RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted June 13, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2012 I got the first tram from Manchester Victoria to Oldham Mumps this morning at 0524. Here is a picture of it arriving at Manchester Victoria. I will post some more later. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Oldham Mumps sounds like a desease. Mind you, it's other name...Bottom 'O Moor.....doesn't inspire either. Didnt realize they were so well ahead with this conversion. Where exactly do the tracks run? I presume they still use Werneth & Central Tunnels so do they follow the course of the old railway to reach street level at Mumps? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Didnt realize they were so well ahead with this conversion. Ahead? - It's actualy around 8 months behind the original planned date for this first stage! Where exactly do the tracks run? I presume they still use Werneth & Central Tunnels so do they follow the course of the old railway to reach street level at Mumps?This first stage follows exactly the course of the former heavy rail line to just before the site of the former Mumps station. A street running diversion through Oldham town centre will come later, after conversion of the rest of the line to Rochdale is completed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Maps linked from here. As someone working some of the time for the construction people I should probably point out that the route has been pretty much ready for a year or so, and the delay in opening was due to problems with signalling on the connection with the Bury line through to Victoria. I must take a look next time I am out that way (possibly tomorrow) and see what they have done to resolve this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted June 13, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2012 Some short videos taken at Hollinwood Station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 13, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2012 Some short videos taken at Hollinwood Station. Changed a bit, last time I was there it had a signal box ! Thanks for the pics, very interesting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted June 13, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2012 Changed a bit, last time I was there it had a signal box ! Like this! http://www.geograph....uk/photo/820090 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted June 13, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2012 At at Oldham Mumps for the return trip at 0600. Hollinwood Station Entrance Hollinwood Station Roughly where the signal box used to be. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharrc20 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I had a ride to Mumps and back to town tonight after work and very impressive it was too. The station at Freehold is located in a hollow, which is below the former railway trackbed height and the tram drops down into the dip where the station is sited. Lots of Metrolink staff on hand at each of the stations whilst I was having my ride. Mind you the locals haven't got the hang of crossing the lines yet especially some of the teenagers at Freehold who had to be told to stop by several of the staff just before my tram to Mumps set off. No trace of the former railway stations that I could see. The alignment of the new route into Oldham town centre could be seen branching off to the north just before Werneth tunnel. How far is the section onward to Shaw and Rochdale completed? There is still a connection to Network Rail metals at Dean Lane beyond what is now the headshunt for the GMWA/Viridor waste terminal - 66586 was coupled upto a rake of loaded flats in the terminal when I passed. The line has a hinged stop gate across marking the boundary I would guess. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy C Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 How far is the section onward to Shaw and Rochdale completed? Cheers Paul Its getting there - The track is down and the knitting now extends from Mumps across what used to be the roundabout as far as just beyond New Hey 9true up to 6th June - probably gone past Milnrow by now. Funnily enough its difficult to find any information as to when this section will actually open, the whole shooting match seems well behind schedule. Interesting that its taken longer to convert this railway to light rail use given all the Civils kit we have these days, than it took a pile of blokes with wheelbarrows, picks and shovels who has all the earthworks to do as well in the 1860s. Thats progress for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 What is the tramfare from Oldham Mumps to Manchester please? It was 1s 9d on't buz when I left in 1965.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I've heard Christmas for Rochdale, they also sent the first test trams down the Ashton-Under-Lyne section overnight as well, was meant to be the night before but it was cancelled for some reason, rumour has it this line is aiming for a September opening. The test trams were parked up outside the Etihad stadium today. Lots of excitement here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=866944&page=1016 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 What is the tramfare from Oldham Mumps to Manchester please? It was 1s 9d on't buz when I left in 1965.... Peak single £3.20, return £4.80 In the timetabling I've checked and there isn't a club service and I am pretty sure it is all standard class. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted June 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 13, 2012 Thanks for the pics Peter. Last time I was at Hollinwood, was as a student engineer at the Ferranti training centre and then latterly working in the transformer tapchanger control section. Oldham Mumps was also the start of the journey home on a Friday as we were on day release at Oldham Tech and I had to leg it to catch the train or wait for an hour. Cheers, Mick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium phil-b259 Posted June 14, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 14, 2012 Its getting there - The track is down and the knitting now extends from Mumps across what used to be the roundabout as far as just beyond New Hey 9true up to 6th June - probably gone past Milnrow by now. Funnily enough its difficult to find any information as to when this section will actually open, the whole shooting match seems well behind schedule. Interesting that its taken longer to convert this railway to light rail use given all the Civils