East Manchester Line

East Manchester Line
A M5000 tram approaching Ashton on Lord Sheldon Way.
Overview
Type	Tram/Light rail
System	Manchester Metrolink
Locale	Manchester Ashton-under-Lyne
Termini	Manchester Piccadilly Ashton-under-Lyne
Stations	13
Operation
Opened	11 February 2013 (Piccadilly to Droylsden) 9 October 2013 (Droylsden to Ashton)
Character	Reserved track and street running
Rolling stock	M5000
Technical
Line length	6 miles (10 km)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 volts DC overhead
Operating speed	50 mph (80km/h)
Route map to Bury  and Eccles  Manchester Piccadilly  New Islington Holt Town River Medlock Etihad Campus Velopark Ashton Canal Clayton Hall Edge Lane Cemetery Road Droylsden Audenshaw Ashton Moss   Ashton West   Ashton-under-Lyne

The East Manchester Line (EML) is a tram line of the Manchester Metrolink in Greater Manchester running from Manchester to Ashton-under-Lyne via Droylsden and Audenshaw. The line was opened in 2013 as part of phase three of the system's expansion.

The East Manchester Line runs on a mixture of reserved tracks and on-street sections with other traffic. Between Piccadilly and Clayton Hall stop, the line runs mostly along a reserved trackbed, it then runs on-street from Clayton Hall to Audenshaw, before running on a reserved route to Ashton.

From Piccadilly station, the line runs east, emerging from the station's undercroft, passing the reversing sidings, where trams terminating at Piccadilly reverse. Between Piccadilly and the first stop New Islington, the line runs on a reserved trackbed, running under a purpose built underpass under Great Ancoats Street. After New Islington, the line runs along Merrill Street with other traffic for 250 metres to Holt Town stop which is also off street. The line then runs along a reserved track along the valley of the River Medlock before serving two sporting venues; Etihad Campus stop alongside City of Manchester Stadium, the home of Manchester City FC, and then, after running through a short tunnel under Alan Turing Way; Velopark stop, which serves the Manchester Velodrome.

The line then crosses Ashton New Road, and after a short reserved track section, it serves Clayton Hall stop. The line then crosses onto Ashton New Road, which it shares with other traffic for the next few miles, serving stops at Edge Lane, Cemetery Road, Droylsden and Audenshaw.