There will be no trams on the Eccles, Trafford Bar and Altrincham lines with alterations to services on other lines as well between Monday 13th July and Sunday 2nd August as the next phase of major engineering works take place on Manchester Metrolink. This part of £150 million worth of investment which is due to be spent through to 2027 with a total of 6km of track due to be replaced in this period.
The main focus of the work this time will be at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield (where some of the track is now over 30 years old) as 1.6km of rail is due to be replaced. This will include the use of specialist lifting equipment for the first time in the UK to carry out some of the more complex work at the junction of the Eccles and Altrincham lines at Cornbrook. The innovative Genesis Panel Lifters will help engineers work more efficiently and support delivery of the programme within planned timescales.
At the same time more work will take place on the Eccles line and around Piccadilly Gardens in a bid to reduce disruption for passengers in the future.
During the works a revised service will run:
- Bury to Ashton-under-Lyne
- Bury to Etihad Campus (Monday-Saturday peak only)
- Victoria to Etihad Campus (Monday-Saturday off-peak and all day Sunday)
- Rochdale Town Centre to Exchange Square
- East Didsbury to Firswood
- Manchester Airport to Firswood
There will also be replacement buses from Altrincham, Chorlton, Eccles and The Trafford Centre – all running to Piccadilly. Bee Network buses will also be available.
A team of 70 engineers will be working across the three sites with over 3,000 tonnes of new rail and 800 new concrete sleepers due to be fitted. The section of tramway between Trafford Bar and St Peter’s Square is said to be one of the busiest in the world with trams running up to every 30 seconds, 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
There will also need to be a further two week closure in the autumn to complete the work with the scale of work not possible to be completed in this one closure.
During the work the chance will be taken to give the trams attention. This will include inspection, maintenance and deep cleaning to help contribute further to improved reliability and a better passenger experience. Drivers will also be trained on new safety regulations and new safety equipment on trams.
A separate £1.7 million investment into improving lifts on the system will also be starting over the summer. The lifts at Heaton Park (starting 29th July) and Failsworth (starting 3rd August) will be the first to be attended to before work moves on to Hollinwood, Freehold, Dane Road, Brooklands, Chorlton and Firswood. Each lift replacement will take around four to eight weeks.
Ian Davies, Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, said: “The work at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield is taking place on one of the busiest stretches of tram track in the country. Some sections are more than 30 years old, with 40-tonne trams running every 30 seconds at peak times – that level wear and tear takes its toll, which is why this work is so important.
“It’s one of the most complex parts of the network to access, requiring a carefully planned approach to carry out the work safely and efficiently. These upgrades will also help us reduce journey times and make services more reliable for passengers.
“At the same time, we’re taking the opportunity to service our trams, helping to improve reliability when services resume. We’re also replacing lifts at a number of stops to provide more dependable step-free access.
“We’re sorry for the disruption. We know it can be annoying, and while these essential upgrades take place we will do everything we can to keep people moving.”
- Full information on the planned services during this closure at https://tfgm.com/tram-improvement-works/deansgate-castlefield-and-trafford-bar-works
Of note: replacement buses are planned every 15mins up to 8pm then every 30 mins to end of service – except on Sunday when replacement buses are planned every 15mins all day
Trafford Centre line replacement buses finish at 8pm daily – passengers should use “normal” service buses at chargeable fares
The Altrincham and East Didsbury lines have replacement buses every 7.5 mins M-S
There are additional buses for Cricket matches at Old Trafford
Manchester Super Giants v Birmingham Phoenix: Sunday 26 July, 11am/2.30pm
Manchester Super Giants v Trent Rockets: Friday 31 July, 3pm/6.30pm
A special replacement bus service from both the city centre and Altrincham will be operating for both fixtures. Standard single fares £2 for adults, £1 for U16s. All other Bee Network and ENCTS passes valid. Looks to be non-stop to the ground from both ends – operating on a load and go basis – departing when full.
Looks like TfGM expect a dramatic reduction in passenger numbers as they are replacing a double tram with a double decker bus!
The Su Evening service has been changed to run as Mon – Sat – so a replacement bus every 30mins after 8pm