Overhead line fault at St Werburgh’s Road (12 July 2026)

(last updated 1 Aug 2026)

On Sunday, 12 July 2026, an overhead line fault occurred near St Werburgh’s Road, affecting services towards and coming from East Didsbury and Manchester Airport for almost the entirety of morning Metrolink service. An announcement was posted on the TfGM website at 06:17 GMT and no timescale was given. The message read:

“Due to an Overhead Line fault at St Werburgh’s Road we currently have no services operating on the Didsbury and Airport Lines.” “Customers on the Didsbury Line can use tickets on the following Commercial Bus services: 11, 15, 23, 25, 245, 248, 249, 250, 255, 256, 263, 281, 285, 286, 370, 371 Customers on the Airport Line can use tickets on the following Commercial Bus services: 23, 25, 41, 43, 85, 85a, 86, 101, 103, 248, 249, 368. Northern Rail also accepting tram tickets between the City Centre and Didsbury / Airport. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

A deserted St Werburgh's Road Metrolink tram stop on 12 July 2026 at 14:30.

Unfortunately I could not make my way to St Werburgh’s Road to see it unfold, but I did get there after most of the workers had left and the line was ready to reopen.

At 14:38 GMT, it was announced that the lines ha been reopened: “Due to an earlier Overhead Line fault at St Werburgh’s Road we currently have severe delays on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport Lines.”

I spotted some workers on the tracks at around this time, then walked down Mauldeth Road West to Barlow Moor Road tram stop, where I caught the picture below.

The second tram allowed through to Wythenshawe Town Centre, 14:52.

The previous tram before this one ran all the way to Manchester Airport, and was allowed through 6 minutes before this one.

Also on this day (12 July 2026), improvement works were happening on the Rochdale Line. Read about it here.