Mediacity:UK Metrolink station
Encyclopedia
MediaCityUK Metrolink Station is a station on the Manchester Metrolink
light rail
system in Manchester, North-West England, opened on Monday 20 September 2010. It is the terminus of a 360 metre (0.22369418519393 mi) from the Eccles Line which was constructed as part of Phase 3a of the Metrolink extension project. The extension branches off from the Eccles Line just after Harbour City
. The station serves the MediaCityUK development in Salford Quays
and the The Lowry
art gallery and Imperial War Museum North
.
. 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
; the proposals evolved, with plans for a branch line to serve the Lowry arts centre. The MediaCity extension replaced that proposal.
Services to the station were suspended following an incident on the second day of operation, relating to the Harbour City crossover. A driver reversed after only partially passing over spring-loaded points causing the tram to straddle two tracks and hit a central support column.
Currently the stop is served by a dedicated Piccadilly - MediaCityUK service. The plan is to have the stop 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.
. Four of these LRVs are required to operate the MediaCity line. 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 the trams from Bombardier arrived at Metrolink's Queens Road depot in July 2009 and subjected to approximately three months of testing and driver training before entering service in the autumn of that year.
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system in Manchester, North-West England, opened on Monday 20 September 2010. It is the terminus of a 360 metre (0.22369418519393 mi) from the Eccles Line which was constructed as part of Phase 3a of the Metrolink extension project. The extension branches off from the Eccles Line just after Harbour City
Harbour City Metrolink station
Harbour City Metrolink station is a Manchester Metrolink station serving the Salford Quays area. This station serves passengers travelling to the Lowry, The Imperial War Museum North and Lowry Outlet Mall. The station is near to MediaCityUK, the proposed site for the BBC's North West operations.The...
. The station serves the MediaCityUK development in Salford Quays
Salford Quays
Salford Quays is an area of Salford in Greater Manchester, England, near the end of the Manchester Ship Canal. Previously the site of Manchester Docks, it became one of the first and largest urban regeneration projects in the United Kingdom following the closure of the dockyards in...
and the The Lowry
The Lowry
The Lowry is a theatre and gallery complex situated on Pier 8 at Salford Quays, in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is named after the early-20th century painter, L. S. Lowry, known for his paintings of industrial scenes in North West England...
art gallery and Imperial War Museum North
Imperial War Museum North
Imperial War Museum North is a museum in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. One of the five branches of the Imperial War Museum, the museum explores the impact of modern conflicts on people and society. It is the first branch of the Imperial War Museum to be...
.
History
MediaCityUK is a development within Salford Quays, on the site of the former Manchester DocksManchester Docks
Manchester Dock and similar can mean:*"Manchester Docks" is another name for Salford Docks in Greater Manchester, England*Manchester Dock , an old dock in Liverpool, England...
. 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
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
for the area around the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
. Plans for a light rail system into Salford Quays have existed since around 1987, initially as far as Broadway
Broadway Metrolink station
Broadway Metrolink station is a Manchester Metrolink stop serving the Salford Quays area of Salford. The station is located within Zone H.-Services:...
; the proposals evolved, with plans for a branch line to serve the Lowry arts centre. The MediaCity extension replaced that proposal.
Services to the station were suspended following an incident on the second day of operation, relating to the Harbour City crossover. A driver reversed after only partially passing over spring-loaded points causing the tram to straddle two tracks and hit a central support column.
Currently the stop is served by a dedicated Piccadilly - MediaCityUK service. The plan is to have the stop served by a short service to Cornbrook
Cornbrook Metrolink station
Cornbrook Metrolink station is located on the north side of Cornbrook Road between the A56 Chester Road dual carriageway and Pomona Docks on the Manchester Ship Canal. It is built on the former Cheshire Lines Committee approach to Manchester Central....
when a reversal siding has been commissioned and the tram management system (TMS) is in operation between Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford.
Trams
A new generation of light rail vehicles (LRVs) was ordered for Metrolink from the rail manufacturer BombardierBombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
. Four of these LRVs are required to operate the MediaCity line. The Flexity Swift
Flexity Swift
The Flexity Swift tram is a family of urban and inter-urban light-rail vehicles manufactured by Bombardier Transportation for a wide number of customers across Europe...
LRVs, designated 'M5000', are similar to the K5000 series used in Cologne
Cologne Stadtbahn
The Cologne Stadtbahn is a light rail system in the German city of Cologne, including several surrounding cities...
and Bonn
Bonn Stadtbahn
The Bonn Stadtbahn is a part of the local public transit system in Bonn and the surrounding Rhein-Sieg area. Although with six actual Stadtbahn lines and three tram lines it is relatively small, two of the Stadtbahn lines connect to the much larger Cologne Stadtbahn .The entire network comprises...
in Germany, and similar to the low-floor models used by London’s Tramlink
Tramlink
Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...
.
The first delivery of the trams from Bombardier arrived at Metrolink's Queens Road depot in July 2009 and subjected to approximately three months of testing and driver training before entering service in the autumn of that year.