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Metrolink Timetable.

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ClagLover

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This new timetable seems to have less frequent services. I’m sure they have their reasons for this but I’m not liking it so far.
 
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Mcr Warrior

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Just to clarify, less frequent than when? Pre-COVID?

Service had at times been temporarily reduced during the pandemic to only every 20 minutes, IIRC. :|
 

ClagLover

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Don’t quote me but the Trafford Centre service seems to have gone from about every 10 minutes a few weeks ago up to about every 15 just now when I’ve got the tram. I’m happy to be corrected on this, it was just an observation.

As for pre-Covid, I couldn’t say. I’ve only recently become a frequent user of the service.
 

Mcr Warrior

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Thought it was now every 12 minutes. Stand corrected if that's not correct. Link to tfgm news release below...

 

ClagLover

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Perhaps I’ve been unlucky with the services I’ve used. You seem to have to wait a lot longer at Trafford Centre for a tram now.
 

Metrolink

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Timetable has been a bit funny lately, I think they’ll unify the services to a 12 minute frequency, with an average of 6 minutes (on the SML it’s runs so East Didsbury trams run in intervals of 8 then 4 minutes) because services double up from certain origins, like East Didsbury - Shaw and Crompton/ Rochdale, or Altrincham to Market Street/ Bury (with the former running to Piccadilly Gardens or Etihad Campus if they are resuming the Early 2020 timetable).
 

ClagLover

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See I think 12 minutes is perfectly reasonable but I’m sure I’ve been waiting longer than that for some trams in the last week. Glad to hear it will be running as advertised soon.

Off topic but trams are currently departing Victoria through blue flashing lights due to a points issue :)
 
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507 001

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Don’t quote me but the Trafford Centre service seems to have gone from about every 10 minutes a few weeks ago up to about every 15 just now when I’ve got the tram. I’m happy to be corrected on this, it was just an observation.

As for pre-Covid, I couldn’t say. I’ve only recently become a frequent user of the service.

TPL has reverted to it’s pre-covid service pattern of every 12 mins. There have been issues with staff shortages this week which has led to a reduced frequency at times though.

Timetable has been a bit funny lately, I think they’ll unify the services to a 12 minute frequency, with an average of 6 minutes (on the SML it’s runs so East Didsbury trams run in intervals of 8 then 4 minutes) because services double up from certain origins, like East Didsbury - Shaw and Crompton/ Rochdale, or Altrincham to Market Street/ Bury (with the former running to Piccadilly Gardens or Etihad Campus if they are resuming the Early 2020 timetable).

That’s incorrect I’m afraid.

The SML service is every 6 mins and is timetabled as such. Obviously services can run late which can give the impression of a different frequency but I assure you it is times for every 6 mins. Sets interwork on this line, so a set coming into Didsbury from Rochdale will work to Shaw and vice versa.

Altrincham and Bury line services are also every 6 minutes through the day. For the Alti Line the core service is Altrincham to Piccadilly, not Piccadilly Gardens (possibly during engineering works) or Market street (not possible). This runs all day.
On the Bury side the core service is Bury-Piccadilly. Again, running all day.
From start of Morning peak to end of evening peak these are supplemented by the Altrincham-Bury ‘directs’ which make up the 6 minute service.

This is exactly how it was pre-COVID. The only line that hasn’t returned to pre-COVID service levels is the EML, which currently has its 6 minute service only running as far as Etihad Campus.
 
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Metrolink

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Altrincham and Bury line services are also every 6 minutes through the day. For the Alti Line the core service is Altrincham to Piccadilly, not Piccadilly Gardens (possibly during engineering works) or Market street (not possible). This runs all day.
On the Bury side the core service is Bury-Piccadilly. Again, running all day.
From start of Morning peak to end of evening peak these are supplemented by the Altrincham-Bury ‘directs’ which make up the 6 minute service.
Yes that was my mistake, what I was trying to say, and I think you mean this as well, is that during peak between Altrincham - St. Peter’s Square, and Bury and Market Street (NOTE: this is where I got mixed up) the service operates as a six minute frequency. The only portion not operated as a 6 min frequency is St Peters Square, yet the Manchester Airport - Victoria service cover that making it a 12min off-peak, 6 min peak.

Timetable has been a bit funny lately, I think they’ll unify the services to a 12 minute frequency, with an average of 6 minutes (on the SML it’s runs so East Didsbury trams run in intervals of 8 then 4 minutes) because services double up from certain origins, like East Didsbury - Shaw and Crompton/ Rochdale, or Altrincham to St. Peter’s Square /Bury (with the former running to Piccadilly or Etihad Campus if they are resuming the Early 2020 timetable).
To reiterate, I’ve corrected my message to what I’m trying to say. The area doubled up is the portion between Altrincham to St Peters Square, and then they split to Bury/ Piccadilly at peak.

The SML service is every 6 mins and is timetabled as such. Obviously services can run late which can give the impression of a different frequency but I assure you it is times for every 6 mins. Sets interwork on this line, so a set coming into Didsbury from Rochdale will work to Shaw and vice versa.

You are right, I was more thinking in a more mathematical sort of sense that even if the intervals were 3 minutes then 9 minutes the average would still be 6 - also why highlighted in bold upthread - and I am fully aware also that the intervals are meant to be 6 minutes, but aren’t like that towards the late evenings due to seconds late piling up over the day. I have had (recent) experiences where shaw-bound (and beyond) trams arrive close together so this isn’t always achieved.
 
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