Manchester welcomes hundredth new Metrolink tram

TfGM Committee Chair Cllr Andrew Fender with the key to the 100th tram

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) celebrated Metrolink’s hundredth new tram on the 13^th June 2015 at a ceremony marking the occasion.

TfGM Committee Chair Cllr Andrew Fender with the key to the 100th tram

The vehicle left the Bombardier plant in Vienna on the 9^th June and made its 1,000 mile journey across Germany and the Netherlands before arriving at Rotterdam where it travelled to the Port of Hull in the early hours of the 13^th June.

The first new style ‘M5000’ Metrolink tram went into service on the 16^th December 2009 on the Piccadilly to Eccles line. The new trams gradually replaced the existing T68 model which was retired last year.

The new M5000 tram will be check and equipped with the appropriate livery before making its inaugural journey next month. It is expected to travel an average 82,000 miles in first year of operation.

TfGM has already announced a £34 million agreement with Bombardier to supply a further 16 new trams with funding from the government’s Local Growth Fund. The order is in addition to the 10 trams ordered to serve the future Trafford Park line, and the 94 trams ordered to serve the expanded network connecting the city centre with Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne, Didsbury, Altrincham, MediaCityUK and Eccles. The expansion programme is part of TGfM’s 1.5bn transport investment package.

Cllr Andrew Fender takes delivery of the tram key from the driver

Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee said: “This is a real landmark for us and a sign of just how far Metrolink has come.

“We now have a completely modern fleet of 100 trams which are helping us deliver a frequent, reliable service that carried a staggering 31 million passenger journeys last year.

“I greatly look forward to seeing the new tram out and about across the network later this month – passengers should keep an eye out for tram 3100!”

Chris Coleman, Managing Director at RATP Dev in Manchester which operates the Metrolink network on behalf of TfGM said:

“The delivery of our hundredth tram to Greater Manchester is a significant milestone for us as the operator and I’m extremely proud of what our 700 team of employees here at RATP Dev have delivered over the past five years. 

“More trams will mean we have greater flexibility to maintain our fleet and this will allow us to build upon our already positive vehicle reliability figures which we know from our customer feedback is an extremely important aspect of customer satisfaction.

 “It also signifies the journey we’ve come on from 1992, when the network first opened with just 26 vehicles.  The arrival of the hundredth tram this weekend also illustrates the size and importance of the Metrolink network today which is now the largest light rail system in the UK.”