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 , the line runs on a reserved trackbed, running under a purpose built underpass under Great Ancoats Street. After New Islington, the line merges onto Merrill Street with other traffic for 250 metres, then diverges left to get to 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; stop alongside
City of Manchester Stadium, the home of
Manchester City FC, and then, after running through a short tunnel under Alan Turing Way; stop, which serves the
Manchester Velodrome. The line then runs along Ashton New Road for 250 metres before crossing it, and after a short reserved track section, it serves stop, before merging
onto Ashton New Road, which it shares with other traffic for the next few miles, serving stops at , , and . After this the line crosses onto a reserved track section, which runs alongside Lord Sheldon Way – the Ashton Northern Bypass for the run into Ashton – serving stop. It then crosses part of Lord Sheldon Way to get to the central reservation section, running up to stop. It then runs into Ashton town centre on a reserved track alongside the road, crossing several roads before reaching the terminus at stop, which is located next to
Ashton-under-Lyne bus station, and a short walk from
Ashton-under-Lyne railway station.
Route map ==History==