Picture in Time: Seaton Tramway 12

Posted on Friday 2 September 2022 by Gareth Prior

We return to July 1992 for this edition of “Picture in Time” as we look at another photo taken on the Seaton Tramway.

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Beamish continues overhaul of Gateshead 10

Posted on Thursday 1 September 2022 by Gareth Prior

Its been a while since we’ve reported on the long-term overhaul of Gateshead 10 (Grimsby & Immingham 26) at Beamish so let’s remedy us following a recent update on the Beamish Transport and Industry Blog. The tram last ran in 2016 (time flies as it doesn’t feel that long!) at which point it was withdrawn for a full overhaul which has seen delays but it is now well on the road to a return – hoped for in 2023 when the Beamish Tramway will be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

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Heritage Open Day tours of old Darwen Tram Depot

Posted on Thursday 1 September 2022 by Gareth Prior

There is the chance to see the old Darwen Tram Depot up close during this September’s Heritage Open Day event with the current owners of the building throwing open the doors for twice daily yours for a week between 12th and 16th September.

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TfL and DfT finally come to an agreement over longer-term funding package

Posted on Thursday 1 September 2022 by Gareth Prior

The threat of a managed decline of all public transport in London has been averted after confirmation that Transport for London and the Department for Transport finally came to an agreement over a longer-term funding package. After months of a month here, a few weeks there and then days at a time of funding this new package will see transport in the capital supported until March 2024.

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In Pictures: Blackpool Flexity2 018 returns to service

Posted on Wednesday 31 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

This article has been updated since original publication with a correction to its first day in service.

Over the past few years the Blackpool Tramway has had to make do with a limited fleet of operational Flexity2 trams with a couple having been out of service long-term. But now after the return of 004 to service comes the news that 018 has also re-entered service, although it was an initial brief return with it soon having to head back to depot.

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Crich to mark 60 years since the closure of Glasgow’s tram system

Posted on Wednesday 31 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

On 4th September 1962 the once extensive Glasgow Corporation Tramway system closed its final route. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of this, the Crich Tramway Village will be running and displaying trams connected to the Glasgow system over a four day period from 1st September to 4th September.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 31st August 2022

Posted on Wednesday 31 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

What is this madness? A midweek update of British Trams Online! (We’ll let you decide whether its a late update from last weekend or an extra unplanned update!). There are two small Photo Galleries added – images from Seaton and the East Anglia Transport Museum.

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Two more trams return to action at Crich!

Posted on Tuesday 30 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

What’s better than one tram from London back in service at the Crich Tramway Village? Two! The end of August has seen both London Passenger Transport Board 1622 and London United Tramways 159 run in service for the first time in 2022, bringing the total number of passenger trams to have operated this year to 16.

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New strike dates announced on London Tramlink

Posted on Tuesday 30 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

The industrial action on London Tramlink shows no signs of coming to an end with ASLEF announcing a new set of strike dates which will impact services in both September and October. The dispute centres on pay with members on the union overwhelmingly rejecting a 3% offer in July.

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In Pictures: Metrolink 3145 enters service

Posted on Monday 29 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

This article has been updated with photos since original publication.

We now have an unusual situation in Manchester as there are no new trams waiting to be commissioned for service! 3145 has entered service with 3146 having not been delivered to the city just yet.

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Out and About: Shots on Metrolink

Posted on Monday 29 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink is the subject of this latest edition of “Out and About”.

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Trams &: Blackpool 006 & bus

Posted on Sunday 28 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

In this latest edition of “Trams &” we are in Blackpool as we take a look at a tram and a bus on the extension to North Station during testing of that line.

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City of Edinburgh Council set to back plans to further extend tram system

Posted on Sunday 28 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

When there was a change in administration on the City of Edinburgh Council earlier this year as Labour became the controlling party you could have been forgiven if you thought that was the end of proposed tram extension in the city. In opposition Labour had been critical of the SNP’s record with the tram extensions (although nowhere near as much as the Scottish Conservatives) but it now seems that a new £1 billion transport plan they are set to unveil in December will include as its centrepiece a north-south line between Granton and the Bioquarter.

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In Pictures: Telford Steam Tramway

Posted on Sunday 28 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

A line which gets very little mention on these pages is the unique Telford Steam Tramway which runs on a 2 foot gauge at the Telford Steam Railway in Horsehay, Shropshire. The line is now a circular route and has been running at this location since the mid-1980s having previously run for a short-time in Telford Town Park. Although it has been closed during 2021 due to technical issues it is planned to reopen in 2022.

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Balloon 715 to bow out

Posted on Saturday 27 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

The Fylde Transport Trust’s popular Balloon Car 715 is to be withdrawn from service following a mutual decision between Blackpool Transport and the owners of the tram. The tram has not undergone any significant workshop attention for many years and the time has now come for it to be taken out of service and it will become a static exhibit at Tramtown.

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Around the World in Trams: Berlin 3015

Posted on Saturday 27 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

We’re off to Germany for the next batch of photos from around the world as we visit the Oldtimer Museum Rugen.

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Emergency overhead line repairs on Tyne and Wear Metro

Posted on Saturday 27 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

The recent period of hot weather has been the cause of damage to the overhead line on the Tyne and Wear Metro which will necessitate the closure of part of the Tyne and Wear Metro from Tuesday 30th August. The emergency closure will be between South Gosforth and Shiremoor and will last for four days.

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In Pictures: Edinburgh Trams 257 receives Leonardo advert

Posted on Friday 26 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams 257 has quickly moved on from its Edinburgh Napier University advert as after just a month it has now received a contract for Leonardo, a aerospace and defence and security systems manufacturer.

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Picture in Time: Seaton Tramway 6

Posted on Friday 26 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

“Picture in Time” heads to Devon for the next few weeks as we visit the Seaton Tramway, starting off in 1992.

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In Pictures: Update from West Midlands Metro extension in Wolverhampton

Posted on Thursday 25 August 2022 by Gareth Prior

The next extension due to open on the West Midlands Metro is the short (0.7lm) line to Wolverhampton Railway Station. As with the last extension to Edgbaston Village the opening of this line is much delayed but in the last official update it was said that testing would be able to start “after the Commonwealth Games”. That has now been reached but there is still no sign of the start of even initial testing although since our last pictorial update there does seem to have been some progress made with the construction.

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