Just a little later, travellling to the airport by tram

So Saturday was the day of the adventure, when I set off on the new tram route from Chorlton to Wythenshawe there by making a little bit of history.

Now in the great sweep of history I doubt that the event will even feature as a full stop in a book recording the story of public transport in Manchester but it was my little moment.

True it should have been last week when the service began and if I had lived along the route the Sunday before when residents were offered their own tram ride for putting up with the aggravation of years of construction work.

But Saturday it was and it was worth it not least for the views over the meadows and golf course but also because of the ingenious route which opened up a lot of Wythenshawe.

And that is where I think the line will be judged, for I suspect a lot of people flying out from the airport will still opt for a taxi, the train or a lift from a friend but for those living along its route it will be a quick and direct route to Civic and more importantly to town.

As someone who spent many years travelling by bus into and out of Wythenshawe the tram is a better alternative even given the need to change at Cornbrook for town.

A choice which seemed to have been made by quite a few people travelling the two or three stops either side of Civic and as the tram headed closer to town the number of passengers increased so that just beyond Sale Water Park some had to stand.

So despite some reservations about the tram crossing the meadows I have to say it is a benefit and reminds me of how the Corporation trams which began running at the beginning of the 20th century helped open up the suburbs of south Manchester.

Picture; the metro stop at Barlow Moor Road, 2014, and Deansgate from the collection of Andrew Simpson