We head back to Manchester for today’s Picture in Time image as once again we feature an image of one of the T68s in the early years of Metrolink. The T68 in question is 1006 and we see the vehicle after opening of the system in June 1992.
1006 was delivered to Manchester on 29th December 1991 and first carried passengers on the first day of public services – 6th April 1992. Over the next 20 years the tram (or at least part of it) left Manchester twice; firstly when the B car suffered severe damage following a collision with a lorry at the junction with Corporation Street and 1006 was sent to Washwood Heath for repairs in 1996 and then again 10 years later when it went to Wolverton for refurbishment works. 1006 became the seventh of the class to be withdrawn when it was taken out of use on 30th August 2012 and it departed Manchester for the third, and final, time on 16th May 2014 when it made a one-way trip to Booths of Rotherham for scrapping.
Our image shows 1006 on 12th June 1992 running a Bury direct service (shortly before operations were extended between G-Mex and Altrincham) along High Street as it approaches the site which would become Shudehill Interchange.
(Photo by Ralph Oakes-Garnett)
If I remember correctly the collision at Corporation Street was the first one in the history of Metrolink. A Belgian HGV failed to stop at the lights.
I miss the T68s. I couldn’t see them on the farewell tour because I was on holiday. Anyone seen preproduction tram 1000 at the museum?