In this latest edition of “Lockdown Walks” we take a trip out in Manchester as we view another of the M5000 trams in service.
The largest fleet of trams on any modern UK tramway is the M5000s which exclusively operate the service on Manchester Metrolink. Built by Bombardier in several batches in both Austria and Germany the fleet of trams will eventually reach the grand total of 147 once the current order of 27 is completed, likely to be somewhen within 2022 although deliveries of this latest batch have been intermittent. With the first delivered on 13th July 2009 the main example we feature below turned up on 15th October 2011.
In this view from on high we see 3042 at the back of a double unit working a service from East Didsbury to Rochdale Town Centre which will run, as usual, via the Second City Crossing. The trams are seen just approaching the entrance to Trafford Depot. (Photograph by Keith Chadbourne, 2nd April 2021)