What's New on British Trams Online?

Photos
This week the photos are again a second selection from an event we've already covered as we take another look at Tram Weekend at the Crich Tramway Village. This time the photos come from the first day of the event as we see the trams running in service along the line as well as some of those on display in and around the depot. Thanks to Kevin Bartolf for the photos.

* All new photo collections added to the site in 2023 can be found on the Photo Gallery Index.

Fleet Lists
There are updates this week to the Blackpool Tramway (Balloon 708 departure), Crich Tramway Village (photo links), Edinburgh Trams (photo links), Heaton Park Tramway (Balloon 708 removed) and West Midlands Metro (change of status for 55) Fleet Lists as well as the Midland Metro T69 list (change of photo link - other dead links to be changed in due course).

* All our Fleet Lists can be found through the Fleet Lists Index.

In the News
Yes, its been another week of "trams on lorries"! This time its back to a heritage tram taking a trip on the back of a lorry as Balloon 708 departed from Tramtown in Blackpool for its new life at the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft where it is to be converted into a Playtram. Also this week we have had photos from Edinburgh where several incidents combined to make 28th November a day to forget with the rare chance to see trams using the temporary platform at Haymarket Yards. There are photos from the West Midlands Metro as we see recent progress at Wolverhampton St George's ahead of an eventual resumption of services to the terminus. We have also reported from the Isle of Man where there have been positive signs with passenger numbers during 2023.

* For all the latest News and our regular photo series head to the News & Features page.

Advent Calendars
Its December and that means the return of our Advent Calendars. Once again there are two for you to enjoy - Traditional Trams and Modern Trams - with a picture on each uploaded for each day in the run-up to Christmas.

Tram of the Year 2023
December also means the return of the British Trams Online Tram of the Year contest! Once again we are looking for the "Tram (Heritage)", "Tram (Modern)", "Tramway/Museum" and "Event" of the Year and nominations are now open from now until Saturday 9th December 2023. To find out more go to our Tram of the Year page.

Happy Birthday to us!
1st December marked our 21st anniversary of clogging up the internet with all things trams and light rail from across the British Isles and beyond. A huge thanks to everyone who has contributed over those past 21 years and also those of you who just logon to read what we have to say. As part of our usual celebration month we have a new series on the News pages: "The Completely Random A-Z of Trams in the British Isles!". That will also be joined later in the month by the return of "15 Years Apart".

We hope you enjoy this week's update - we will be back again very soon with more from across the British Isles!

Gareth - 3rd December 2023



Picture of the Week: Blackpool Illuminated Frigate

With the weather outside rather dull and dismal we bring some extra colour to proceedings with a photo of Blackpool Illuminated Frigate out on an Illumination Tour on 22nd September 2023 having just departed from Pleasure Beach loop. This also helps to illustrate a former winner of the "Tram of the Year" contest (joint!) on the weekend that we launch the 2023 contest.
Photograph by Gareth Prior