History of Manchester Metrolink

A pre production mock-up of a T-68 Metrolink vehicle on display in 1990

The history of Metrolink begins with its conception as Greater Manchester's light rail system in 1982 by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, and spans its inauguration in 1992 and the successive phases of expansion.

Background

See also: Picc-Vic tunnel
A 1910 map of railways in central Manchester

A light rail system for Greater Manchester was born of a desire by the Greater Manchester County Council to fulfil its obligations to provide "an integrated and efficient system of public transport" under its structure plan and the Transport Act 1968.[1] Greater Manchester's public transport network suffered from poor north – south connections, exacerbated by the location of Manchester's main railway stations, Piccadilly and Victoria,[2][3] which were unconnected and located at opposing edges of its city centre.[1][3] Piccadilly and Victoria were built in the 1840s by rival companies on cheaper land on the fringes of the city centre, resulting in poor integration and access to the central business zone.[4] In as early as 1839, in anticipation of the stations being built, a connecting underground railway tunnel was proposed but abandoned on economic grounds,[2][4] as was an overground suspended-monorail in 1966.[5] SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive — the body tasked with improving public transport for Manchester and its surrounding municipalities in the 1960s – made draft proposals for a Picc-Vic tunnel,[6] "a proposed rail route beneath the city centre" forming "the centrepiece of a new electrified railway network for the region".[7] Despite investigatory tunnelling under the Manchester Arndale shopping centre,[7] when the Greater Manchester County Council presented the project to the United Kingdom Government in 1974,[8] it was unable to secure the necessary funding,[9] and was abandoned on economic grounds when the County Council dropped the plans in 1977.[6][8]

Proposals

In 1982, the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE; the successor to SELNEC PTE) concluded that an overground metropolitan light rail system to replace or complement the region's under-used heavy railways was the most economical solution to improving Greater Manchester's public transport network, which suffered from poor integration and outdated infrastructure;[3] a Rail Study Group, composed of officials from British Rail, Greater Manchester County Council and GMPTE formally endorsed the scheme in 1984.[1]

1984 proposals

An early artist's impression of the proposed tram system in Market Street (1984)

Abstract proposals based on light rail systems in North America and continental Europe,[10] and a draft 62-mile (100 km) network consisting of three lines were presented by the Rail Study Group to the UK Government for funding in 1984.[6] The proposed system was described as a "Light Rapid Transit" (LRT) network, "a cross between a tram and a train". The network was planned to begin operation in 1989 pending approval from the UK Government, and construction costs were estimated at £42.5 million. [11]

The proposals outlined a network of three lines traversing Greater Manchester, linking converted heavy rail lines with an on-street tramway through Manchester city centre. A fleet of two-car vehicles (known as "supertrams") with a top speed of 80 km/h would run services at a ten-minute frequency.

The lines proposed were:[11]

1984 proposals
Line A:
Altrincham – Hadfield/Glossop		 Line B:
Bury – Rose Hill/Marple		 Line C:
Rochdale – East Didsbury
connecting the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway to the Glossop Line connecting the Bury-Manchester line to part of the Hope Valley Line connecting the Oldham Loop Line to the re-opened Manchester South District Line

Obtaining Government grants towards development was not easy and subject to certain criteria,[12] and it was proposed to build the system in phases, beginning with the Altrincham and Bury lines, and the city centre track as far as Piccadilly.[11]

1987 proposals

An artist's impression of Metrolink operating in St Peter's Square (1987)

In 1987, when powers and funding had been secured for Phase 1 of the network to go ahead, the brand name Metrolink was first introduced.[13]

Around this time, proposals were put forward by GMPTE for further extensions to the network; in addition to the Bury/Altrincham lines and city centre tracks already confirmed, it was envisaged that the network be extended with lines along the Manchester Ship Canal in Salford and Trafford. Station names vary from the 1984 proposals, for instance with the renaming of Central tram stop to G-Mex tram stop, and the addition of Cornbrook tram stop. A spur into Rochdale town centre was also proposed.[13]

1987 proposals
Altrincham – Hadfield/Glossop Bury – Marple/Rose hill Rochdale Bus Station – East Didsbury Broadway/Dumplington – Piccadilly Gardens
As the 1984 proposals Bury Line/Hope Valley Line, as the 1984 proposals Oldham Loop Line/Manchester South District Line – as the 1984 proposals, with an extension from Rochdale to Wet Rake and the bus station a new line to Salford Quays

