Airport Line (Manchester Metrolink)

Last updated

Airport Line
Tram Across the Mersey, David Dixon, 4237015.jpg
A M5000 tram passing over the purpose built viaduct over the River Mersey on the Airport Line.
Overview
LocaleSouth Manchester
Termini
Stations15
Service
Type Tram/Light rail
System Manchester Metrolink
Rolling stock M5000
History
Opened3 November 2014
Technical
Line length9 miles (14.5 km) [1]
Character Reserved track and
street running
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification 750 volts DC overhead
Operating speed50 mph (80km/h)
Route map

Contents

BSicon uCONTg.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
Trafford Bar
BSicon uHST.svg
Firswood
BSicon uHST.svg
Chorlton
BSicon uHST.svg
St Werburgh's Road
BSicon uABZgl.svg
BSicon udCONTfq.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
Barlow Moor Road
BSicon uhbKRZWae.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
Sale Water Park BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon uSKRZ-Bo.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
Northern Moor
BSicon uHST.svg
Wythenshawe Park
BSicon uHST.svg
Moor Road
BSicon dCONTgq.svg
BSicon umKRZo.svg
BSicon dCONTfq.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
Baguley
BSicon uHST.svg
Roundthorn
BSicon uHST.svg
Martinscroft
BSicon uSKRZ-Bo.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
Benchill
BSicon uHST.svg
Crossacres
BSicon uINT.svg
Wythenshawe Town Centre BSicon BUS.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
Robinswood Road
BSicon uHST.svg
Peel Hall
BSicon uHST.svg
Shadowmoss
BSicon uKINTe.svg
Manchester Airport National Rail logo.svg BSicon FLUG.svg BSicon BUS.svg

The Airport Line is a tram line of the Manchester Metrolink in Greater Manchester running from Manchester city centre to Manchester Airport via the suburb of Wythenshawe. The line was opened in November 2014 as part of phase three of the system's expansion.

Route

The line runs mostly on reserved track alignments with short sections of street–running. The southern half of the route mostly uses the wide grass verges alongside roads. [2]

From Manchester city centre, the route is shared with the Altrincham Line as far as Trafford Bar, and then the South Manchester Line as far as St Werburgh's Road. The Airport Line proper starts at a junction just south of St Werburgh's Road stop, where the line leaves the former railway trackbed, and runs off to the south-west. It joins Mauldeth Road West, running along the central reservation to Barlow Moor Road stop. It then runs on street along Hardy Lane for a short distance, before crossing onto a tram only viaduct crossing the River Mersey and the Mersey Valley flood plain. [2]

Tram running on tracks alongside Simonsway. Between Robinswood Road and Peel Hall. Metrolink Airport Line, Simonsway, David Dixon, Geograph 4235987.jpg
Tram running on tracks alongside Simonsway. Between Robinswood Road and Peel Hall.

The line then continues on a low embankment to Sale Water Park stop, serving the Sale Water Park; this stop is also near Junction 6 of the M60 motorway and has park and ride facilities. The line then runs parallel to the M60 for a short distance before crossing it on a tram only bridge, and turning south-west. [2]

After crossing the motorway the line serves Northern Moor stop. Between Northern Moor and Wythenshawe Park the line runs on a strip of land which was originally reserved for a road scheme. The line then merges back onto the street on Moor Road, and pulls over to the side of the road to serve Moor Road stop, and after running along Southmoor Road for another few hundred metres, crosses onto a reserved track section alongside the road. A tram bridge takes the tracks over the Mid-Cheshire railway line and into Baguley stop. It then runs alongside the road on this reserved track section, serving a stop at Roundthorn, and taking a sharp turn right to get to Martinscroft, climbs over the M56 motorway on a purpose-built bridge. [2]

The line merges onto Hollyhedge Road, mixing with other road traffic, before turning right onto a segregated section of track alongside Brownley Road, serving stops at Benchill and Crossacres. The route crosses to another segregated alignment on the south side of Poundswick Lane, crossing the northern end of Rowlandsway before turning left into Wythenshawe Town Centre stop. [2]

Map of the Airport Line Metrolink Airport Line Map.png
Map of the Airport Line

The line then runs along segregated roadside track sections, serving stops at Robinswood Road, Peel Hall and Shadowmoss, before passing under Ringway Road via an underpass, and into the terminus at Manchester Airport station: The two tram platforms at the Airport station were built alongside the mainline rail platforms allowing interchange between the trains and trams, [2] though only one platform is in use as of 2024.

