1st PASSENGER TRAMS TO MANCHESTER AIRPORT

A dark dank autumnal evening in Cheshire but a successful Saturday for us. We decided to cover the trial running on the Manchester Metrolink trams out to the airport but what i didn't realise was that the first proper passengers would be today as it was running free rides from 10 to 3 and it wasn't that long after I'd arrived at the airport end nearest home that there was a slight delay after a normal service had started in bright cloudless skies and then the first load of passengers cruised past into the airport, thereafter the passengers came out to most of the main spots along the line. I got a superb cab ride whilst the sun was perfect from Wythenshawe civic centre to the days terminus at Barlow Moor Road.

Then I road back with a very good driver, much smoother operation and did his own live announcements of stops so good that I did another cab ride after reaching the airport all the way back again to Chorlton where I caught up with Many in the car and then went back to do some more lineside shots as the clouds came over and the temperature dropped. All the drivers and staff were friendly and helpful, hopefully it will remain that way, I've not had the inclination to get the other 'new' lines done saving this up for winter when we don't want to travel too far. We then decided to call it a day and headed home feeling quite tired with all the fresh air as it was quite breezy. I'm hoping the weather forecasts looking ahead for Malta next weekend aren't right as they are telling of more storms to come after a sunny Saturday but a lot can happen in a week, my hope is to cover the buses on Saturday and Sunday and then get the trucks Monday and Tuesday, I don't get the plane until the evening so four full days.

I've got a hospital appointment on Monday at the Alexandra at Cheadle which will give me a chance to catch a few linesides of the first fare paying passengers journeys on the airport line, I've already nearly finished editing the film , it will be 90 minutes long, I'll pop it on the net and send copies our from Tuesday. Tuesday I'm flying up to Aberdeen for the day for a works conference I'll be back on the 6.30 pm flight, a long day after a very early start. Tomorrow Sunday it's another early start as we go over to Lincoln for their running day, always a good turn out, hopefully the rain won't last too long and we should get sun at some stage a mixed blessing this time of year. Projects on my plate are the West Yorks  regional archive and the West Midlands video archives I may just fall asleep this evening rather than bother starting either!
Shots from todays first passenger services etc at Manchester airport tram line.