Of these proposals, parts have survived as extension plans: the lines to Rochdale and East Didsbury formed part of the Phase 3; the Eccles line is a modified version of the proposed extension into Salford Quays. The proposal to convert the Marple/Rose Hill and Hadfield/Glossop lines to Metrolink running was abandoned, and does not feature in the current Phase 3 expansion plans. The Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority did, however, commission in 2004 a feasibility study into converting the Marple line for tram-train operation; and in this revised form it remains on the "reserve list" of proposals for future Metrolink expansion, and was proposed to the Department for Transport in 2008 as a candidate for the national tram-train pilot.

Project Light Rail

A DLR P86 train under demonstration in Manchester in 1987
The DLR car at Debdale Park station

British Rail Engineering Ltd (BREL) began researching developments in light rail technology around the world, and in 1986 they identified a light rail vehicle designed by the Urban Transportation Development Corporation in Canada for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (UTDC) in California, USA, as an example of the type of LRV that could run in British cities. They planned to organise a live demonstration in the UK by shipping a UTDC vehicle which had been on display at the 1986 World Expo in Vancouver over to Britain. Manchester was selected as the preferred venue for the demonstration as the city had the most developed light rail proposals, but negotiations to loan the vehicle fell through and the event was postponed until spring 1987.[14]

The event that eventually took place in Manchester, billed as Project Light Rail was jointly staged by GMPTE, British Rail, British Rail Engineering Ltd, GEC, Balfour Beatty and Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd. It was the first major public relations event for GMPTE to promote the light rail proposals for Manchester and involved a public demonstration of an operational Docklands Light Railway train which was on loan from GEC Transportation Projects Ltd, DLR P86 number 11. The train had been shipped over to Britain from the manufacturer, Linke-Hofmann-Busch, in Salzgitter, Germany, prior to its introduction onto the fledgling Docklands system in London.

The event was formally opened by David Mitchell MP, Minister of State for Transport, on 10 March 1987 and public demonstrations took place over two weekends (14/15 and 20/21/22) in March 1987 on a stretch of freight-only railway track, the Fallowfield Loop line. A number of locations had been considered, but the Fallowfield line was chosen because it still had track in place but was not a major passenger route. Originally the organisers had planned to use the disused Reddish depot but instead they decided to construct a temporary station on the site of the former Hyde Road railway station goods yard, adjacent to Debdale Park in the Gorton area of Manchester. The station, named Debdale Park, consisted of a single timber platform. The test track was closed to normal heavy rail traffic on demonstration days, and at night the DLR train was stationed in a siding and the line was re-opened to freight trains. An exhibition also exhibited examples of street track, overhead line and platform facilities.[15][16][17][15]

Tickets were sold for the event at 50p (25p for children) and a free shuttle bus was provided from Piccadilly Station. Visitors were given a short ride on the DLR vehicle along a 1.6-kilometre (0.99 mi) stretch of track, from just north of the Hyde Road junction to just south of the closed Reddish depot. The DLR train was specially fitted with a pantograph and powered by overhead line, and was driven manually rather than in automatic mode, which was to be normal practice when in operation on the Docklands system. New 750 v DC overhead line equipment was also erected, using masts designed by Balfour Beatty for the Tuen Mun Light Rail in Hong Kong.[15]

After the public event, Debdale Park station was dismantled and the timber platform was used to build the new Hag Fold railway station near Wigan; and the electric overhead line equipment was taken down and re-used at the Heaton Park Tramway on the lakeside extension. The demonstration train DLR Number 11 was transported to London where it was put into operation on the Docklands Light Railway. It served as the "Royal train", transporting the Queen and Prince Philip on the formal opening of the DLR. In 1991, DLR Number 11 was the first of the P86 fleet to be sold to the City of Essen, Germany, where it is in service today on the Essen Stadtbahn.[18][15]

A mock-up prototype version of a T-68 vehicle was put on public display while the Metrolink system was under construction in 1990.

Delivery

Phase 1

Construction work on tram tracks outside the G-Mex exhibition centre, October 1990
Metrolink under construction in 1991, as viewed from Manchester Piccadilly Station
Two T-68 street running vehicles near Manchester Piccadilly station in 1994

Phase 1 of Metrolink was created by converting existing heavy railway lines to light rail operation and laying on-street tracks across Manchester city centre to unite the lines under one integrated system. Phase 1 consisted of a Bury to Altrincham route via the city centre, with a spur to Manchester Piccadilly station. Authority to construct Phase 1 of Metrolink was granted in January 1988 with the passing of the Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) Act 1988.

