 623.

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At the end on the day, after the official end of service, the two cars ran in tandem to Lakeside for an impromptu photo shoot and metaphorical handing over of the baton to 623 which will maintain the service solo when the winter service resumes on 6th January 2013...

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Then back to the depot for a well earned rest and care & attention for 765 rounding off the busiest and most successful year in the 32 year history of the line...

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Smashing set of pictures PLD....This is one happy chappy thanking you for posting them. I presume that mill is the BRIAR. Do you happen to know what is the journey time is from Oldham into Manchester?

 

I hope my re-colouring if your picture does not offend you. I wondered what one tram would look like in Oldham Corporation Transport livery...

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At present all trams must terminate in the bay at Shaw & Crompton as I believe the crossover points are clipped during passenger hours, so I think the trams in the other platform are trapped there during the day and probably in use for out-of-hours testing towards Rochdale.

 

When the full service is in operation it will replicate the train pattern but on a greater frequency, with a tram every 12min to Rochdale and one turning back at Shaw & Crompton intermediately every 12min. I think providing a third platform rather than a turnback beyond the station was to reduce moves over the crossing.

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Smashing set of pictures PLD....This is one happy chappy thanking you for posting them. I presume that mill is the BRIAR.

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Yeah thats the Briar Mill allright and that picture brings back a few memories - My dad was an accountant for Coutaulds Spinning back in the 70s and was based at the Briar. He used his "influence" to get a young 17 year old Andy C a summer job there as a labourer in the doubling room which was on the top floor. The job involved amongst other things driving a crane which came out of some open (unguarded in those days) double doors on the 5th floor, and i sat in a little box that jutted out. It was just about where the nose of the tram is at in the picture. The doubled cotton was put on reels and then into a rigid cardboard box. The first time I learned that the colour of adrenalin was brown was when a box split on it way down showering the lorry driver below with about a hundred reels of cotton. I did shout in time but Ive never seen anyone run so fast.....

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  • 2 weeks later...
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A lot of test running of trams at Newbold this afternoon with trams stopping at Newbold and heading out in both directions. Maybe the promised link to Rochdale might happen in February, well one lives in hope :yahoo:

 

Richard

Looks like it Richard, I saw one in Rochdale the other day, tell tale sign will be when the tickets machines go in at the stops, always the last thing to go on apparently.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I noticed today that ticket machines have appeared at both Milnrow and Newbold and presumeably at Newhey and Kinsway. At Milnrow the final bits of perimeter fencing seem to be going up. Lots of Thales vans parked up in Morrisons and what appears to be a signal where the tracks single to cross the Leeds/Manchester line. On the less positive side at the cross-over between Milnrow and Kingsway stations there are red tubes sticking out of the ground with no wiring present, I presume it is for some signalling?

 

Is it time to get excited :yahoo:

 

Richard

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I noticed today that ticket machines have appeared at both Milnrow and Newbold and presumeably at Newhey and Kinsway. At Milnrow the final bits of perimeter fencing seem to be going up. Lots of Thales vans parked up in Morrisons and what appears to be a signal where the tracks single to cross the Leeds/Manchester line. On the less positive side at the cross-over between Milnrow and Kingsway stations there are red tubes sticking out of the ground with no wiring present, I presume it is for some signalling?

 

Is it time to get excited :yahoo:

 

Richard

 

Piccadilly - Droylsden will be next to open, now confirmed for Monday 11 Feb.

 

Last I heard for Rochdale was 'probably April'; then Droylsden - Ashton, 'by Christmas'...

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The last day of operation along the Mumps to Werneth section is tomorrow, Friday 16th January.

 

Today is Thursday the 16th Jan

 Does Manchester operate a different calendar? :jester:

 

Cheers,

Mick

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Today is Thursday the 16th Jan

 Does Manchester operate a different calendar? :jester:

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

 

It must have been the Dr Who scarf I was wearing at the time causing a flux in the Time Vortex and rearranged the calender.

 

Or it could have just been a typo! :jester:

 

I have just been taking some photos at the old Oldham Central Station site and Oldham Werneth Station site.

 

 

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