It had to happen didn’t it? On the weekend that Manchester Metrolink had already said would be their busiest ever there were delays after a taxi was involved in a collision with T68 1016 (working as a double unit on the Bury-Altrincham service) on Mosley Street – the second major collision here in the past few weeks.
The collision took place at around midday and caused all cross city trams to be cancelled. Services from East Didsbury, Altrincham and Eccles were terminated at Deansgate-Castlefield whilst those trams due to run from Bury to Altrincham were turned at Victoria and services from Rochdale were diverted to Piccadilly. Services remained suspended along Mosley Street for approximately two hours when services started to return to
normality but as usual it took time for services to get completely back to timetable.
Two occupants of the taxi had to be cut free and were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The other three people in the taxi were uninjured.
1016 has suffered damage to the coupler cover and the autocoupler is also damaged. It has been returned to Queens Road where a decision will be made as to whether to repair the tram or to accelerate its withdrawal.
As I have already commented last night an hour delay on the Droylsden line was caused by a black 4wd driving onto the sleeper track between Holt Town and Etihad Stadium.
That wouldn’t by any chance have been your video clip of the incident that was shown on Granada news on Monday night would it Ralph? The clip showed just how thick the car driver must be!
Funny you should say that Ken. No I did film the event and the owners accomplice saw me and said if I publish the video she will sue me! I said to her that because she said that to me that I will publish it. I did say that it was barmy to have driven on to the sleeper track and not see it in time. The person concerned then expressed herself with the usual standard expletives. I was annoyed as apart from the hour disruption it ruined the rest of the evenings filming.
Doesn’t surprise me in the least, Ralph. From the clip shown on TV it was obvious that she was clueless. Two wheels on the inside of the rail and two outside, car leaning at a daft angle and horrendous noises due it scraping along the track, and still she blundered on! Perhaps you should have said that you would sue her for ruining your video!
On another note, from some of the antics I regularly see at the Market Street stop when changing trams I am amazed there aren’t pedestrian casualties. Walking along the ‘4-foot’ with their backs to any approaching trams (even when pavement is half empty), headphones firmly in place while texting at the same time. I certainly don’t envy the drivers!
When will these Mancunian taxi’s Learn thet can’t win.
The problem with most taxis around Manchester is that they are not Mancunians!
Enough said.
Is it coincidence that both the recent collisions on Mosley Street have both been with taxis.
Now that Blackpool has (re-)adopted gongs as the audible warning of approach, Metrolink stands isolated in its gonglessness. That has to be a relevant factor here. When all the T68s have gone, maybe the M5000s will be given a loud standardised fit-for-purpose gong sound so characteristic of continental trams. No excuses!
The only times I have heard the ‘gong’ being used on Blackpool trams it seems considerably quieter than the Metrolink horn, it also appears to be a ‘digital’ gong. In my opinion the Metrolink M5000 horns are perfectly fit for purpose in Manchester city centre. Horn, gong or whatever is fitted is no excuse for road vehicle drivers failing to give way, these will be the same drivers who ‘fail’ to see red traffic lights.
@Ralph Oakes-Garnett- Did you manage to film the accident as it occurred? Is it possible to view this footage.