The tender to design, build and operate the system was awarded to Greater Manchester Metro Limited (GMML), a consortium whose shareholders included GEC Alsthom Transportation Projects Ltd., John Mowlem plc, Amec plc and Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE).[19] Construction of the on-street section began in March 1990.

The first Metrolink lines were formed by converting the electric train lines between Altrincham and Cornbrook Junction and between Bury and Manchester Victoria. Because much of the Metrolink route was formerly main-line railway with platforms 900 mm above rail level, the new stops in the city centre also have high platforms.

The Altrincham line was formerly the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway, electrified in 1931. Trains from Knutsford, Northwich and Chester were diverted at Altrincham via Stockport to Manchester when Metrolink conversion began between Altrincham and G-Mex. According to the Mid-Cheshire Rail Users Association, this added at least 10 minutes to an already slow journey, causing a disadvantage to rail users in Cheshire.[20] The Bury line was electrified by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1916.

Steam locomotives returned to the line between Manchester and Bury in 1991, before the opening of the tram system, when Metrolink held an open weekend at its new depot in Queens Road, Manchester. East Lancashire Railway steam locomotive, no. 32 Gothenburg (now painted in blue as No. 1 Thomas the Tank Engine) ran light engine from the ELR to Manchester under the not yet live wires to attend the event. The engine returned on the Sunday evening. Diesel locomotive D2767 (a North British 0-4-0) was hired by Metrolink to assist in the construction of the overhead wires during the construction phase in 1991.

On 6 April 1992 Metrolink services between Bury and Victoria began. The central section between Victoria and G-Mex opened on 27 April. On 27 April Metrolink vehicle 1007 operated the ceremonial first Metrolink vehicle into the city, wearing a special headboard. No. 1007 was chosen as that was the number of the last tram to operate in Manchester on 10 January 1949.[21]

Services between G-Mex and Altrincham began on 15 June. Trams started operating into Piccadilly on 20 July the same year, completing Phase 1 of the system Elizabeth II officially opened the system on 17 July 1992. Conversion of the existing railway lines to Metrolink took longer than had been planned. The Altrincham line was closed for six months, rather than one month as promised, with bus substitution during that period. Metrolink's own new trackwork in Manchester's city centre required reinstalling twice in the first years of operation, caused by inadequate quality controls and poor design work, such as placing points directly where the blades could be expected to be repeatedly crossed by buses.

The following modifications to the system have taken place since the opening of Phase I in 1992.

By the mid-2000s, most of the track on the Bury and Altrincham routes were 1960 track which needed to be relaid. In 2006 it was decided a £107 million programme to replace this worn track would take place in 2007.[22]

In 2007 EWS was contracted to provide three Class 08 diesel shunters and a Class 60 locomotive, to assist in relaying the track between Manchester and Bury, using the original connection to the old Bury depot, now part of the East Lancashire Railway. The East Lancashire Railway's diesel department even provided 3 ex British Rail Class 37 locomotives for a weekend to power ballast and track recovery trains on the formidable Whitefield bank, after modifications to lift the overhead cables had been carried out.

The replacement programme for nearly 20 miles of worn track commenced on 23 July 2007 and lasted for seven weeks.[23] The replacement work immediately caused the cessation of all services on the Bury Line to Victoria.[24] The Bury line re-opened on 13 September 2007.[25] With the possible exception of the section between Stretford and Dane Road, the Altrincham line track was not as worn as that on the Bury line and so not as much work was required. From 2 July various sections of the line were shut down and serviced with a replacement bus service. The Altrincham line re-opened on 28 August 2007.[26]

Phase 2

On 25 April 1997 work began on Phase 2, an extension from Cornbrook on the Altrincham line through Salford Quays to Eccles. Service started as far as Broadway on 6 December 1999 and to Eccles on 21 July 2000. The line was officially opened on 9 January 2001.

Phase 3a

Planning permission was granted in October 2007 for a 400 m (440 yd) long extension from a point between Harbour City and Broadway to the central plaza of the new MediaCityUK development in Salford Quays.[27] The £20m cost for the spur and four trams to operate it was half met by the MediaCityUK developer Peel Holdings (£9m) and the other half by the North West Regional Development Agency (£8m) and Salford Council (£3m). MediaCityUK station opened on 20 September 2010 initially as an additional stop on the Eccles line, the following year an additional service from Piccadilly tram stop commenced.

