Imperial War Museum is a tram stop on the Manchester Metrolink's Trafford Park Line. It is located adjacent to Trafford Wharf Road and serves Imperial War Museum North. It opened on 22 March 2020.[1][2]
Imperial War Museum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Metrolink station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 A tram at Imperial War Museum in 2020, shortly after the line's opening | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Trafford Park, Trafford England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 53°28′07″N 2°17′49″W / 53.46864°N 2.29682°W | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | Trafford Park Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | In operation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fare zone | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 22 March 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020/21 | 63,500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021/22 |  0.270 million | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
editSome of the tram tracks around Imperial War Museum run very close to the alignments of the now derelict Trafford Park Railway.
Pre-opening
editIn 2013, the GMCA and the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership announced that it may fund the construction of the Trafford Park Line as far as The Trafford Centre, estimating that the line could be open to passengers by 2018/19, subject to a satisfactory business case, Transport and Works Act Order and public consultation.[3]
During planning stages, ITV who produce Coronation Street stated concerns about the proximity of the planned route due to it being located within 50m of parts of the open air set.[4]
New bus stops were also constructed to serve the tram stop.
Opening
editThe first trams (3040 and 3014 coupled together) passed by Imperial War Museum in the early hours of 10 November 2019 while on test. The stop opened to passengers on 22 March 2020, and the first passenger service tram (3073) stopped at Imperial War Museum just after 06:39.[5][6]
Layout
editImperial War Museum does serve IWM North, but also serves MediaCityUK and ITV Studios across a footbridge over the Manchester Ship Canal. This also allows for an out-of-station interchange with MediaCityUK tram stop.
Imperial War Museum tram stop consists of two platforms (island platform). Two dot matrix passenger information displays stand serving one platform each, and show estimated arrival times for trams in minutes up to 30 minutes prior (up to three at a time) and number of carriages.
This stop has step-free access.
Also, a new bus stop was constructed at the tram stop, and the bus stop on the other side of the road was moved further down towards the tram stop and given a canopy.
Services
editServices run every 12 minutes on all routes. Some routes (not shown here) only run during peak times.
From this stop, services run to Castlefield in Manchester city centre in one direction and to The Trafford Centre in the other. MediaCityUK tram stop is a 5-10 minute walk away from here, forming an out-of-station interchange.
| Preceding station |  Manchester Metrolink
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Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Village towards The Trafford Centre
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The Trafford Centre–Deansgate | Wharfside towards Deansgate-Castlefield
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Transport connections
editBus
editImperial War Museum tram stop is served closest by bus route X50 (Worsley–Piccadilly Gardens) and 250 on Wharfside Way (The Trafford Centre–Piccadilly Gardens). Further away over the Manchester Ship Canal footbridge, bus routes 29, 53, and 79 serve The Lowry.
Train
editThis tram stop is not connected to any railway stations, but the nearest one is Trafford Park, approximately 1.5 miles away walking.
References
edit- ^ "Metrolink's Trafford Park £350m tramline opening date revealed". BBC News. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- ^ "Metrolink's Trafford Park line to open as planned at weekend". Place North West. 20 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
- ^ Greater Manchester Combined Authority (26 July 2013). "Report for Resolution: Earnback Model, SEMMMS and Metrolink Trafford Park Extension" (PDF). Association of Greater Manchester Authorities. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "ITV 'disappointed' after trams cleared to run past Coronation Street". BBC News. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ Prior, Gareth. "In Pictures: Metrolink's Trafford Park line opens | British Trams Online News". Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ GM Trainspotting (22 March 2020). Metrolink Driver's Eye View - Trafford Park Line - Cornbrook to intu Trafford Centre. Retrieved 26 May 2024 – via YouTube.