We continue our “Manchester Metrolink Then & Now” series with another pair of images.
Having spent time in Manchester City Centre and then a brief stay on the Altrincham line we go more modern Metrolink lines this time as we head to St Werburgh’s Road. Once a terminus (before the full line to East Didsbury was opened) this stop is now an interchange between both the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines.
This is just to the north of St Werburgh’s Road as we look back towards Manchester. At the time of this photo on 16th August 2009 there was very little indication that trams would be running this way in the near future but this shot is looking through the fence at what would be the trackbed.
We now move forward to 2nd May 2024 and trams have established themselves as we look into the same direction. The trackbed now has track laid and also 3060 heading away from us with a service to Exchange Square (terminating short due to issues with the track outside Victoria). In the previous picture we saw this path behind the green fence and that remains although there is now new fencing in place. (Both Photographs by Keith Chadbourne)
We all should be really grateful to Keith Chadbourne for having the foresight to have taken these photographs so that we can look back over what is now familiar tram territory to the days when some of it was just waste land.
Let’s hope there are many more of these amazing comparisons to come as we head into 2025.
Thank you so much Keith.
Thank you Michael for your kind comment. I live in Chorlton so taking pictures of where Metrolink would run was fairly easy. In some places it has not been possible to recreate the “Then” picture because of vegetation growth or the fact that some bridge parapets have been raised. There are potentially a few more pictures that could come, if Gareth is willing.
Gareth is always willing for contributions! There are at least a few more in the “bag” so the series isn’t going anywhere just yet!