All change for Metrolink trams
ALL of Metrolink’s oldest trams are set to be replaced with new vehicles by 2014.
Transport for Greater Manchester’s bosses replaced 12 of the 32 original T68 trams with the new yellow-and-silver M5000 vehicles in September last year, and have now agreed to replace the rest.
An order for 20 new M5000s is now being placed with a consortium of tram manufacturer Bombardier and propulsion supplier Vossloh Kiepe.
The decision, approved by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, means that, when the order is complete in 2014, all services on the Metrolink network will be served by the newer vehicles.
Bombardier and Vossloh Kiepe are already supplying 74 new M5000 trams to serve the expanded network – including the new lines to Oldham, Rochdale, Droylsden & Ashton-under-Lyne and to East Didsbury, Manchester Airport and Ashton. Once all the new lines are running, the network will be served from a pool of 94 new M5000 trams.
TfGM chairman Cllr Andrew Fender said: “This decision signals the end of one chapter for Metrolink and the start of a new one.
“Our T68 vehicles were the first of their kind in the UK and served the first modern light rail network of its kind in the country.
“The arrival into service of our first new vehicles in December 2009 demonstrated just how far the industry has come in that time and it is clear that our T68s no longer live up to the standards that passengers expect.
“The time has now come for them to enter a well-earned retirement.”
The T68s originally began running in 2000. They are 10 tonnes heavier than the M5000s, causing greater wear of the tram rails, leading to more disruption of the passenger network.
