27 more trams for Metrolink as part on new Congestion Deal

Posted on Friday 23 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink could be set for 27 new trams to help reduce overcrowding on the busiest lines of the network as part of a new “Congestion Deal” announced by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. There would also be the introduction of new pre-peak tickets along with a discount for businesses that agree to implement flexible working.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Blackpool Standard 147 ready for return to use

Posted on Friday 23 March 2018 by Andrew Waddington

After a two year absence from the Blackpool tramway, Standard car 147 is set to make a very welcome return to the heritage service over the forthcoming Easter Bank Holiday weekend. As it stands, the freshly repainted tram is expected to make its debut on Saturday 31st March – the first of three ‘Gold’ running days over the long weekend.

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Urbos3 26 returns to Wednesbury

Posted on Friday 23 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

Back on 20th and 21st September 2017 Midland Metro’s CAF built Urbos3 26 left Wednesbury Depot for repairs at Wolverton Works following a derailment and now some six months later it is back in town. As with its departure it arrived in two sections on two separate days with part one turning up on Thursday 22nd March and the remainder on Friday 23rd March.

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More plans unveiled to improve cycle safety in Edinburgh

Posted on Thursday 22 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

A public consultation has been launched by the City of Edinburgh Council as further changes have been proposed to improve cycle safety around the city’s tram network. The first phase of improvements – which included new red surfaced cycle lanes at key locations – were introduced last autumn with phase two – which will see Advanced Stop Line boxes installed – due to follow by the end of this month. Now the third phase of proposed improvements is out for consultation with the Council keen to find out the views of local residents before they are implemented.

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Picture in Time: Modern Electric Tramways 01

Posted on Thursday 22 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

As we head back into the archives we go down to the Sussex coast for an image from Modern Electric Tramways when that was the centre of their operations.

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CityClass tram returns to Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2018 by Andrew Waddington

In a rather unexpected development, the Trampower project’s prototype ‘CityClass’ vehicle, previously known as 611, has returned to Blackpool. The tram was delivered to Rigby Road on Wednesday 21st March, with very few people seemingly aware of its return until it actually arrived back on site.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Preston Trampower | 9 Comments

In Pictures: Preparations underway for a new season at Carlton Colville

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

The East Anglia Transport Museum in Carlton Colville will open again for its new season on Thursday 29th March and in preparation earlier this month there was a small shunt of trams.

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TfGM appeal for information after spate of ticket machine thefts

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

Transport for Greater Manchester have released CCTV images after a spate of thefts from Metrolink ticket machines. In the period since January thieves have either broken into or attempted to break into six ticket machines on the Eccles, Airport and Ashton lines with the stops at Salford Quays, Exchange Quay, Sale Water Park, Ashton Moss, Clayton Hall and Martinscroft targeted.

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In Pictures: New Metrolink adverts

Posted on Tuesday 20 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

It has been a while since we featured a change in adverts for trams on Manchester Metrolink and although there still aren’t any full new adverts to report on a couple of M5000s have recently seen some changes. The trams in question are 3023 and 3080.

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Around the World in Trams: Kiev AB-1 & 5108

Posted on Tuesday 20 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

A trip into the Ukraine for this edition of our worldwide tram series.

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In Pictures: Supertram 113 back in service

Posted on Monday 19 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

Following a period of approximately four months off the road Stagecoach Supertram 113 has now returned to service. The tram had a fault with its articulation which required new parts to be specially manufactured. Photos courtesy of Stuart Cooke.

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Disruption for three tramways as another week begins

Posted on Monday 19 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

Monday mornings! Never the most popular time of the week as it is but for passengers on three separate UK tramways it was even worse as services were disrupted for a variety of reasons. London Tramlink, Manchester Metrolink and Nottingham Express Transit were all affected to differing degrees.

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Another year starts at Crich

Posted on Sunday 18 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

Following hot on the heels of the Manx Electric Railway the latest heritage tramway to start their 2018 season is the Crich Tramway Village with the museum opening for the first time on Saturday 17th March. Unfortunately this will only short lived as the latest batch of snow to hit the UK meant that the Museum was then closed on Sunday 18th March.

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New tram stop for Metrolink…sort of!

Posted on Sunday 18 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

A new tram stop has been built for Manchester Metrolink – or should that be Politanlink?! A new set for the popular ITV soap opera Coronation Street includes a tramstop – for the first time in the lengthy history of the show.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 3 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 18 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

This week’s photographic offering comes from South Yorkshire:

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MER welcomes in 2018

Posted on Saturday 17 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

There is no surer sign of the approach of Spring than the start of operating seasons at many of the heritage tramways across the British Isles which enjoy a break over winter. The first of the systems on the Isle of Man to start running for 2018 was the Manx Electric Railway with Friday 16th March seeing the first passenger services of the year.

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Picture in Time: Croydon Tramlink 2540

Posted on Saturday 17 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

The capital’s only true tram system operates through Croydon and that is exactly where we find ourselves for this edition of Picture in Time.

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In Pictures: Arena rebranding completed

Posted on Saturday 17 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

Back in December we reported about the rebranding of the Supertram stop at Arena – this has now been fully completed both at the stop and on board trams. The stop is now known as Arena / Olympic Legacy Park instead of Arena / Don Valley Stadium. Photos of the new signage are provided by Stuart Cooke.

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New Luas trams withdrawn from service

Posted on Friday 16 March 2018 by Gareth Prior

The new 55 metre long Luas Citadis trams have been withdrawn from service owing to a “system fault”. So far only two of the seven trams have entered passenger service with their use confined to the morning peak to help increase capacity but these trams have also been temporarily withdrawn.

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Liverpool tram to honour Sir Ken Dodd?

Posted on Friday 16 March 2018 by Andrew Waddington

The Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society have been seeking input on an idea recently put forward that Liverpool 762 be named after the late Sir Ken Dodd. As well as being a comedy legend, Ken Dodd was also a local boy who had been an honoury ambassador of the Birkenhead heritage tramway, having appeared on a BBC documentary programme entitled ‘The Golden Age of Trams’ a few years ago riding on 762.

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Posted in Birkenhead Heritage Tramway | 8 Comments