In Pictures: 37 returns to West Midlands Metro and 30 is back in service

Posted on Thursday 17 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

After spending eight months in Spain for repairs, West Midlands Metro Urbos3 tram 37 has returned to Wednesbury Depot. Looking almost as good as new – although where some of the repairs have taken place the West Midlands Metro livery vinyls haven’t been reapplied – the tram returned on Wednesday 15th June.

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Full service resumes on Altrincham line

Posted on Thursday 17 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

A full service (or at least what constitutes a full service at the moment) has resumed on the Altrincham line after repairs were completed to the signalling allowing more than one tram at a time to be in the Network Rail section on the approach to Altrincham. It has now been confirmed that the issue was caused by the fire at Balloon Street last week.

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Stop by Stop Nottingham Express Transit: Toton Lane line – High Road – Central College

Posted on Thursday 17 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

In this latest edition of “Stop by Stop” we leave street running behind as we arrive at High Road – Central College.

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Lockdown Walks: Stagecoach Supertram 399 207

Posted on Thursday 17 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Out and about for another edition of “Lockdown Walks” today as we find ourselves at Hillsborough in Sheffield.

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Great Orme Tramway to reopen 21st June

Posted on Wednesday 16 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

The only cable-hauled tramway in the Britain, the Great Orme Tramway, will finally reopen on Monday 21st June – the first time it will have run since the end of the 2019 season. There is no need to explain why it isn’t run in that intervening period but after the Welsh government restrictions were lifted to such an extent plans could be made for it to reopen – albeit it will be a slightly different experience to that which you could enjoy a couple of years ago.

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Metrolink passenger numbers up to 45% of pre-pandemic levels

Posted on Wednesday 16 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Following the recent elections, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Transport Committee are to meet for the first time with their new membership and in preparation for this a report into transport performance has been released. Included in this is information on the performance of the Manchester Metrolink network which has confirmed that passenger numbers are now up to approximately 45% of pre-pandemic levels – which although a vast improvement on where it was goes to show how far off normality public transport really is.

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Still Standing! Poplar Depot, London

Posted on Wednesday 16 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

“Still Standing” continues today as we take a trip to East London to view the former London County Council tram depot in Poplar which remains in existence in 2021.

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Lockdown Walks: Edinburgh Trams 267

Posted on Wednesday 16 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its another trip out to the Gyle Centre on Edinburgh Trams for this edition of “Lockdown Walks”.

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Blackpool 298 returns to Crich as Derby 1 departs

Posted on Tuesday 15 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its almost time for the talking to stop and the action to start! We’ve reported several times this year about how things have been reorganised at the Crich Tramway Village in preparation for the return of Blackpool Brush Railcoach 298 from Clay Cross so its restoration can be resumed and now the tram is back at the home of the National Tramway Museum to allow the next stage of work to get underway later this year.

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Tyne and Wear Metro appoint new Operations Director

Posted on Tuesday 15 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

John Alexander has been appointed as the new Operations Director of the Tyne and Wear Metro, bringing with him 30 years of experience in the rail industry, including the last ten years as manager of Northern Rail’s Heaton Depot in Newcastle. He now takes over responsibility for managing day to day services on the network, starting off with the aged fleet of Metrocars before the new Stadler built trains start to be introduced from 2023.

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Picture in Time: Stagecoach Supertram 120

Posted on Tuesday 15 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

For the final time in this batch we feature Stagecoach Supertram as “Picture in Time” continues.

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Lockdown Walks: Stagecoach Supertram 123

Posted on Tuesday 15 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Back to Sheffield for this latest “Lockdown Walk”.

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In Pictures: B fleet Balloons do what they were designed for!

Posted on Monday 14 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 12th June 2021 – mark the day in your diary as that was the day that some of the Blackpool Tramway’s B-fleet Balloons actually did what they were originally conceived for! That’s right they ran on normal LRT specials! Granted they were running top deck closed which left a fairly limited capacity but at least it’s a step in the right direction! Three of the B fleet trams were used on this day – 707, 711 and 718 – with them operating between Starr Gate/Pleasure and Bispham/Little Bispham.

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Services to resume on West Midlands Metro as reduced service also continues on Manchester Metrolink

Posted on Monday 14 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

After four days with no trams running it has been confirmed that a limited service will resume on the West Midlands Metro from the start of service on Tuesday 15th June after sufficient trams were cleared as available for service. But trams will only run between Wolverhampton St George’s and Bull Street every 10 minutes for most of the day. It remains a similar picture on Manchester Metrolink as well where the Altrincham line continues to have a reduced service.

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Whatever Happened To? Crich Tramathon 2005 – Leeds 399

Posted on Monday 14 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

In this latest edition of “Whatever Happened To?” we take a look at Leeds 399 – another of those trams which ran in passenger service during the Tramathon event at Crich in 2005.

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Lockdown Walks: Edinburgh Trams 268

Posted on Monday 14 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Another week long bonus of “Lockdown Walks” as we start off with another trip on Edinburgh Trams.

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Trams in Video: Prague – A busy morning peak at Andel

Posted on Sunday 13 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

For the next few weeks “Trams in Video” will be heading to Prague for some footage taken on the extensive tram network in the Czech city. In this first video we head to Andel in the city centre with 23 minutes during the morning peak showing just how busy this intersection is. Most of the tram types are featured as we sit back and see what Prague has to offer.

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In Pictures: More from Wilko’s

Posted on Sunday 13 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

With new fencing being installed around the old Wilko’s store worksite it may be a little while before we bring further updates from the construction works of the new tram terminus in Blackpool so here we feature the scene on Thursday 10th June showing the latest progress.

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Lockdown Walks: Stagecoach Supertram 111

Posted on Sunday 13 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its time for another edition of “Lockdown Walks” with Sheffield again the location.

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Bus+ Metro tickets now available on the My Metro app

Posted on Sunday 13 June 2021 by Gareth Prior

Anyone who travels on the West Midlands Metro and local bus services are now able to buy joint tickets on the My Metro app, making it quicker and easier to travel around the local area. Since its launch the app has proved to be popular with travellers on the Metro network to purchase their tickets for travel, especially in Covid times as it reduces the need to buy tickets from the conductors on board the trams.

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