It may be six months until Christmas but Manchester Metrolink have got an early present – the latest M5000 was delivered to Queens Road Depot on Saturday 25th June! 3143 made the usual trip from the Alstom/Bombardier plant in Germany via Hull before arriving at its new long-term home.
3143 arrived at the depot just after midday and its unloading was soon smoothly completed with the tram then being moved into the Workshops for its commissioning to get underway. After its mileage accumulation it will then be cleared for service.
A fun fact for trivia fans out there is that 3143’s delivery came exactly six years after 3117, which arrived in Manchester on 25th June 2016!
So far trams up to 3141 have run in service with 3142 still in the final stages of its commissioning.
The delivery of 3143 means there are just four more to come! 3144, 3145, 3146 and 3147 will be delivered over the coming months to complete the M5000 deliveries.
Around it comes! 3143 arrives in Manchester.
3143 seen in the depot awaiting unloading. (Both Photographs by Ben Worsley, 25th June 2022)