The total distance between St Werburgh's Road and Manchester Airport is 9 miles (14.5 km). [1]

History

The line was opened as part of the third phase of the system's development, which also included new lines to East Didsbury, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Rochdale.

Construction work for all Phase 3b lines began in March 2011. [3] On the Airport Line, a 580-tonne steel bridge was erected in Wythenshawe over the M56 motorway on 25 November 2012. [4] The Airport Line opened on 3 November 2014, more than one year early, [5] and at a cost of £368 million. [6]

Proposed future development

Wythenshawe Loop

The original plans for the line included a loop from Roundthorn tram stop to the existing line at Manchester Airport via Wythenshawe Hospital and Newall Green. The line would have had stops at Wythenshawe Hospital, Newall Green and Davenport Green. [7] Although axed in 2005 to control costs, the Wythenshawe Loop remains an aspiration of TfGM. The route could link with HS2 Manchester Airport High Speed station. [8]

TfGM have submitted a bid for funding to extend the Airport Line to Terminal 2. [9]

Extension to Manchester Airport High Speed station

Plans for the (now cancelled) Manchester Airport High Speed station released in 2020 included provision for an east–west tram link. This would have seen the Airport Line extended to serve the new station. [10]

Services

As of January 2018, trams operate from Manchester Airport every 12 minutes, and terminate at Manchester Victoria in the City Zone. [11] At opening, Airport Line services had terminated at Cornbrook and later Deansgate-Castlefield due to lack of capacity through the city-centre, which was remedied by the opening of the second city crossing. [12] In March 2016, an early morning service was introduced between the airport and Firswood, [13] which was in February 2017 also extended to Deansgate-Castlefield. [12] TfGM have indicated that there could also be a 6-minute service at peak times after 2017. [14]

Usage

During the first full year of operation, 1.88 million journeys were made on the Airport Line. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester Metrolink</span> Tram system in Greater Manchester, England

Manchester Metrolink is a tram/light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. The network has 99 stops along 64 miles (103 km) of standard-gauge route, making it the most extensive light rail system in the United Kingdom. Over the 2022/23 financial year 36 million passenger journeys were made on the system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A5103 road</span> Road in Manchester

The A5103 is a major road in England. It runs from Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester city centre to junction 3 of the M56 motorway and is one of Manchester's principal radial routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firswood tram stop</span> Manchester Metrolink tram stop

Firswood is a tram stop on the South Manchester Line (SML) and Airport Line of Greater Manchester's light-rail Metrolink system. Located in the Firswood area of Stretford, it was built as part of Phase 3a of the network's expansion, and opened on 7 July 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Werburgh's Road tram stop</span> Manchester Metrolink tram stop

St Werburgh's Road is a tram stop on the South Manchester Line (SML) and Airport Line of Greater Manchester's light-rail Metrolink system in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. It was built as part of Phase 3a of the network's expansion and opened on 7 July 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robinswood Road tram stop</span> Manchester Metrolink tram stop

Robinswood Road is a tram stop for Phase 3b of the Manchester Metrolink. It opened on 3 November 2014. and is on the Airport Line on Simonsway at the junction of Brownley Road and Ruddpark Road, with Manchester Airport-bound services stopping to the left of the junction and Manchester-bound services stopping to the right. For a brief period during construction, it appeared the stop would simply be named "Robinswood". Its up and down platforms are staggered and not opposite each other.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crossacres tram stop</span> Manchester Metrolink tram stop

Crossacres is a tram stop for the Phase 3B Extension of Greater Manchester's Metrolink system. The stop is part of the Airport Line and is at the junction of Brownley Road and Crossacres Road in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester, England. It opened on 3 November 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roundthorn tram stop</span> Stop on the Manchester Metrolink, UK

Roundthorn is a tram stop on the Manchester Metrolink network. It opened on 3 November 2014 on the Airport Line, between Southmoor Road and Roundthorn Road. The stop is next to the Roundthorn Industrial Estate and is the closest Metrolink stop to Wythenshawe Hospital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baguley tram stop</span> Manchester Metrolink tram stop

Baguley tram stop is a tram stop on the Airport Line, built for phase 3B of the Manchester Metrolink to Manchester Airport. It opened on 3 November 2014 and is on Southmoor Road next to Roundthorn Industrial Estate and a Tesco supermarket.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wythenshawe Park tram stop</span> Manchester Metrolink tram stop

Wythenshawe Park is a tram stop for Phase 3b of the Manchester Metrolink. The station opened on 3 November 2014 and is on the Airport Line on Wythenshawe Road near the junction of Moor Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Manchester Metrolink</span>

The history of Manchester Metrolink begins with its conception as Greater Manchester's light rail system in 1982 by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, and spans its inauguration in 1992 and the successive phases of expansion.