Phase 3b

The lines to Altrincham and Eccles were closed for the whole of August 2009 to allow for the existing lines to be modified ahead of Metrolink Phase 3. On the Altrincham line, the overhead cables were replaced – the original railway line was electrified in the 1930s. The structures were re-used when the line was converted to 25kV in the 1960s, used yet again when converted to Metrolink, and these needed upgrading. A new junction was built near Trafford Bar to allow connections to be built to the Chorlton extension and the new tram depot. Cornbrook station was also closed for remodelling to allow for the shuttle service to MediaCityUK, and on the Eccles line a junction was built between the Harbour City and Broadway stops to connect to the MediaCityUK branch.

Phase 3 progress

The Manchester Airport extension is fitted in along roads largely by taking up grass verges, and away from roads in Northern Moor by following narrow gaps of open land behind houses. The west side of Brownley Road in Benchill was the only place where much demolishing of houses was needed to make a route. Woodland had to be removed at the bridge over the M56, and along Southmoor Road, and at a place in Northern Moor. Ringway Road had to be much remodelled to make a route. It crosses the Mersey by a new bridge near Jackson's Boat. It ends in Manchester Airport railway station alongside the main-line railway.

Light Rail Transit Association about the airport branch

Branding and publicity

Metrolink branding
Original GMT branding
c.1987
1992–2009
2003 (interim)
2008–present
Brand transition: two trams old & new livery in 2011

When proposals to build a light rail system for Greater Manchester were revealed in 1984, the system was originally described as "Light Rapid Transit", or LRT for short. Artists' impressions of the proposed LRT vehicles depicted them in orange and white livery, bearing the Greater Manchester Transport "M" logo, sharing the same branding as GMT buses of the period.[11]

The Metrolink name was first introduced in 1987 in time for the tendering process to build and operate the system. Promotional literature distributed at this time contained new illustrations of the light rail vehicles, depicted with light grey livery, an orange logo which used the Greater Manchester Transport "M" monogram to form the "M" of Metrolink and double orange stripes continuing along the sides of the vehicles.[13]

When the system opened in 1992, an aquamarine and grey colour scheme was used for vehicle livery, signage and publicity, and a new Metrolink logo was introduced which was composed of a stylised "M" monogram placed at an angle within a circle. Vehicles were originally painted white with a dark grey skirt and a turquoise stripe at base of body; around the opening of Metrolink's Phase 2 the livery was adapted to include aquamarine doors.[29]

In 2003, GMPTE introduced new branding for Metrolink to promote its proposals for the "Big Bang" network expansion project. The logo featured a new "M" symbol formed from yellow and blue upward arrows, with the strapline "Transforming our Future". This logo was not used on trams or signage, however.[30]

In October 2008 a new corporate identity was created by Hemisphere Design and Marketing Consultants of Manchester.[31] The design features a pale yellow and grey colour scheme, a logotype in the specially-commissioned Pantograph sans regular typeface by the Dalton Maag type foundry,[32] and the "M" symbol has been replaced by a diamond motif formed from a pattern of repeating circles. The designs have been applied to signage and publicity, and tram livery features yellow at the vehicle ends with grey sides and black doors. The yellow colour scheme has been likened to the Merseyrail branding used in neighbouring Liverpool.[33][34][35] Older trams are being re-painted in the new livery when they come due for re-refurbishment.[33]

Operator

Metrolink was originally built and operated from 1989 by the consortium Greater Manchester Metro Limited (GMML). In 1997 the contract was awarded to a new consortium, Altram (Manchester) Limited, a consortium of Ansaldo Transporti, Serco Investments Limited, Laing Civil Engineering and 3i. Serco Metrolink, a wholly owned subsidiary of Serco Limited, took over the operations and maintenance of the system on 26 May 1997. In March 2003, Serco Investments bought out its partners and Altram (Manchester) Limited became a wholly owned subsidiary of Serco.[19]

In July 2007 the 10-year contract to operate Metrolink was awarded to Stagecoach Metrolink, a subsidiary of the Scottish transport company, Stagecoach Group plc.[36][37] Unlike Serco, Stagecoach do not own the concession, merely operate it on a fixed-term management contract.

