In Pictures: A splash of green for 45

Posted on Wednesday 17 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway may currently be closed whilst the horses recover from their infection but that doesn’t mean it isn’t making the news as regular service tram 45 has emerged from the depot in a revised livery, featuring green dash panels and yellow numbers!

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In Pictures: The San Francisco Boats

Posted on Wednesday 17 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Of the four Blackpool Boat Cars now residing in the United States of America probably the most high profile pair are those which can be found in San Francisco. Boat Cars 228 and more recent arrival 233 are just two trams of the historic Market Street Railway streetcar fleet which are used to operate services on the F line and have proved to be popular additions to the fleet. Peter Watts was recently in San Francisco and provides us with these photos updating recent news on the two trams a long way from home.

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Fares to increase in Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 17 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Travelling on Blackpool’s trams (and buses) will be more expensive from Sunday 28th May with revised fares being introduced as a result of an increase in operating and fuel costs. An extra 10p will be added to all single fares but any tickets purchased through the recently introduced app will not see any change nor will the 24 hour ticket available on board trams and buses.

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Picture in Time: Sheffield Corporation Tramways Tenter Street Depot

Posted on Tuesday 16 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

For today’s trip into the archives we head to the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield for a view inside one of the original tramway’s depots at Tenter Street with a number of trams present.

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In Pictures: Horse Tram Day at Crich

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Thursday 11th May saw the first use of Sheffield 15 at Crich for 2017 with Joseph once again on hand to provide the horse power. This was the first of six occasions this year when 15 will in use with the special horse service between 1100 and 1300 and 1400 and 1600 with a modest extra fee payable to enjoy the ride between Town End and depot crossover.

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In Pictures: Metrolink 25th Anniversary celebration tram

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

We’ve mentioned it in passing before but we can now bring you images of the special 25th Anniversary celebration tram currently running on Manchester Metrolink. Appropriately numbered 3092 – with 1992 being the year services first began – has seen its spots repositioned to spell out “25” at each end whilst small vinyls on the windows state #Metrolink25 and Celebrating 25 Years of Metrolink. Kevin James provides us with these images.

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Midland Metro closure confirmed to start on 11th June

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

The previously announced Midland Metro closure between Priestfield and Wolverhampton St George’s has been confirmed as starting from Sunday 11th June with the hope that it will be completed in time for Christmas.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 4 Comments

Metrolink network suspended after communications failure

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

There was major disruption for travellers on Manchester Metrolink from mid-afternoon on Sunday 14th May following a major communications failure. The problem was first reported at approximately 1530 with the failure meaning that the control room could not communicate with the trams in service. It was decided on the ground of safety to suspend all services whilst the problem was investigated with passengers advised to find alternative ways to get to their destination.

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PayPoint tickets to be discontinued on NET

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit will no longer be selling tickets for travel through PayPoint outlets from Monday 22nd May with this formerly popular mode of purchasing tickets having dropped in recent years. Tickets will still be able to be purchased at PayPoint outlets before Monday 22nd May and will remain valid until their normal expiry date but no further tickets will be able to be bought from this date.

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Picture in Time: Croydon Tramlink 2535

Posted on Saturday 13 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

A trip to Croydon for today’s instalment of Picture in Time as we take a look at one of Tramlink’s original Bombardier built CR4000 trams – no. 2535.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 627

Posted on Thursday 11 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Back to the archives today as we take a look at another tram from Blackpool with this edition of Picture in Time featuring Blackpool Brush car 627.

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Jubilee car 761 acquired by Blackpool Heritage Trust

Posted on Wednesday 10 May 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Since the end of the traditional tramway operation in Blackpool in November 2011, great efforts have been taken to rebuild a collection of trams representing all of the different types of tramcar which formed the running fleet in the final years of the tramway (and some from much earlier) – with one noteworthy exception. With only two Jubilee cars ever built and both preserved by other organisations, it was uncertain whether either would ever become a part of the Blackpool heritage fleet, but happily, that is exactly what has now happened!

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 13 Comments

In Pictures: New ceiling for Sheffield 74

Posted on Wednesday 10 May 2017 by Andrew Waddington

2016 was the first year for two decades that Sheffield 74 did not operate at the Crich Tramway Village. It may be remembered that the popular Edwardian tramcar had been withdrawn from service due to excessive mould growth on its top deck ceiling, caused by the warm and damp conditions in the museum’s running sheds. Happily the tram has now entered the conservation workshop for attention to return it to the operating fleet.

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Douglas Bay Horse Tramway suspended for 10 days

Posted on Wednesday 10 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway has suspended all operations for 10 days after a number of the horses – “trammers” – were found to be experiencing a respiratory issue. This is said to be common infection amongst horses and is not fatal but can be transmitted between them. The decision was made by Isle of Man Railways on the advice of Ray Cox from Milan Vets on 10th May.

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Manchester Metrolink service change: Sunday 14th May

Posted on Wednesday 10 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Further engineering works on Manchester Metrolink will see services amended on Sunday 14th May with the Altrincham, East Didsbury and Eccles lines being affected this time around.

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Senseless act condemned as rock thrown through tram window in Manchester

Posted on Tuesday 9 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

The throwing of objects at trams is not a new phenomenon but on Monday 8th May one of the most serious incidents in recent times occurred with a rock thrown through the cab window of a tram at Derker causing injuries to the driver. M5000 3028 was operating a service on the Oldham and Rochdale line at approximately 2140 when the rock was thrown at the tram in what has rightly been condemned and described as a “senseless act”.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool & Fleetwood 2 and Grimsby & Immingham 20

Posted on Tuesday 9 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Today Picture in Time is in Crich for an early archive image of the National Tramway Museum with two trams in the shot.

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In Pictures: Glasgow 488’s Welsh restoration

Posted on Monday 8 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

It’s been a while since we have reported on the ongoing restoration of Glasgow 488 at the Ffestiniog Railway but that is partly because since we last took a look at the tram not a lot has actually being happening! The tram remains in two halves (three parts if you include the truck) with work not seeming to have progressed over the past 12 months.

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In Pictures: A sunny Sunday at Crich

Posted on Monday 8 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

A bonus selection of photos for you from the Crich Tramway Village on a sunny Sunday afternoon five different trams on the mainline: Glasgow 22, Blackpool 166, MET 331, Liverpool 869 and Berlin 223 006-4. Hazel Quarmby provides us with the images.

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Brush car 621 – back from the dead!

Posted on Monday 8 May 2017 by Andrew Waddington

After a short spell in Blackpool’s Electrical Compound, Brush Railcoach 621 is now able to move around under its own power for the first time in several years. As reported previously, the tram is being restored to running order to mark the 80th anniversary of its class, with sponsorship from TRAMS magazine, and will regain its 1950s green and cream livery on completion of the current work.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 11 Comments