Burton & Ashby 14 carries passengers in UK for first time in 90 years

Posted on Saturday 25 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Whilst most of the attention in UK tram preservation in 2017 has been directed towards Blackpool trams or trams to be restored in Blackpool one of the most ambitious projects in recent years has come to a conclusion with Burton & Ashby Light Railway 14 carrying passengers in the UK for the first time in 90 years. 14 was used for the first time in public service at the Statfold Barn Railway in Staffordshire during one of their operating days on Saturday 25th March – and proved to be a very popular addition to the various railways operating on the day.

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Picture in Time: Docklands Light Railway 79

Posted on Saturday 25 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Another trip into the archives and this time we are in London for an image coming from the Docklands Light Railway.

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Manx Electric Railway early season update

Posted on Saturday 25 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

It’s been a while since we last had an update on recent events on the Manx Electric Railway where services resumed for another season on 9th March and have been continuing early season operations since – including the return of the nationalised green livery.

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Balloon 703 returns home

Posted on Friday 24 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Another tram has returned home to Blackpool with Balloon car 703 – lately masquerading as Sunderland 101 – arriving back at Rigby Road Depot on Thursday 23rd March following the lengthy journey from Beamish.

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Posted in Beamish Tramway, Blackpool Tramway | 7 Comments

Spaces still available for Friends of 40 tour

Posted on Friday 24 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

The annual Friends of 40 tram tour on board Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 – a tradition since 1998 – will take place on Sunday 9th April and there are still spaces available with tickets including a tram ride and dinner at the North Euston Hotel in Fleetwood.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

Fares on the rise in Nottingham and Sheffield

Posted on Friday 24 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Selected fares on both Nottingham Express Transit and Stagecoach Supertram are to rise over the next couple of weeks with increased costs blamed for the increases.

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Transport for West Midlands to take direct control of Midland Metro

Posted on Thursday 23 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

In an unexpected move it has been confirmed that Transport for West Midlands are to take direct control of operating Midland Metro from October 2018 when the current contract with National Express comes to an end. It is reported that this will enable all the profits to put back into expanding the network.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

Tram allocations revealed for latest Winter Gold weekend

Posted on Thursday 23 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th March will see the latest Gold operating weekend in Blackpool with 11 different trams due to see action during the two days including several trams making their first public appearances of the year. Sunday 26th March will also give a chance to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the last tram to run in Bolton with long-term Blackpool resident Bolton 66 due to operate.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Event Previews | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Blackpool Boat 606

Posted on Thursday 23 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

The latest edition of Picture in Time is once again in Blackpool and we stop in 1981 for an image of Blackpool Boat 606 – a tram which now resides in the United States of America.

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Picture in Time: Manx Electric Railway – Derby Castle

Posted on Tuesday 21 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Isle of Man is the location for our archive photo as part of Picture in Time today as we find ourselves at Derby Castle, Douglas in 1993.

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Unsafe building halts Metrolink services in Rochdale

Posted on Tuesday 21 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services are unable to travel through Rochdale Town Centre following the discovery of an unsafe building on Drake Street. Cracks were discovered in the building on Friday 17th March and the road was immediately closed to all traffic including trams. All trams on the Oldham and Rochdale line are being terminated at Rochdale Railway Station with a shuttle bus provided for onward travel into the town centre. However with Drake Street closed to all traffic this has also been diverted. Structural engineers will examine the building before a decision is made as to when trams can return to the full route.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 4 Comments

In Pictures: Midland Metro Brierley Hill extension

Posted on Saturday 18 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

One of the Midland Metro extension projects currently being progressed is that of a line from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill which would mainly use disused railway lines but would also serve Dudley Town Centre and Merry Hill. Although the extension is still at the stage of planning – with a business case currently being prepared – recently work has been undertaken on vegetation clearance on the disused railway line, partly so as to provide a clearer picture of how much work will be required to bring trams to the line. In this pictorial update Andy Walters provides images of the latest situation.

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In Pictures: Crich opens for 2017

Posted on Saturday 18 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Services resumed at the Crich Tramway Village on Saturday 18th March for the start of another operating season which will see trams run every day until Sunday 5th November 2017. The standard three tram service was in operation with Chesterfield 7 the first tram out to carry out the pre-service check on the line and then Leeds 180 formed the first passenger journeys of the year. Metropolitan Electric Tramways 331 was also in service and Berlin 223 006-4 resumed its access tram duties as well. It is planned that at least a three tram service will be in operation each day until the end of the season with more running during some special events.

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Picture in Time: Nottingham Express Transit 201

Posted on Saturday 18 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Into the East Midlands for this edition of Picture in Time as we take another look at Nottingham Express Transit with the first Incentro tram, 201, featured.

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Pioneer Brush Railcoach set to run again!

Posted on Friday 17 March 2017 by Andrew Waddington

2017 sees the 80th anniversary of Blackpool’s Brush Railcoach class, and to help mark this milestone anniversary it has been announced that pioneer car 621 is to be restored to service this year! The tram is currently stored in Rigby Road depot following its return from Beamish Museum, who kindly donated it to the Blackpool Heritage Trust at the end of last year, but it is set to undergo a transformation over the next few months.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 19 Comments

Midland Metro set to break 7 million passenger barrier

Posted on Friday 17 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

More people than ever are travelling on Midland Metro with the Birmingham City Centre extension seeing a major increase in passenger numbers according to the latest figures released. 6.6 million passenger journeys were recorded in 2016 and the latest projections are suggesting that the period between June 2016 and June 2017 will see the seven million passenger journey broken for the first time ever.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 1 Comment

JC Decaux to lose Edinburgh Trams advertising contract

Posted on Friday 17 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

After a two year contract which has seemingly failed to bring in any revenue JC Decaux are set to be replaced as the firm in charge of advertising on Edinburgh Trams. It had always been planned that advertising would be sold on the 27 strong tram fleet but even after JC Decaux set the ball rolling on LinkedIn last year no companies have been signed up and now the City of Edinburgh Council have lost patience with the contract about to be terminated.

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Easter closure in Croydon Town Centre for Tramlink

Posted on Friday 17 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink services will be suspended between Reeves Corner and East Croydon for ten days over Easter to allow for track replacement works on Wellesley Road. No trams will run on the Croydon Town Centre loop from 8th April until 18th April whilst the trackworks take place with all other traffic southbound of Wellesley Road also being subject to diversions. During the closure period it is expected that a service will run from Wimbledon to Reeves Corner and from East Croydon to Beckenham Junction, Elmers End and New Addington.

Posted in London Trams | 1 Comment

TfL and TOL admit liability over Sandilands derailment

Posted on Friday 17 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Transport for London – through Tramtrack Croydon Limited – and Tram Operations Limited have admitted liability over the tragic derailment at Sandilands on 9th November 2016. This is in relation to civil claims which have been made as a result of the accident and will now mean that payments will be able to be made promptly. Anyone involved in the accident who requires additional help have been urged to directly contact Transport for London.

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Blackpool Standard 147 returns home

Posted on Thursday 16 March 2017 by Andrew Waddington

The year-long exchange of Blackpool trams Marton Box 31 and Standard 147 is now over, with the two trams now safely back at their usual respective homes of Beamish Museum and Blackpool respectively. After 31 had made the journey by road from Blackpool to Beamish on Monday 13th March, it was 147‘s turn for a road trip with the Standard car forming the return load to the Fylde with Calkeld’s Heavy Haualge again providing the motive transport.

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