A power cut left Manchester Metrolink trams stuck on their tracks today.
Just as Spain and Portugal’s railways resumed normal service after a blackout cut power for 60,000,000 people, Great Manchester faced problems of its own.
Shortly after 10am, trams serving the UK’s second largest urban area suddenly lost power, forcing passengers to evacuate.
With trams stranded on tracks, all Manchester city centre services, and some lines serving elsewhere, have been suspended for much of today.
Around 130,000 people ride these trams each day.
Ian Davies, Transport for Greater Manchester’s Interim Director for Metrolink, said: ‘We are investigating this as a matter of urgency, with operator staff on site and across the network and apologise for the inconvenience this is causing.
‘Given the nature of the incident we expect this could last for some time and potentially affect peoples’ journey home from school and work later.
‘We have had to make some changes to services while the repair work takes place.’
The power cut was caused by a damaged pantograph – connecting trams to overhead wires – in the city centre. Repairs to overhead lines are ongoing.
While trams have started to move again, there are still delays to services, with some changes to where they stop and start.
Deansgate-Castlefield station, where problems started, remains out of service until the end of today.
TfGM said: ‘A revised service pattern will be in place on Metrolink for much of the remainder of the day, while engineers repair damage to an overhead line.
‘While power has been restored to allow trams to operate, there remains some disruption and delays, with services unable to run into or through Deansgate-Castlefield.
Our engineers are working hard to ensure normal service will resume for start of service tomorrow.’
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