TheTrams.co.uk - trams and light rail in the UK

Metrolink : introduction

Manchester’s Metrolink was Britain’s first second-generation street-running tramway. Phase 1, between Bury and Altrincham via the city centre, opened in stages, with the first section commencing operation on April 6^th, 1992. The initial system was extended with the Phase 2 line to Eccles, which opened in two stages in 1999 and 2000. Many more extensions are planned. The system is a mixture of on-street running and reserved track, and the current network is 24 miles long. [more]

1026 on a Bury journey at Heaton Park

There are 32 Ansaldo trams, built in Italy—26 were built for the original Phase 1 lines and a further 6 were delivered for the Eccles extension. They take their power from a 750Vdc overhead power supply. The trams are not low-floor, but there is step-free access to all services with the use of raised platforms. [more]

Trams run every 6 minutes Monday–Saturday daytime on the Bury and Altrincham lines, and every 12 minutes to Eccles. Metrolink serves 37 tram stops—many of these are former railway stations (eg. Whitefield) and the remainder are newly-built stops (eg. Anchorage). There is interchange with National Rail services at five stops. [more]

Updates:

8/3/09: Handful of new pictures added, taken in the city centre in September 2008—click here to see them all
10/10/07: New Metrolink at dawn and Metrolink double units galleries added • fleet list updated • new pictures added, taken in October 2006 in the city centre, and in October 2007 in the city and on the Altrincham line—click here to see them all