This timeline of Manchester Metrolink lists significant events in the history of Greater Manchester's light rail network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester Airport High Speed station</span> Planned HS2 railway station

Manchester Airport High Speed Station was a planned High Speed 2 station at Manchester Airport, on the southern boundary of Manchester, England, next to Junction 5 of the M56 motorway on the northern side of the airport 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north-west of Manchester Airport railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altrincham Line</span> Manchester Metrolink line

The Altrincham Line is a tram line of the Manchester Metrolink running from Manchester to Altrincham in Greater Manchester. Originally a railway line, it was, along with the Bury Line, converted into a tramway during 1991–92, as part of the first phase of the Metrolink system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eccles Line</span> Manchester Metrolink line

The Eccles Line is a tram line of the Manchester Metrolink in Greater Manchester running from Manchester to Eccles via Salford Quays, with a short spur to MediaCityUK. It was opened in phases during 1999–2000 as part of the second phase of the system's development. The spur to MediaCityUK was opened in 2010. The line contains a mixture of reserved track beds and a street running section.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Manchester Line</span> Manchester Metrolink line

The East Manchester Line (EML) is a tram line of the Manchester Metrolink in Greater Manchester, England, running from Manchester to Ashton-under-Lyne via Droylsden and Audenshaw. The line opened in 2013 as part of phase three of the system's expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Manchester Line</span> Manchester Metrolink line

The South Manchester Line (SML) is a tram line of the Manchester Metrolink in Greater Manchester running from Manchester city centre to Didsbury. The line was opened as far as St. Werburgh's Road in 2011 and then to East Didsbury in 2013 as part of phase three of the system's expansion, and runs entirely along a former railway trackbed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oldham and Rochdale Line</span> Manchester Metrolink line

The Oldham and Rochdale Line (ORL) is a tram line of the Manchester Metrolink in Greater Manchester running from Manchester city centre to Rochdale town centre via Oldham, using most of the trackbed of the former Oldham Loop Line which closed in 2009. The line was re-opened in a modified form as a tramway between 2012 and 2014, as part of phase three of the system's expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proposed developments of Manchester Metrolink</span> Development of Manchester Metrolink light rail system

This is a list of confirmed or proposed future developments of the Manchester Metrolink light rail system in Greater Manchester, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zone 1 (Manchester Metrolink)</span>

Zone 1 of the Manchester Metrolink light rail network is the heart of the system where all of the other lines converge. Its boundaries are broadly equivalent to those of Manchester city centre, and approximately mirror the city's Inner Ring Road. Within Zone 1, first opened in 1992 as the City Zone, trams largely run along semi-pedestrianised streets rather than on their own separate alignment. The original route between the Altrincham and Bury lines ran to Victoria station via Market Street and High Street, and was soon joined by a branch to Piccadilly station by a three-way delta junction. A second route between the South-West and North-Eastern parts of the network was built to ease congestion on the original line. Opened in 2017, the Second City Crossing (2CC) added one additional stop to the network.

References

  1. 1 2 "Airport line". Metrolink. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Manchester, Chorlton, Wythenshawe & Airport". LRTA. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  3. "Manchester Metrolink starts Phase 3b". Railway Gazette International. London. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  4. Britton, Paul (25 November 2012). "Giant construction project to position 580-tonne bridge over M56 completed eight hours early". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  5. "BBC News – Metrolink line to Manchester Airport opens a year early". BBC News.
  6. Charlotte Cox (20 June 2014). "Video: Manchester airport Metrolink line to open this year – Manchester Evening News". men.
  7. "Metrolink History 2". LRTA. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  8. "BBC News – Wythenshawe 'western loop' Metrolink tram line to be proposed". BBC News.
  9. "CAPITAL PROJECTS AND POLICY SUB-COMMITTEE – Metrolink Capital Update". TfGM. 9 February 2018. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  10. "HS2 Ltd Launches Public Consultation on Proposed Changes to Phase 2b". Railway-News. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  11. "Transport for Greater Manchester tram times". TfGM. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Manchester Metrolink 'big bang' expansion complete as second city tram line opens". TfGM. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  13. "Early morning Airport Metrolink service set to take off". TfGM. 3 March 2016.
  14. "Metrolink 2017". TfGM. 15 January 2016. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  15. "Nearly two million travel on new Manchester Airport line". Rail magazine. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
Template:Attached KML/Airport Line (Manchester Metrolink)
KML is from Wikidata