Thursday 6th April 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of Manchester Metrolink running its first passenger services. Since the first lines opened to the public the network has gone from strength to strength with recent years seeing major expansion leading to the 60 miles, 93 stop system we know today.
On 6th April 1992 services began between Bury and Victoria with 1004+1008 departing from Bury and 1012 from Victoria simultaneously at 0600. Today we are well used to seeing modern tramways on the street of the UK (although not nearly as used to it as we should be with still a disappointingly low number of cities having undergone the tramway revolution) but in 1992 this was still a major risk with Manchester the first city to realise the benefits of having trams running with the project having been ongoing for 10 years by the time those first trams ran.
It had been back in 1982 that a Rail Study Group was created to give the local rail network a secure long term future by creating a new north/south link across the city centre. This group – which consisted of members from Greater Manchester Council, GMPTE and British Rail – eventually came up with the idea of Manchester Metrolink which as well as linking Piccadilly and Victoria stations would also see the conversion of heavy rail lines to light rail operation. And the rest as they say is history!
That first day of services saw 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013 and 1016 all carry passengers from the original fleet of 26 T68 trams built by Ansaldo at various plants across Italy. It had originally been hoped that the line may open at the end of 1991 but a five month delay was well worth the wait although initially it was only possible to run trams on the off street section from Victoria to Bury. It wasn’t until 27th April that the first cross city trams ran when the line to G-Mex (now Deansgate-Castlefield) opened, followed by G-Mex to Altrincham on 15th June 1992 and finally the spur to Piccadilly opened on 17th July 1992 – on the same day Her Majesty The Queen officially opened the network.
Cllr Andrew Fender, Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “Having overseen the development of the original plans to reintroduce a tram system to Greater Manchester, I’m immensely proud to see the positive impact it’s made to so many people’s lives. It took 10 years to develop the first lines out to Bury and Altrincham, so you could say that today’s birthday is in fact the realisation of 35 years of careful planning and commitment by a great many people. Metrolink was developed with the future in mind so it was inevitable that expansion was on the cards. It was absolutely essential that we were able to serve areas where population growth was expected, but to also be flexible enough to adapt to those places where it perhaps wasn’t forecast back in 1982 – like Salford Quays and east Manchester. This year has already seen us deliver the Second City Crossing and start work on a new line out to the Trafford Centre and that’s a real testament to the fact that we don’t rest on our laurels. Here’s to another 25 years of growth.”
Over the years more and more lines have opened on Metrolink bringing it to is 60 mile length today:
Cornbrook to Broadway – 6th December 1999
Broadway to Eccles – 21st July 2000
MediaCityUK branch – 20th September 2010
Trafford Bar to St Werburgh’s Road – 7th July 2011
Victoria to Oldham Mumps (temporary) – 13th June 2012
Oldham Mumps (temporary) to Shaw & Crompton – 16th December 2012
Piccadilly to Droylsden – 11th February 2013
Shaw & Crompton to Rochdale Railway Station – 28th February 2013
St Werburgh’s Road to East Didsbury – 23rd May 2013
Droylsden to Ashton-under-Lyne – 9th October 2013
Oldham Town Centre – 27th January 2014
Rochdale Railway Station to Rochdale Town Centre – 31st March 2014
St Werburgh’s Road to Manchester Airport – 3rd November 2014
Victoria to Exchange Square – 6th December 2015
Exchange Square to St Peter’s Square – 26th February 2017
There is now a fleet of 120 trams, the M5000s built by Bombardier between 2008 and 2016. These have replaced the original fleet of T68s and the six related T68As.
TfGM have said that “a number of events” will be held to mark the 25th anniversary. The first of these is a unique collaboration with the Bridgewater Hall (which itself celebrates 21 years in 2017). “Tram Tracks” will see 93 new pieces of music, song and spoken word tracks created – one for every stop on the network. It aims to reflect the diverse communities across Greater Manchester and how those communities lives have been changed by the tram. As part of this there will be musical “happenings” across the network on 9th June, gala concerts at the Bridgwater Hall on 9th July, and performances on trams and at selected stops on 17th July.
Happy Birthday Metrolink – here’s to the next 25 years!
Is the date for the opening of the section to Rochdale Railway Station correct? I thought it was 28th February 2013, not 2012?
Yes, you’re correct – now changed and actually put into the right place in the list. Thanks for noticing!