Today in our “Picture in Time” series we are heading back to Manchester for some pre-opening view of T68 1004.
1004 was originally delivered to Manchester on 27th November 1991 and after a period of commissioning and test running was to be used on the first day of services, 6th April 1992. Not only was it used on the first day but it was part of the first passenger carrying service from Bury to Victoria when it was allocated to that diagram alongside sister 1008. After that significant milestone 1004 carried on operating on Metrolink for the next 20 years without too much incident although in 2006 it did head to Wolverton for refurbishment and then in 2010 it underwent the T68X Universal Running modifications. Then on 16th May 2012 the vehicle was withdrawn from service, becoming only the second T68 to be taken out of use (it’s hard to believe that it was withdrawn 3 years ago now!). The tram continued to hang around Metrolink property for nearly a further two years before it departed on 28th April 2014 on a one way trip to the scrapman.
We have two views for you today the first of which shows 1004 heading past the steps leading to the entrance of the (then) G-Mex conference centre on 25th February 1992.
And photograph number two shows 1004 standing in the platform at Victoria on the same day.
Both Photographs taken by Ralph Oakes-Garnett
There is no Bridgewater Hall on the top photograph.
Well spotted Mark.Indeed the Bridgewater Hall opened in 1996,if you look closely at the left hand side of the photo you can just make out the words Bridgewater hall on the contractors board.Of course as we all know the Hall was built on the site of the old lower mosley street bus station.