Heritage tramway back on track thanks to Pod-Trak

A heritage tramway in Manchester that was closed after overhead cables were stolen has reopened thanks to Pod-Trak.

The specialist transport engineering firm worked with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Keolis Amey Metrolink (KAM) to get the Heaton Park Tramway working.

It’s after volunteers were left heartbroken to discover thieves had targeted the overhead lines and feared it would be closed indefinitely.

Danny Vaughan, Head of Metrolink, said: “The Heaton Park Tramway is a fantastic attraction, enjoyed by thousands of people every year, and an important piece of our transport heritage.

“Credit to KAM and Pod-Trak, they’ve pulled out all the stops and wasted no time in getting the tramway operational again, much to the delight, I’m sure, of future visitors.”

After several weeks of testing and preparation the tramways were back open at the end of October.

Keith Whitmore, Chairman of Heaton Park Tramway Trust, said: “I want to place on record our thanks to TFGM, Keolis Amey Metrolink, Pod-Trak and our own City Council Officers based in the park for the tremendous response, and working in partnership to come to the rescue of our much-loved heritage tramway.

“Without their help the future of the tramway looked very bleak indeed. When our volunteers arrived to see the tramway in such a state following the theft of the wiring there was doubt that trams would not operate for some time.

“Now everyone wants to just say a big thank you for the massive response to get out tramway moving again.”