A lot of news over the past few months has been about Tram-Trains and the pilot set to operate in Sheffield from September (all being well). But it should be remembered that this is not the first time that trams and trains have run alongside each other in the UK, with the earliest example in modern tramway terms of this being on Manchester Metrolink and no example more obvious than that between Navigation Road and Altrincham as the below photo from Dave Elison shows.
This photo was taken at Navigation Road – which has one platform for Northern services and one for Metrolink operations – and shows M5000 3057 at the rear of a double unit heading to Altrincham with Northern Pacer 142 040. The train is operating to Chester with the next stop also being Altrincham. (Photograph by Dave Elison)
For those of you who are not that familiar with the Metrolink system,may be surprised to know that only approximately half of the fleet are equipped to operate on this stretch of track between Timperley and Altrincham.
This stretch of line comes under Network Rail and is controlled from Deansgate Junction signal box,which means vehicles have to be fitted with “Automatic Train Stop”.
If my memory is correct only vehicles up to 3062 are fitted with A.T.S.The rest of the fleet are just fitted with T.M.S which means they can only go as far as Timperley.
If you notice in all the photo galleries of Metrolink all the photos of trams heading to Altrincham are all the lower numbered trams.