kit we have these days, than it took a pile of blokes with wheelbarrows, picks and shovels who has all the earthworks to do as well in the 1860s. Thats progress for you. From what I understand the civils side has been progressing well - in fact I belive that the Oldam section has been to all intents an purpurses complete for at least the last 6 months. The problem seems to be with the new signalling system, known as TMS (Tram Management system) being installed on the Metrolink to replace that installed when the network first opened. Reports sugest that Thalles, who won the contract for the system are having imense trouble getting the thing working reliabily, particularly at Junctions which has led to things like a bodged solution at Old Trafford (which meens the new depot there cannot be used propperly as the exit points have to be hand worked) when the South Manchester line finally opened (itself having been completed long before it finally opened) and the need to fit all trams opperating on the current network with two different systems. The latter is important because I understand the old signalling kit is now obsolete and unobtainable so in numerical terms Metrolink have only just got enough trams to opperate the current setup and cannot open any more extensions untill TMS is extended to cover the Old Trafford - Queens Road section, thus removing the need for dual fitted trams on the South Manchester - Oldham route Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy C Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Whatever / whoever is responsible for the opening being delayed (Mumps was originally intended to be open by last Autumn and the rest around now. They are still working on infrastructure at Newbold / the bridge over the M and L and Rochdale station at the moment. (went and had a nosey on my way into work this morning) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Funnily enough its difficult to find any information as to when this section will actually open, the whole shooting match seems well behind schedule. I've heard Christmas for Rochdale, they also sent the first test trams down the Ashton-Under-Lyne section overnight as well, was meant to be the night before but it was cancelled for some reason, rumour has it this line is aiming for a September opening. The test trams were parked up outside the Etihad stadium today. Last I heard (unoficial info from source within Metrolink) was that a Matchday Pic/Vic-Etihad shuttle was being considered from the start of the football season (there is a turn-back siding between Etihad and Velodrome stops to allow this) with the full service to Droylsden to follow ASAP and then Oldham - Rochdale would be after that. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 50 years on I cannot remember journey times from Oldham into Manchester on the express buses. I suspect it was around 30 minutes. The DMU was 20 minutes and steam around 25 minutes. I have also done the Oldham tram from Manchester Picaddilly to Oldham before closure in 1946 (vague memories) so the only system I've not used is the currect tram. It would be exciting to see tracks on Yorkshire Street passing the old Townhall again but will they be doing this or using Union Street? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 50 years on I cannot remember journey times from Oldham into Manchester on the express buses. I suspect it was around 30 minutes. The DMU was 20 minutes and steam around 25 minutes. I have also done the Oldham tram from Manchester Picaddilly to Oldham before closure in 1946 (vague memories) so the only system I've not used is the currect tram. It would be exciting to see tracks on Yorkshire Street passing the old Townhall again but will they be doing this or using Union Street? Union Street: see this map for the Oldham town centre route... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2012 According to one inflation calculator 1s 9d in 1965 equated to £1.40 at 2011 prices which would make it about £1.47 at current prices. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Unfortunately I could not open the map of the Union Street route becasue of a runtime message followed by unable to open this page message. But thanks anyway. The inflation calculator is interesting as it shows to what extent we would be saving money on public transport journeys had not Transport Executives followed by privatisation replaced civic run buses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I've heard Christmas for Rochdale, they also sent the first test trams down the Ashton-Under-Lyne section overnight as well, was meant to be the night before but it was cancelled for some reason, rumour has it this line is aiming for a September opening. The test trams were parked up outside the Etihad stadium today. Lots of excitement here: http://www.skyscrape...66944&page=1016 Certainly couldn't have got further than Droylsden. As of this lunchtime, beyond the end of the track needed to turn back over the crossover there, the overhead is non-existent and the track distinctly intermittent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Unfortunately I could not open the map of the Union Street route becasue of a runtime message followed by unable to open this page message. But thanks anyway. The inflation calculator is interesting as it shows to what extent we would be saving money on public transport journeys had not Transport Executives followed by privatisation replaced civic run buses. I don't know about that - I live in Reading (one of the few places to still have civic run buses) and the single fare from outside my house to the town centre (just over a mile, so a lot less than Oldham-Manchester) is £1:80! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 16, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 16, 2012 I don't know about that - I live in Reading (one of the few places to still have civic run buses) and the single fare from outside my house to the town centre (just over a mile, so a lot less than Oldham-Manchester) is £1:80! That's expensive. National Express West Midlands (Birmingham & Black Country) max single journey fare is £1.90 - you can go for 7 miles (or a lot more) for that. Only 9.5% of all bus services in the area are subsidised, the rest are profitable. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HARRYMALLARD Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Before Arriva took over the Maltese buses the fare from one end of Malta to the other is about 80 cents Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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