Brush car 621 enters the works

Posted on Monday 24 April 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Brush Railcoach 621 has taken a small step towards being returned to service, following its move back to Blackpool at the end of last year. On 20th April, the tram was moved from the main depot into the Electrical Compound for work to commence on restoring it to a serviceable condition, with sponsorship from TRAMS magazine.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 23 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

This week we have another three new Photo Galleries added to the site:

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Picture in Time: Midland Metro construction work

Posted on Saturday 22 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

An archive image with a difference for Picture in Time today as we feature an image without a tram in sight during the construction of Midland Metro.

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Midland Metro services to terminate at Priestfield for six months

Posted on Friday 21 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

Priestfield is to become the northern terminus of Midland Metro once again from mid-June for six months to allow for further rail replacement and road surfacing work. You may remember that the line north from Priestfield to Wolverhampton St George’s was previously closed between September 2014 and March 2015 for much delayed rail replacement works so this will not be a new role for Priestfield.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 4 Comments

Manchester Metrolink Service Change: Sunday 30th April & Monday 1st May

Posted on Friday 21 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

As part of the work to install two new substations on the Manchester Metrolink network there will changes to services over the May Day Bank holiday weekend with no trams running to Bury. Services will be amended all day on Sunday 30th April and until 1400 on Monday 1st May.

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Blackpool Boat car 236 – looking as good as new!

Posted on Thursday 20 April 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Boat car 236 has been receiving some attention in the Crich Tramway Village workshop over the winter months, returning it to a more original appearance. This work has now been completed and the tram returned to service on 20th April, looking immaculate once again.

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Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 10 Comments

Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloons 703 & 710

Posted on Thursday 20 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

It is that time of the week again as we head off to Blackpool for another image from the archives as part of the Picture in Time series. This time we feature two Balloon Cars back in 2006.

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In Pictures: Seaton Tramway at Easter

Posted on Wednesday 19 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

In lieu of our hoped for full Photo Gallery from the Seaton Tramway at Easter (crew roster problems for South West Trains meant I could only get as far as Salisbury when attempting to reach Seaton!) we bring you a small selection of images from the camera of Keith Chadbourne. Included is another look at the newest tram in the fleet – 15 – as well as a few other images taken close to the depot.

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Posted in Seaton Tramway | 2 Comments

In Pictures: B-fleet Balloon 719 towed back to depot

Posted on Wednesday 19 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Easter weekend saw another period of Gold heritage tram operation in Blackpool although not everything quite went according to plan. On Easter Monday, 17th April, B fleet Balloon 719 was allocated to operate the first northbound service of the day to Bispham but unfortunately on arrival at Bispham it was declared a failure and had to be towed back to Rigby Road Depot by Unimog 939. Mervyn Williams was on hand to capture these images.

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In Pictures: Supertram Tram-Train Tinsley Junction

Posted on Tuesday 18 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Easter weekend saw major work take place as preparations for the start of the Tram-Train pilot – likely to be 2018 – continue. Whereas a lot of the work which had taken place previously were on Network Rail metals and not as visible to regular tram travels this work saw the Supertram network joined with the Network Rail line at Tinsley Junction.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 5 Comments

More Blackpool blinds saved

Posted on Tuesday 18 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

Four more Blackpool tram destination blinds have been saved following a recent auction including two more rare original yellow Twin Car blinds. The four blinds were sold at an auction in Macclesfield and after Blackpool’s own destination blind guru, Peter Watts, was made aware he registered to bid online and was successful in his bids – despite the fact he was away working in San Diego!

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Vienna 4225

Posted on Tuesday 18 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

Today Picture in Time is heading back to Crich for a view of a tram which although it remains on site at the home of the National Tramway Museum in 2017 is in a different identity. It is Vienna 4225 now better known as New York 674.

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Posted in Crich Tramway Village, Picture in Time | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Edinburgh Trams cardboard model

Posted on Sunday 16 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams have recently produced a cardboard press-out model of a tram which is available for free to anyone who visits the Transport for Edinburgh Travelshop at Haymarket Although not particularly detailed – it is cardboard and free after all – it is a nice little freebie and is approximately 1:100 scale. John Hampton has collected his freebie and provides us with the below image of the completed model.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 16 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

Three new Photo Galleries for you this week with photos coming from Crich, Heaton Park and Manchester Metrolink:

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Posted in Crich Tramway Village, Heaton Park Tramway, Manchester Metrolink, Site News | 2 Comments

Bye bye, White Blob!

Posted on Saturday 15 April 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool’s Paint Shop is now occupied by a tram for the first time this year, having recently been kept busy with the application of vinyls and other finishing touches to Blackpool Transport’s new fleet of double-deck buses. The lucky tram to be under attention is B Fleet car 718, one of the four flat-fronted Balloons also known as ‘Millennium’ cars, albeit the only one which is currently active.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 8 Comments

Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1013

Posted on Saturday 15 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

We head back to the archives again today for the latest edition of Picture in Time and we are in 1992 for some early images of Manchester Metrolink with the subject being T68 1013.

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In Pictures: Box 40 on tour

Posted on Friday 14 April 2017 by Andrew Waddington

On Sunday 9th April, Blackpool & Fleetwood Box car 40 operated a full system tour of the Blackpool tramway for its support group, ‘Friends of 40’. Primarily aimed as a social event and tram ride for many of the people who have financially supported 40‘s continued presence in Blackpool over the years, this trip was also opened up to other interested parties and thanks to Bryan Grint, who was one of the passengers, we have a small selection of images from the day.

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Allocations announced for Easter Gold in Blackpool

Posted on Friday 14 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Easter weekend looks set to see another action packed weekend of heritage trams in Blackpool with the popular Gold timetable in operation again on Saturday 15th, Sunday 16th and Monday 17th April. As usual with this timetable six trams will be in service each day including one acting as a shop for all those unmissable Heritage Tram Tour goodies!

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Heaton Park Tramway New Volunteers Day – Saturday 22nd April

Posted on Friday 14 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

Volunteers are the lifeblood of heritage tramways across the UK and without them it is incredibly unlikely we would be able to enjoy the excellent events we see year on year. All heritage tramways are continually looking for more volunteers to help not only run these events but also the day to day operations and to this end the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester are holding another New Volunteers Day on Saturday 22nd April.

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SNP back plans to extend Edinburgh Trams – with conditions

Posted on Friday 14 April 2017 by Gareth Prior

The SNP have released their council manifesto for the forthcoming elections for seats on Edinburgh City Council with strong mention of proposals to extend the tram line down Leith Walk. Having previously been opponents of the scheme they seem to back the proposals, although there are strict conditions they set for their full support.

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Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 2 Comments