The second of the additional order for 27 new M5000 trams to run on Manchester Metrolink was delivered to Queens Road Depot on Saturday 12th December. Numbered 3122 this tram will help to increase capacity on the Metrolink network and after it has gone through the full commissioning programme will allow more double units to be operated on the networking aiding social distancing.
3122 made the familiar trip from Vienna in Austria arriving in the UK by ferry before being driven across the country to arrive in Manchester in what has become the traditional lunchtime slot on a Saturday. The unloading then took place to allow the tram to start the process of commissioning. It is expected the tram will enter service at some point in early 2021.
The first of this latest batch of deliveries which had arrived back on 14th November still awaits an entry into service but Transport for Greater Manchester had previously promised that it would enter service before Christmas so presumably it won’t be too long before there will be another tram available for use on Metrolink.
Deliveries of the remaining 25 trams are expected to take place every 3-4 weeks before the last arrives in 2022.