Metrolink to / from Etihad

[staffsblue]

Interesting thing about the Cornbrook derailment was that when that happened Bury-Altrincham trams were already only using the Exchange Square route because of the track works between Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter's Square. Obviously they couldn't use either route through Manchester once the derailment happened so all trams from Bury were diverted to the Etihad Campus via Market St.

Clearly they were being turned round at the Etihad quickly, so why can't they do this on match days? I've suggested this before that instead of trams terminating at Piccadilly, run them through to the Etihad for an hour before and after games. We know they can do it now.

Unsurprisingly, the turn back facility at the Etihad was constructed on the cheap which restricts capacity.
The trams actually reverse in the Ashton bound platform at Velopark before heading back to the middle siding. This occupation of the platform at Velopark restricts overall frequency to every 6 minutes (the combined Etihad terminator and Ashton services).
This in turn means only one service group can be extended from Piccadilly to the Etihad, this currently being the Media City service peak and Altrincham off peak, meaning everything else has to go into the turn back siding east of the Piccadilly stop.
All very boring I know, but the planners can only put together a timetable based on the available infrastructure.

 

[Gray]

Unsurprisingly, the turn back facility at the Etihad was constructed on the cheap which restricts capacity.
The trams actually reverse in the Ashton bound platform at Velopark before heading back to the middle siding. This occupation of the platform at Velopark restricts overall frequency to every 6 minutes (the combined Etihad terminator and Ashton services).
This in turn means only one service group can be extended from Piccadilly to the Etihad, this currently being the Media City service peak and Altrincham off peak, meaning everything else has to go into the turn back siding east of the Piccadilly stop.
All very boring I know, but the planners can only put together a timetable based on the available infrastructure.

The turn back facility is pretty pointless as the driver would have to have a ladder in his cab to get of the tram. He would then have to walk down the full length of the tram with his ladder in able to get back onboard.

 

[bluesmith]

The turn back facility is pretty pointless as the driver would have to have a ladder in his cab to get of the tram. He would then have to walk down the full length of the tram with his ladder in able to get back onboard.

Or he'd just walk down the empty tram using the doors that open internally?

 

[Gray]

Or he'd just walk down the empty tram using the doors that open internally?

Double tram? You have to get off one unit to get on the other.

 

[bluesmith]

Double tram? You have to get off one unit to get on the other.

Ah right was thinking of single units, it would only be a few yard though, I got on an empty double yesterday so it's doable, I wonder if they run on to Velopark and change there.