The
Metrolink Light Railway System The Greater Manchester Public
Transport Executive describes their Metrolink light railway system as, " one of the
most successful light rail systems in the UK, carrying nearly 20
million passengers every year."
 Three lines carry trams to
Bury, Eccles and Altrincham. The Bury and Altrincham lines opened
in 1992 and the Eccles line was added in 2000. A fleet of 32 grey
and white trams operated on these routes. In 2009 a new yellow
and white
tram was introduced.
 In the city centre the trams
run along street level tracks. All of the tram routes begin at an
underground terminus beneath Piccadilly Railway Station.
 Trams
exit the terminus onto London Road.
 The line runs through the Piccadilly Place complex heading towards Minshull Street.   A large transport interchange
in Piccadilly marks the dividing point and allows passengers to
transfer between buses and trams.
 At this point some trams turn right towards Market Street.   From there into High Street.   In Shudehill the line runs
through the Shudehill Interchange which once again offers an
opportunity to transfer to or from buses and it also offers a large
indoor car park.
  From Shudehill the line runs
along
Balloon Street through the complex of Coop warehouses and exits onto
Corporation Street past the Cooperative Bank building.
 Then the line enters Victoria Railway Station before heading out over rail lines to Bury.  ******************* Other trams turn left out of Piccadilly and travel down Mosley Street towards St Peter's Square.  From St. Peter's Square the
route runs up Lower Mosley Street beside the Midland Hotel and close to
the Bridgewater Hall.
  Beside the former G-Mex
conference centre, the line climbs a ramp designed to bring the trams
up
to the level of the railway viaducts.
 A bridge carries the line over Great Bridgewater Street.  The trams then travel over the
bridges and
along the viaducts before heading out towards Altrincham and Eccles.
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