THE government’s rail minister was late for a fringe meeting about trams at the Labour Party conference in Manchester - because he got on the wrong tram.Trying to find his way the short distance from Piccadilly Station to St Peter’s Way for the town hall, he boarded a Bury-bound tram by mistake - and ended up having to hail a cab instead.The meeting, which was chaired by Blackley MP Graham Stringer and with Manchester Central MP Tony Lloyd on its panel, started without transport minister Tom Harris.When he arrived at the meeting which was organised by the all-party Parliamentary light rail group, Mr Harris said: “I thought it was easy and it wasn’t – though I don’t mean to suggest that your system is confusing.“I must admit that after waiting five minutes for another tram to take me back again, I gave up and got a taxi.“I’m sure the bloggers will have a field day.”During questions from the floor, Metrolink director Philip Purdy apologised to the minister for the confusion.But Mr Harris replied: “No, it was completely my fault.”As a member of the Commons Transport Committee, Mr Stringer is a stern critic of ministers but he forgave Mr Harris his gaffe – and wished him luck in Gordon Brown’s reshuffle later this week.But he added that the last Transport Minister he wished luck was Stephen Ladyman – who was sacked the day after.