Metrolink 1021 goes for scrap

Another week and another Manchester Metrolink T68 heads off for scrapping. This time the scrapping victim is 1021 which made the journey from Trafford Depot to Booths in Rotherham on Wednesday 29th October, leaving just two T68s and four of the T68A sub class in Manchester waiting to make their own trips for scrapping.

1021 was delivered to Manchester on 5th March 1992 and entered service on 27th April 1992. Over the next 21 and a half years it was mainly just a regular member of the T68 fleet but it was the last of the vehicles to carry the unmodified original livery when it became the penultimate LRV to take the trip to Wolverton for floor refurbishment and articulation repairs. 1021 was officially withdrawn from service on 6th November 2013 and was then fitted with the specially modified pantograph for ice-breaking duties. Alas due to reliability problems it was not used a great deal for this purpose and on 21st January 2014 it was officially withdrawn from all duties and the pantograph was transferred onto 1023.

The remaining vehicles at Trafford Depot now are T68s 1020 and 1023 and T68As 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006. Two further T68s remain on Metrolink property with 1003 now at Queens Road Depot for continued storage on behalf of the Greater Manchester Fire Service whilst preserved 1007 remains at Trafford Depot ahead of its eventual move to the Heaton Park Tramway.

1021 disappears up onto the Deansgate viaduct with a service to Eccles on 3rd May 2011. (Photo: Gareth Prior)

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4 Responses to Metrolink 1021 goes for scrap

  1. Phil Hart says:

    The saddest day is now looming.
    1020 is the last of the completely unmodified T68. It has its original lamp clusters, no valance, a non-retractable coupler, driver mirrors and roller blinds.

  2. Ken Jones says:

    I travelled from Birmingham yesterday to travel on the Metrolink system for the first time in ages. Anyone know the older units on LHS of Trafford depot as seen from the tram. There were at least four units visible the nearest being 2001

  3. tram man says:

    Ken,
    Yes the last four remaining T68s presently at old Trafford are 2001,1007,1020 and 1023.The last one to go was 2003 which went in the middle of last week.1007 is rumoured to be the next one to be fetched into the workshop ready for transport to Heaton Park.The future for the remaining three seems uncertain at the moment.There is talk of them not being scrapped,but maybe going to long marston.

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