MediaCityUK tram stop

Template:Infobox Manchester Metrolink station MediaCityUK tram stop is a stop on Greater Manchester's Metrolink light rail system. It is located in MediaCityUK, in Salford, North West England, and serves MediaCityUK, The Lowry, the Imperial War Museum North and other parts of Salford Quays. It opened on 20 September 2010,^[1] as the terminus of a specially-constructed 360-metre-long spur (0.22 mi) from the Eccles Line.

History

MediaCityUK is a development within Salford Quays, on the site of the former Manchester Docks. When an active port, the quays were served by numerous railway goods lines.

The Metrolink's extension into Salford Quays is part of a programme of urban renewal for the area around the Manchester Ship Canal. Plans for a light rail system into Salford Quays have existed since around 1987, initially as far as Broadway;^[2] the proposals evolved, with plans for a branch line to serve the Lowry arts centre.^[3] The MediaCity extension replaced that proposal.^[4]

Services to the station were suspended following an incident at the Harbour City crossover on the second day of operation. A driver reversed after only partially passing over spring-loaded points causing the tram to straddle two tracks and hit a central support column.^[5]

The station is served by a dedicated Piccadilly - MediaCityUK service. The plan is to have the station served by a short service to Cornbrook when a reversal siding has been commissioned and the tram management system (TMS) is in operation between Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar.^{[citation needed]}

Vehicles

A new generation of light rail vehicles (LRVs) was ordered for Metrolink from the rail manufacturer Bombardier. Four LRVs are required to operate the MediaCity line.^[6] The Flexity Swift LRVs, designated 'M5000', are similar to the K5000 series used in Cologne and Bonn in Germany, and similar to the low-floor models used by London’s Tramlink.

The first delivery of LRVs from Bombardier arrived at Metrolink's Queens Road depot in July 2009 and was subjected to three months testing and driver training before entering service in the autumn.^[7]^[8]

Services

Service pattern

12 minute service to Piccadilly (peak)
12 minutes service to Ashton-under-Lyne (offpeak)
12 minutes service to Eccles (offpeak)

Connecting bus routes

MediaCityUK station is served by Arriva North West's service 79 to Swinton via Ordsall and Pendleton and Stretford via Old Trafford. Stagecoach Manchester's service 50, branded City Connect, connects to Salford Shopping Centre in Pendleton, Salford Crescent railway station, Salford University, Salford Central railway station, Manchester and East Didsbury.^[9]^[10]

References

^ "Metrolink trams pull in to MediaCityUK station for first time". Manchester Evening News. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
^ Metrolink Community Liaison (1987). "Metrolink - Light Rail in Greater Manchester". publicity brochure. Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and Executive. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
^ "Metrolink Future Network" (PDF). GMPTE. 2006. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
^ "Mediacity:uk". GMPTE. Retrieved 2009-07-10.
^ "Eccles Metrolink line reopens after Salford Quays tram crash". MEN. 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
^ "New trams for Quays' 'media city'". BBC News. 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2009-07-10.
^ "Metrolink's first new tram lands in Manchester". GMPTE. 2009-07-13. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
^ LRTA web page on the new trams for Metrolink, including pictures
^ "Transport for Greater Manchester - Journey Planning - Network Maps". Transport for Greater Manchester. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
^ "City Connect 50". Stagecoach Bus. Retrieved 10 September 2012.

External links

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