MediaCityUK tram stop

MediaCityUK tram stop is a stop on Greater Manchester's Metrolink light rail system. It is located in MediaCityUK, in Salford, North West England; the stop 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.

MediaCityUK
Metrolink
MediaCityUK tram stop in February 2018
MediaCityUK
Location of MediaCityUK in Greater Manchester
Location
PlaceMediaCityUK
Local authorityCity of Salford
Coordinates53.4719°N 2.2978°W / 53.4719; -2.2978
Grid referenceSJ803973
Fare zone information
Metrolink Zone2
Present statusIn operation
History
Opened20 September 2010

History
See also: History of Manchester Metrolink
The Metrolink extension in 2010

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]

Vehicles

A new generation of light rail vehicles (LRVs) was ordered for Metrolink from the rail manufacturer Bombardier. Four additional LRVs were initially 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 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 minutes service to Ashton-under-Lyne
  • 12 minutes service to Eccles (before 07:00 and after 20:00 Mon-Fri; Before 09:00 and after 18:30 Saturdays; all day Sundays and Bank Holidays)

The station was originally served by a dedicated Piccadilly - MediaCityUK service during enhanced service (07:00-20:00 Mon-Fri; 09:00-18:30 Sat). However, as of 28 January 2018, services were extended to operate between MediaCityUK and Etihad Campus during enhanced service every 12 minutes, with Eccles - Ashton services calling outside of these times [9]. The Etihad Campus service was further extended to Ashton in January 2019[10][11] meaning a through service between MediaCityUK and Ashton during all hours of operation.

Connecting bus routes

MediaCityUK tram stop is served by Diamond Bus North West services 13, 73 & 79, which stops nearby within Salford Quays. Also, stopping nearby is Go North West service 53, travelling between Cheetham Hill & Salford Shopping Centre and Stagecoach Manchesterservice 50, linking Salford Shopping Centre in Pendleton, Salford Crescent railway station, Salford University, Salford Central railway station, Manchester and East Didsbury with Salford Quays and MediaCityUK.

References
  1. "Metrolink trams pull in to MediaCityUK station for first time". Manchester Evening News. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  2. Metrolink Community Liaison (1987). "Metrolink - Light Rail in Greater Manchester". publicity brochure. Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and Executive.
  3. "Metrolink Future Network" (PDF). GMPTE. 2006. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
  4. "Mediacity:uk". GMPTE. Archived from the original on 16 November 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
  5. "Eccles Metrolink line reopens after Salford Quays tram crash". MEN. 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  6. "New trams for Quays' 'media city'". BBC News. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
  7. "Metrolink's first new tram lands in Manchester". GMPTE. 13 July 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
  8. LRTA web page on the new trams for Metrolink, including pictures Archived 2010-10-17 at the Wayback Machine
  9. http://www.lrta.org/Manchester/news/index.html#jan.b
  10. Charlotte Cox (23 January 2019). "Ashton line trams to double from next week - with a service running every six minutes". Manchester Evening News.
  11. "Metrolink Corporate Scheme ticket" (PDF). TfGM/University of Salford. 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
Preceding station   Manchester Metrolink   Following station
towards Eccles
Eccles – Ashton-under-Lyne Line
Served only outside "enhanced" service hours
TerminusMediaCityUK – Ashton-under-Lyne Line
Operates during "enhanced" service hours
  Out-of-station interchange  
Trafford Centre - Cornbrook Line
Transfer at: Imperial War Museum
towards Cornbrook
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