Having spent almost four months carrying advertising vinyls for IKEA, Manchester Metrolink M5000 3069 has now returned to fleet livery following the expiry of the contract.
This had only been 3069’s third advert since it originally entered service – and two of those have been for IKEA! Its first advert had been back between April and September 2018 when it carried vinyls for Slater’s Menswear and then some three years later it was IKEA advert number one which was on the tram between September 2021 and October 2022. Then came another 15 month gap before the red based IKEA advert came along this March, and that is the advert which has now been removed from the tram.
Its often been the case lately that one advert being removed leads to another being stuck on but so far that has not been the case for 3069. But for how long that remains to be so we will have to wait and see!
Devoid of advertising for the first time since March 2024, 3069 is captured here at Deansgate Castlefield when working a service to MediaCityUK. (Photograph by Reece Hughes, 5th July 2024)