The Manchester Metrolink T68 fleet is now down to seven examples following the withdrawal of 1013 and 1026 from service. Both vehicles were officially withdrawn from service on Monday 2nd December although 1026 had not operated for a couple of weeks after a compressor failure.
1013 and 1026 become the eighteenth and nineteenth T68s to be taken out of service and it is looking increasingly like the remaining examples will not be operational for much longer. The number of diagrams which T68s can operate on now is decreasing rapidly and indeed on Tuesday 3rd December only 1017 was in service on the Eccles route.
Both 1013 and 1026 have already been transferred to the ever increasing scrap line at Trafford Depot. As mentioned above 1026 had been out of service for a couple of weeks with a compressor failure but 1013 was operating up to its withdrawal with its last journeys being on Monday 2nd December.
The operational T68 fleet now consists of 1007, 1009, 1012, 1016, 1017, 1022 and 1023 with T68As 2001 and 2003 also available for service. It is pretty obvious but the advice now is definitely if you want to experience the T68s in service on Metrolink you better do it quickly before they are all withdrawn and just a memory!
With two further T68s now out of service an additional M5000 – 3068 – has joined the non ATS/VRS fleet which are regularly used on the Eccles and MediaCityUK services. There are now 11 M5000s in this fleet: 3059, 3061, 3063, 3064, 3065, 3066, 3067, 3068, 3072, 3073 and 3074.
Meanwhile the number of LRVs at Rochdale has now been reduced to two with just 3070 and 3071 remaining for any further tests required. 3068, 3069 and 3074 are now back at Queens Road Depot.
On Sunday 1st December 1013 is seen running with 1012 at Piccadilly Gardens. When this photo was taken the tram had just one more day in service before withdrawal.
1026 is seen here at Cornbrook running on test on 17th November 2013. (Both photos: Steve Kemp)
Just sent in 2 photographs taken of 1013 last Thursday and the evening of 1st December in the night.
When you listed the operational trams you have got 1026 as opperational and no 1023…
Word is they’ve only got 2 more weeks then they will all be pulled!
The rumour mill that is in operation about the very imminent end is incorrect. I spoke to someone I know in Metrolink last night and still looking like end of year, possibly January. The two t68as will carry on into 2014.
Surprised the T68As are going to outlast the T68s considering they appear to have always been regarded as less reliable.
is anyone or any group looking at saving one ???
are there any plans for metrolink or any other group to run a farewell special before they all go ?
I have noticed the recent decline in T68 numbers on the Eccles route. It seems like every week you are less and less likely to see one.
Spotted the lone T68 (1017) on the Eccles route yesterday and rode in on 1016 this morning.
Re the comment ‘The number of diagrams which T68s can operate on now is decreasing rapidly’.
The number decreased by one from 30 September when the number of trams required to operate the Piccadilly-Eccles service was reduced from seven to six.
In March it actually increased by one when the above number was increased from six to seven.
In February it reduced by five when the Eccles and MediaCityUK services were split operationally, and the T68s were not permitted to work MediaCityUK-Velopark.
In February it reduced by six when the Eccles and MediaCityUK services were split operationally, and the T68s were not permitted to work MediaCityUK-Velopark.
(There has been at least one occasion when a T68 has operated a MediaCityUK duty, but it had to be reversed at Sheffield Street every trip instead of continuing to Velopark).
In May it increased by two when the number of duties on Bury-Altrincham scheduled to be operated by double units increased from six to eight.
In March it increased by one when the number of trams required to operated the Piccadilly-Eccles service was increased from six to seven.
Theoretically thirty T68/T68As could operate simultaneously on current duties, as follows.
16 on the eight duties on Bury-Altrincham which are scheduled to be operated by double units.
2 on the two duties on Bury-Altrincham which are scheduled to be operated by single units.
6 on Piccadilly-Eccles.
6 on Piccadilly-Altrincham.