M5000

The M5000 is a rolling stock used on the Trams.

Information
In April 2007, eight Bombardier Flexity Swift trams were ordered by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, for Metrolink; these were intended to supplement the existing T-68/A fleet and increase capacity on the Bury-Altrincham line, which was suffering from overcrowding. Based on the K5000 design used in the German cities of Cologne and Bonn, these were designated the M5000. On 13 July 2009, the first M5000 (numbered 3001) was delivered to Manchester. Meanwhile, the M5000 trams were proving to be considerably more reliable than the older T-68/A fleet, which were found to be in need of expensive overhauls to keep them in service. In 2011, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) decided it would be more cost effective to replace the entire 32 strong T-68/A fleet with M5000s than to overhaul them, and so 32 more M5000s were ordered in two batches of 12 and then 20 (Nos. 3063-3094) in order to replace them.

In 2013, ten more trams were ordered in anticipation of the Trafford Park Line before the production line closed. In September 2014, TfGM ordered a further 16, bringing the total number of units ordered to 120. The last was delivered in October 2016.

In July 2018, a further 27 were ordered to help relieve overcrowding. The first of these was delivered on 14 November 2020 and is expected to be in service by Christmas. Further deliveries will follow every three to four weeks.

Trivia

 * There is an M5000 tram in Arnold Light Rail Depot, it was planned to be there only for a short time but is now there permanently.