A Winter afternoon with Manchester Metrolink: 1 February 2003
Picture report by Charlie Hulme
Our journey starts at Cornbrook station - although it is not possible to start a actual journey from there as it is a an interchange station only, between the Eccles and Altrincham branches, you have to arrive on another tram. There are homes and workplaces nearby, though, and in the past I have seen people sneaking out down the 'emergency exit' stairs, I note that the doors to the stairs have now been barred and people are asked to contact the control office on the help phone in emergency, presumably the doors can be opened somehow.
Cornbrook station is located on a brick viaduct originally built to carry a main line into Manchester Central station; a parallel viaduct on a slightly lower level, to the right in the picture, still carries trains on the Manchester - Warrington Central - Liverpool axis, plus empty trains which have terminated at Deansgate station and are on the way to Trafford Park to reverse, and freight trains to the container depots in Trafford Park. The tram in view is en route to Altrincham, about to call at the island platform of Cornbook station. The bat platform in the foreground is not used at present; I understand it may be used to terminate services from the Oldham and Rochdale line which is soon to be converted from a 'heavy rail' route.
The view from the other end of Cornbrook platform, looking west. The Central Trains Class 156 DMU is travelling from Manchester towards Liverpool. The electrification structures here date from 1931 when the Manchester - Altrincham line was electrified at 1500 V DC, although they now carry 25 kV AC power. The Metrolink junction is set for the left-hand route which is towards Salford Quays and Eccles; the Altrincham line turns right here and then buries under the Eccles line and the main line route to join the metals of the old Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway.
Harbour City station, the best access to the leisure and culture buildings at The Lowry, has staggered platforms. Like other stations in the Quays, it is adjacent to an office complex. Passengers for The Lowry can cross a bridge to off the left hand side of this view and follow the dockside paths. Behind the departing tram, the 'grassed track' in use in this area can be seen.
Before the next station, Broadway, the line turns right through 90 degrees; the turnout in the foreground, and another training in behind the tram, are all that exists at present of the proposed branch to The Lowry itself. This short spur of about 500 metres will be completed if anyone can be found to pay for it, although I have never seen any statement of how the service pattern would work.
Looking back towards Harbour City station with the same car, 2005, heading for Manchester Piccadilly. The grassed track used car-park style concrete cells, unlike the pure grass found in some continental cities.
Ten minutes' walk from Harbour City, and across the Salford No. 9 Dock, now known as the Huron and Erie basins, we reach the Manchester Ship Canal. This view is from the new lifting footbridge, and features on the Manchester side of the canal the striking architecture of the Imperial War Museum North designed by Daniel Libeskind and clad in aluminium. This opened in 2002, and can be visited free between 10:00 and 18:00 daily.
Looking back from the museum, on the right the lifting bridge and on the left The Lowry theatre and gallery complex, also well worth a visit. Behind the tower block is a shopping centre, or 'designer outlet.'
The walk back from The Lowry (the circular tower is the chimney of its heating system) to Harbour City runs alongside the Huron Basin, on the footway to the left of the picture. This was the site of the swimming section of the Triathlon competition in the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The picture is taken from the bridge which crosses the basin; this was originally a railway swing bridge across the canal, and was moved here as a feature.
More railway interest at our North
Wales Coast Railway site.