In this edition of “Old(er) and New” we head out to the Eccles terminus.
Its 27th March 2010 when the lowest number of all trams to have run on Manchester Metrolink – 1001 – waits at the Eccles terminus. We’re standing on the single platform at this terminus, on the first line to be added to the original network when it fully opened on 21st July 2010 (it had opened as far as Broadway on 6th December the previous year). 1001 would be withdrawn on 7th August 2012 and would then depart to be scrapped on 15th April 2014.
We return to Eccles on 21st March 2026 as we find M5000 3078 standing at the stop waiting out time ahead of its next departure. Whereas back in 2010 it was a case of only being able to go as far as Piccadilly, 2026 now sees normal services from Eccles heading all the way to Ashton-under-Lyne. In the “Old(er)” image was saw people staring at the ticket machine trying to buy tickets and 16 years later its happened again! Although it’s a different ticket machine which is probably a lot easier to use! (Both Photographs by Gareth Prior)