Private hires keep Blackpool trams busy

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Despite the Blackpool heritage tram fleet officially taking a break between the late May Bank Holiday weekend and Sunday 23rd June, no less than four of the town’s historic trams have been out and about during the past seven days. All four were used on private hires and although details on the actual journeys performed and the reasons behind them are sketchy, it is pleasing to see so many people are hiring a heritage tram for various purposes.

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Blackpool’s heritage tours – what’s coming up?

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

With the addition of some extra running days for Blackpool’s heritage tram fleet, British Trams Online presents a basic guide to all of the planned days when historic tram will grace the tramway for the next few months. Outline plans, as far as are currently known, are also given below.

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Panto season finally ends in Blackpool!

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

It is pleasing to report that the external advertisements for the Blackpool Grand Theatre’s 2012 Christmas pantomime carried by Blackpool Flexity 010 have finally been replaced by a more appropriate advert for Crown Carveries.

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LTT Trustee quits in major shake-up for charity

Posted on Saturday 15 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The Lancastrian Transport Trust has announced that one of its most prominent members, Philip Higgs, has resigned from his position as a Trustee of the Charity. Mr Higgs is a well known figure in transport preservation circles, notably featuring on the Channel 4 ‘Salvage Squad’ TV programme featuring the restoration of “his” tramcar, Blackpool Coronation car 304.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Lancastrian Transport Trust, People | 2 Comments

Blackpool 290 – going for gold

Posted on Friday 14 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The transformation of Blackpool Brush Railcoach 290 from the Diamond Jubilee tram into a piece of graffiti art for Blackpool’s Sea, Sand & Spray festival has now commenced. As reported previously, urban street artist Inkie is decorating the tram, owned by the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust, which will then remain in situ on its display siding near the Pleasure Beach for the 2013 illuminations season.

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In Pictures: A look around the Crich depots

Posted on Friday 14 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Most visitors to Crich Tramway Village tend to pay most attention to those trams that are operating during their visit, so for a change we are featuring some photos taken in and around the museum’s depot complex. These pictures all come from the camera of Andrew Spencer, who paid a visit to the museum on 10th June.

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Heritage Trams this week…

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

It’s that time of the week again when we bring you a round-up of when and where you can travel on heritage trams across the UK. Once again if you know of any errors or omissions please let us know and we will make the change. All the information here is given in good faith but you are advised to check before travelling any significant distance with the organisations involved.

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Tram-trains for Wolverhampton to Walsall?

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Another extension to Midland Metro could be on the cards with Centro investigating whether the Walsall-Wolverhampton rail line could be converted to allow tram-trains to operate. The direct service on this line last ran in 2008 but was axed because there were not enough passengers to make it a viable service and rail bosses have resisted all calls to reinstate it as they don’t believe this situation has changed. But now with the proposed Wolverhampton city centre extension being developed which would serve the railway station the chance could well be taken to link this with the railway line to Walsall.

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NET services altered for Armed Forces Day

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

On Saturday 29 June the main national celebrations for Armed Forces Day will be taking place in Nottingham which with the main feature being a spectacular tri-service parade and drumhead service in Old Market Square. As a result of this services from Hucknall and Phoenix Park on Nottingham Express Transit will terminate at Royal Centre from the start of service until approximately 1400 with a replacement bus service operating from Upper Parliament Street to Station Street. To help families attending the celebrations the popular Family Ticket for £5 will be available from 1500 on Friday 28 June throughout the weekend allowing up to five people (up to two adults and three children) to unlimited travel on NET.

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Midland Metro extension to provide boost for the unemployed

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Balfour Beatty, the contractor in charge of the Midland Metro Birmingham city centre extension, have signed up to the Employment Access Team (EAT) which seeks to support the unemployed of Birmingham into finding work. The firm will provide up to 1,000 weeks of employment during the construction phase of the line which is due to open in 2015.