RATP Group bought Stagecoach Metrolink Ltd from Stagecoach Group on 1 August 2011.[38]

Incidents

Since opening in 1992, Manchester Metrolink has suffered a number of major incidents, including a number of derailments.

Date Tram(s) involved Location Type Details
?? ???? 1996 1006 Victoria Collision and derailment A Dutch lorry driver, who was lost, passed a red traffic light and crashed into the tram, derailing the leading bogie
31 August 2004 1/2??? Shudehill Derailment A rail keep failed on a curve, derailing the tram
11 January 2005 1/2??? London Road Derailment A rail keep failed on a curve, derailing the tram
22 March 2006 1011 Long Millgate Derailment Damaged rails derailed two wheel sets
20 May 2006 1/2??? Market Street Person hit A man was trapped under a tram causing a 3-hour delay[39]
8 October 2006 1/2??? Windmill Street /
Lower Mosley Street 		Person hit Penda Otoo-Kati, of Parsonage Road, Withington, was hit by a tram near the G-Mex, at the junction of Windmill Street
and Lower Mosley Street. He was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary where he was pronounced dead
17 January 2007 1005 Pomona Derailment Out of gauge rails on a corner derailed the tram[40]
29 June 2008 1016, 1008 St. Peter's Square Derailment Damaged rails due to wear, derailed tram 1016 (the rear unit of the tram) on a corner, and it hit the overhead power lines[41]
21 September 2010 3002 MediaCityUK Derailment The tram derailed on the second day of service at MediaCity UK through driver error after reversing over partially cleared spring-loaded points[42][43]
30 October 2010 1008 Market Street Derailment ?
?? February 2011 1016 Mosley Street Collision A car collided with the tram[44]
26 February 2011 1/2??? Mosley Street Collision A car collided with the tram. The car's driver was then arrested on suspicion of driving while disqualified[45]
5 June 2011 1/2??? Piccadilly Gardens Person hit A tram hit a person, who later died in hospital
7 June 2011 1021 Market Street Derailment A set of points were blocked by litter, derailing the front of the tram
5 September 2011 1/2,002 High Street Person hit A 25-year-old woman was hit, and suffered a minor injury to one of her eyes[46]
28 September 2012 3004 St. Peter's Square Collision The tram was struck by a taxi. The tram was back in service the next day[47]
21 December 2012 3032 Market Street Derailment ?[48]
6 February 2013 3013 Weaste Collision The tram collided with a lorry. The tram had to be sent back to Vienna for extensive repairs[49]
28 April 2013 3028 Mosley Street Collision The tram was struck by a taxi, but was back in service the next day
8 June 2013 1016 Mosley Street Collision A car collided with the tram, and two of the five people in the car sustained minor injuries, and were taken to hospital[50]
31 July 2013 30?? Freehold Person hit A man in his 70s walked in front of a tram at Freehold tram stop, in Chadderton. Paramedics pronounced him dead on the scene[51]
1 August 2013 3040 Mosley Street Collision The tram was hit by a car[52]
3 August 2013 3056 Queen's Road depot Derailment The tram, which was not in service, derailed at the entrance to the Queen's Road depot[53]
13 November 2013 3064 Aytoun Street Person hit A man was struck by the tram. He suffered minor bleeding to the head and was conscious at the scene[54]
19 December 2013 3076 Manchester Street Roundabout Collision A car ran a red light and hit the tram when the tram was being tested for the new Oldham town centre line [55]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Holt 1992, pp. 6–7.
  2. 1 2 Ogden & Senior 1992, p. 4.
  3. 1 2 3 Williams 2003, p. 273.
  4. 1 2 Holt 1992, p. 4.
  5. ↑ Ogden & Senior 1992, p. 21.
  6. 1 2 3 Ogden & Senior 1992, p. 22.
  7. 1 2 "Manchester unearths forgotten 1970s tube line". The Architects' Journal (London: architectsjournal.co.uk). 13 March 2012.
  8. 1 2 Holt 1992, p. 5.
  9. ↑ Donald, Cross & Bristow 1983, p. 45.
  10. ↑ Ogden & Senior 1992, pp. 26–27.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (1984), Light Rapid Transit in Greater Manchester, GMPTE – publicity brochure
  12. ↑ Docherty, Iain; Shaw, Jon (2003). A New Deal for Transport?: The UK's Struggle with the Sustainable Transport Agenda. Blackwell Publishing. p. 138. ISBN 978-1-4051-0631-3.
  13. 1 2 3 Metrolink Community Liaison (1987). "Metrolink – Light Rail in Greater Manchester". publicity brochure (Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and Executive).
  14. ↑ Ogden & Senior 1992, p. 36-7.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Ogden & Senior 1992, p. 37.
  16. ↑ "Debdale Park". Subterranea Britannica. Disused Stations. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  17. ↑ Holt 1992, p. 24-5.
  18. ↑ Pearce, Alan; Hardy, Brian; Stannard, Colin (2000). Docklands Light Railway Official Handbook. Capital Transport Publishing. ISBN 1-85414-223-2.
