If you think back to when the original fleet of Manchester Metrolink T68 trams were withdrawn and started to leave Trafford Depot, not all went on a one way trip to be scrapped. There were the two which were preserved (although one of those hasn’t left Trafford as its still there stored on behalf of the Manchester Transport Museum Society), one which went to the Greater Manchester Fire Service and then there were three which had been acquired by UKTram and were moved for storage at Long Marston in Warwickshire.
The three which went to the storage site were 1016, 1022 and 1026. Of those 1016 is known to have been sent for scrap in June 2021 after suffering vandalism but little has been reported on either 1022 or 1026.
Whilst the fate of 1026 is not currently known, 1022 remains at Long Marston but the past 11 years of outside storage have taken its toll with the tram having been subject to various graffiti attacks.
Just what the future remains for 1022 is not known, although if it was to be used for testing you would have thought that would have happened by now.
Some significant 1022 dates for you. Delivered to Manchester 5th March 1992, entered service 27th April 1992, withdrawn 10th February 2014 and sent to Long Marston 8th August 2014.
And what of the other survivors? The one currently accessible to the public is 1023 which is at the Crewe Heritage Centre and is owned by the Manchester Transport Museum Society. Also owned by the same group is 1007 which remains stored at Trafford Depot, and the last survivor is 1003 which is used at the Greater Manchester Fire Training Centre.
1022 is seen here in store at Long Marston, showing the graffiti which has been added to the tram over the past 11 years.
A view of the tram from the other side. (Both Photographs by Rod Bryant, 21st February 2026)