METROLINK CITY CENTRE TRACKWORK UPDATE
Manchester Metrolink – Sunday 17th May 2009

Work is continuing across Manchester City Centre on the trackwork which is currently seeing no Metrolink services between St Peters Square and Victoria including the spur to Piccadilly.

Victoria Station Approach:
New rails delivered and laid on the outbound side on the approach and across Corporation Street.   The new rails on Corporation Street are covered by tarmac.

The line climbing out of Victoria Station towards Corporation Street. Also in the image are the first of the new replacement rails. These have already been welded up to create long lengths.
Photo: Anthony Hargreaves

Balloon Street/Shudehill Stop:
Outbound rails removed, and new rails delivered.

The line as viewed down the pedestrian and tram only Balloon Street section.

Shudehill Metrolink station minus rails on the Southbound line
Both Photos: Anthony Hargreaves

Mosley Street:
New rails laid on the outbound side alongside the platform.   No work has been carried out on the platform itself.   The road surface on the next section of Mosley Street has now been lifted.

Mosley Street station showing another location where the new rails have already arrived

The South section of the Delta junction being removed
Both Photos: Anthony Hargreaves

High Street
Work has started to break up the road surface and lift the rails on the outbound side.

Piccadilly Gardens & Market Street:
No work as yet.

Gardens station fenced off again - This station is due to be replaced shortly
Photo: Anthony Hargreaves

At St Peters Square stop there is a passenger management system in operation where intending passengers are held at street level by Metrolink staff and are not allowed to wait on the platform.  When the trams arrive and inbound passengers have cleared the trams, the waiting passengers are then allowed to board.   As the platform at St Peter's Square is at differing levels, temporary steps have been installed at the platform edge. When a tram arrives from Eccles it unloads and then pulls forward from the platform to the section of Mosley Street near to Princess Street where the driver changes ends.   A double tram arrives from Altrincham unloads, takes on waiting passengers and departs.   Then the Eccles tram returns to the platform to load and depart.

* All above photos by Anthony Hargreaves taken on 1st May 2009.

Source: Gordon Ferguson & Anthony Hargreaves