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Mitcham pedestrian crossing reopens

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

A pedestrian crossing across the Tramlink tracks at Mitcham Junction has been reopened after a year following a local campaign to see it reinstated. The crossing – which is a public right of way – was blocked off during the double tracking works and when these were completed it was not reopened. Transport for London’s policy was to try and minimise the number of crossing points on the tramway but after a year of campaigning by locals they have agreed to reopen this particular crossing.

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Flexity 007 isn’t so lucky after all!

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Despite the number 7 supposedly being associated with good luck, the reverse seems to be true of Blackpool Flexity 007 which has recently been involved in an accident with a motor car. This isn’t the first time that this particular tram has been in the wars – it was the only one of the Flexity2 class to be damaged en route to Blackpool, and has also failed in service a couple of times in recent weeks.

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In Pictures: Great Orme Tramway

Posted on Wednesday 12 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

We’ve gone all Welsh on you tonight on British Trams Online! Another tramway which doesn’t often feature on these pages – mainly because it normally just operates with very little incident – is the unique Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno. Running in two sections between the town of Llandudno and the summit of the Great Orme the tramway is the only cable hauled tramway still operating on British public roads.

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NET 30 day tickets now available online

Posted on Wednesday 12 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

The 30 day season ticket for travel on Nottingham Express Transit is now available to purchase online following the success of online Student Tickets. Ordering tickets online is said to be a quick and convenient way to pay for tram travel with the tickets posted out within three days.

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In Pictures: The Conwy Valley Railway Museum tramway

Posted on Wednesday 12 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

If asked to name the various operating tramways to be found in the UK, few people would think to mention the Conwy Valley Railway Museum in North Wales. However, this is in fact home to a miniature tramway, operated by a single electric tramcar – and British Trams Online is delighted to feature this museum thanks to a recent visit made by one of our regular contributors.

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Blackpool tram to appear in ‘The Harry Hill Movie’!

Posted on Wednesday 12 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool’s illuminated Frigate 736, AKA ‘HMS Blackpool’, was out on the promenade for an unusual private hire on Monday 10th June. Comedian Harry Hill is currently shooting scenes for his first ever feature film in Blackpool, and 736 was requested for a filming assignment on this evening.

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OMO 8 & Coronation 304 return to Rigby Road

Posted on Tuesday 11 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Mere hours after the fantastic announcement that nine trams owned by the Lancastrian Transport Trust were being returned to Blackpool Transport to join their heritage fleet, the task of transporting these trams back to Rigby Road commenced. On Tuesday 11th June, both Coronation 304 and OMO 8 were moved back to their rightful home, bringing to an end the time in outside storage endured by these historic trams.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Lancastrian Transport Trust | 4 Comments

In pictures: Blackpool Boat 236 lights up Crich

Posted on Tuesday 11 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The restoration of Blackpool Boat car 236 (or 607 if you prefer to use its post-1968 fleet number!) has finally been completed at Crich Tramway Village, with the fitting of decorative festoon lights to the tram. Four strings of coloured light bulbs have been strung from the poles which were fitted at each corner of 236 when its restoration was undertaken last year.

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Metrolink T68 1014 latest to be withdrawn

Posted on Tuesday 11 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

There are now more T68/T68As withdrawn than there are in service in Manchester following the withdrawal of 1014. 1014 has actually been out of service for a couple of weeks with a traction fault but has now been officially withdrawn from service, becoming the unlucky thirteenth T68 to be taken out of use and the seventeenth of the combined T68/T68A fleet. With just 15 remaining available for service this now means there are more stored at depots than running in service.

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Seaton Tramway enjoys bumper weekend

Posted on Tuesday 11 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

The weekend of Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 June was a bumper period for the Seaton Tramway with many visitors lured to the Devon coast by the good weather being experienced and also, on the Sunday, the return of the Classic Car Show and over 1000 passengers carried on every available tramcar.

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