Testing starts to East Didsbury

After a quiet few weeks since the opening of the Manchester Metrolink extensions to Droylsden and Rochdale Railway Station testing has now commenced on the section of the South Manchester Line from St Werburgh’s Road to East Didsbury which is due to open this summer. M5000s 3059 and 3061 were in use on these initial tests on Monday 23rd April – funnily enough these two trams were also used for the first tests beyond Droylsden on the East Manchester Line earlier this year.

The South Manchester Line beyond St Werburgh’s Road features an extra five stops at Withington, Burton Road, West Didsbury, Didsbury Village and the terminus at East Didsbury. When it opens for passenger services trams will run every 12 minutes at peak times from Rochdale Railway Station (15 minutes off peak) although the eventual aspiration is for a tram every 6 minutes on the line.

On Monday 23rd April 3059 was noted as being at Didsbury Village and 3061 was seen stabled at West Didsbury although both trams were also seen on the move testing the line.

M5000 3059 is seen stabled in the stop at Didsbury Village on 23rd April during initial tests on the South Manchester Line to East Didsbury. The crew of the tram had left it here whilst they went off to have their lunch in the local chippie! (Photo: Steve Hyde)

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3 Responses to Testing starts to East Didsbury

  1. Mike Norris says:

    Hello,
    Isn’t there a book being run on another transport web site – somewhere in the North West about just how long after this line opening it suffers a service breakdown problem.
    If going by the Droyslden line, then the Rochdale openings, I don’t think there will be any decent odds given – against it happening.
    Noted that TfGM are now putting out requests for people to join their
    own web based users column, wonder if there are gaps in it to say, the
    Metro didn’t run today because – then a gap ( and tick any of the following
    dot, dot dot etc etc.)
    ‘A Frustrated Bury line user’ ( or used to be)( it broke down again yesterday)
    Mike

  2. Mike Norris says:

    I see tonight that I won this bet !!!!
    points failure at Cornbrook, means no service this evening to Altrincham
    OR East Didsbury.
    Please tell us why this web page continues to talk up the Manchester
    system, when they should be stopping painting everything yellow, bleating
    repeatedly about the extensions, but CANNOT run the service to any
    degree of customer satisfaction, today I got mailed about smart cards with
    touch in – touch out technology by the PTE, where’s the common sense
    in not making what they have work FIRST, before adding any more technology to it.
    Have a look at some of the blog pages around to get a sense of most
    passengers frustration of poor service, rather than with rose tinted eyes
    as most enthusiasts are doing.
    Mike

    • Gareth Prior says:

      I make no apologies for daring to be positive about Manchester Metrolink. Yes it is far from perfect but show me a public transport system in the UK which isn’t – and I don’t believe that Metrolink is the worst around. We do report on various delays experienced on the network so it’s not fair to say we keep talking up the system – we report on what is happening and this year there has been a lot of positive things to report from Manchester. Where a lot of modern tram systems are remaining static Metrolink is looking forward and being pro-active to create a major public transport network.

      There is far too much negativity around in this world so we will be continuing to look on the positive side of things for as long as this website continues to be updated.

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