{"id":3437,"date":"2013-04-06T15:37:29","date_gmt":"2013-04-06T14:37:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/?p=3437"},"modified":"2013-04-06T15:37:29","modified_gmt":"2013-04-06T14:37:29","slug":"first-metrolink-t68a-withdrawn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/?p=3437","title":{"rendered":"First Metrolink T68A withdrawn"},"content":{"rendered":"

The withdrawal of the T68A fleet has now started with 2006 <\/strong>being officially withdrawn from service on 4th April having failed at Exchange Quay the previous day before the morning rush hour. Rather than repair the fault it was decided as the withdrawal of these vehicles was due to commence imminently it should be taken out of service permanently.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Delivered new to Queens Road depot at the end of September 1999, 2006 <\/strong>managed less than 12 and a half years in the serviceable fleet in Manchester. It was also the last of the T68As to undergo the special projects modification works and these were only completed last year with the tram returning to service on 7th September \u2013 less than seven months later and the tram has now run its last passenger journeys on Manchester Metrolink. 2006<\/strong> remains at Queens Road where it is likely that its ATS and VRS equipment will be removed before being moved across to Trafford depot.<\/p>\n

In other news from Manchester the reprieve received by 1025 <\/strong>following its withdrawal was short-lived as it has now been moved to Trafford depot following the removal of its ATS and VRS equipment. As you may remember when 1025<\/strong> was withdrawn from passenger service on 15th January it was fitted with a special pantograph and was used on ice breaking duties across the network during the winter period. With this period now apparently over (although I think someone needs to tell the weather that!) 1025<\/strong> has been
\nstood down, all useful equipment removed and on the night of 23 March was transported across Manchester for further storage at Trafford where all 12 of the withdrawn T68s are now situated.<\/p>\n

On the M5000 front the latest example to enter service has been 3057 <\/strong>which brings the current fleet strength of this class to 50 although it is the 51st to carry passengers. 3013<\/strong>
\nremains out of service following accident damage earlier this year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The first T68A to be withdrawn from service, 2006, is seen approaching the terminus at Eccles on 23rd March 2013. Less than two weeks later it had run its last journeys in passenger service. (Photo: Gareth Prior)<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The withdrawal of the T68A fleet has now started with 2006 being officially withdrawn from service on 4th April having failed at Exchange Quay the previous day before the morning rush hour. Rather than repair the fault it was decided … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3437"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3437"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3437\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3457,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3437\/revisions\/3457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}