  19. 1 2 "Past, Present and Future" (PDF). Metrolink. 2003. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
  20. ↑ "Mid-Cheshire Rail Users Association: Response to Draft North-West Rail Utilisation Strategy" (PDF). Network Rail. 2007-01-02. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  21. ↑ Manchester Museum of Transport, Metrolink prototype exhibit, 7 December 2008
  22. ↑ "Metrolink tracks to be replaced". BBC News. 14 November 2006. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  23. ↑ "Line closures to hit tram users". BBC News. 16 April 2007. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  24. ↑ "Metrolink route shuts for repairs". BBC News. 23 July 2007. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  25. ↑ "Bury tram link re-opens to public". BBC News. 13 September 2007. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  26. ↑ "Metrolink line re-opens to public". BBC News. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  27. ↑ Williams, Tony (2007-11-27). "Mediacity:UK and Enhanced Salford Quays Service". Light Rail Transit Association. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  28. ↑ "Twitter / TamesideCouncil: CllrRobinson announces that...". Tameside Council. Twitter. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  29. ↑ ":The Trams: Metrolink Liveries". The Trams. 2008. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  30. ↑ "Metrolink: Transforming our Future". GMPTE. 2003. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
  31. ↑ "Work: a taster". Hemisphere Design and Marketing Consultants. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-04-22. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  32. ↑ "Linking It All Up". Infoletter. Dalton Maag. March 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
  33. 1 2 RAIL Issue 603
  34. ↑ "Tram design on the right track". Manchester Evening News. 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
  35. ↑ "New look for new trams". GMPTE. 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
  36. ↑ "Stagecoach signs Manchester Metrolink contract". Press release (Stagecoach Group). 2007-05-29. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
  37. ↑ "Stagecoach take over tram service". BBC News (British Broadcasting Corporation). 15 July 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  38. ↑ "RATP buys Manchester Metrolink operator". Railway Gazette International. 2 August 2011.
  39. ↑ "TfGMC 2006 Metrolink Performance". 11 August 2006. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  40. ↑ "RAIB, Derailment of a tram at Pomona" (PDF). April 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  41. ↑ "RAIB, Derailment at St Peter's Square" (PDF). February 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  42. ↑ "Eccles Metrolink service suspended after derailment". BBC News. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  43. ↑ "Eccles Metrolink line reopens after Salford Quays tram crash". Manchester Evening News. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  44. ↑ "Mosley Street Metrolink Crash Hotspot". Manchester Evening News. 18 June 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  45. ↑ "Car Crashes Into Side of City Centre Tram". Manchester Evening News. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  46. ↑ "Woman, 25, escapes serious injury after she is hit by Metrolink tram". Manchester Evening News. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  47. ↑ "Metrolink lines reopen following incidents at St Peter's Square and Exchange Quay". Manchester Evening News. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  48. ↑ "Delays after Metrolink tram derails in Piccadilly Gardens". Manchester Evening News. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  49. ↑ "Truck collides with Eccles bound tram in Weaste and closes Eccles New Road". Manchester Evening News. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  50. ↑ Britton, Paul (8 June 2013). "Two people freed by fire crews after car collides with Metrolink tram in city centre". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  51. ↑ "Pensioner Found Dead on Metrolink Line". Manchester Evening News. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  52. ↑ "Metrolink Tram Collides with Car in City Centre". Manchester Evening News. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  53. ↑ "Metrolink Tram Derails Blocking the Line to Bury". Manchester Evening News. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  54. ↑ "Pedestrian hit by tram in Manchester city centre". Manchester Evening News. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  55. ↑ "Tram crash sparks calls for road changes". Oldham Chronicle. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.

Bibliography

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