Call for action to help save Douglas Horse Tramway

Posted on Friday 20 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

At the end of March we were all rejoicing when it was confirmed that the Douglas Horse Tramway would run in 2016 after all with the government stepping in to operate the tramway. However this good news was tinged with the potential bad news that this was for one season only and that there would still need to be discussions over its long time viability. That all seemed fair as it gave time to ensure that the tramway was viable but then in April things moved on with the damaging news that a planning application was being submitted which allowed no provision for tram tracks between the Sea Terminal and Villa Marina.

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Posted in Douglas Bay Horse Tramway | 2 Comments

Metrolink sees double with second Crunchie advert

Posted on Friday 20 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

Following on from the news earlier this week that Manchester Metrolink M5000 3007 had received an all over advert for Cadbury’s Crunchie comes the news that 3001 has now received an identical advert. Once again featuring extensive contravision on the windows 3001 has become the third member of the M5000 fleet to be carrying a vinyl wrap livery concurrently (another first for Metrolink). There can be little doubt that all over adverts are now part of Manchester Metrolink, at least for the time being anyway.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 2 Comments

Now that’s how you travel from wedding!

Posted on Friday 20 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

With the opening of the Wedding Chapel in Blackpool it hasn’t been an unusual sight of seeing people travelling to or from their wedding by tram but now Blackpool isn’t the only place where people have travelled from their wedding by tram with a tram hired by a couple in Sheffield to get from the ceremony to reception.

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Flexity 015 stars on Coronation Street

Posted on Thursday 19 May 2016 by Andrew Waddington

After a filming session on 11th April, scenes shot in Blackpool were aired on ITV’s long-running soap opera Coronation Street on Monday 16th May. This included a brief appearance by Flexity 015 which was used for a stunt which almost saw a young character knocked down after running onto the tram tracks.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 9 Comments

Blackpool Standard 143 under assessment

Posted on Thursday 19 May 2016 by Andrew Waddington

The appearance of Blackpool Standard car 143 in the Body Shop at Rigby Road last September for the tramway’s 130th anniversary weekend created much interest, particularly as it was suggested that this may be the first step towards a return to service for this tram. Having spent the winter period in the Body & Fitting Shop, a thorough assessment of 143 has been undertaken to determine what work needs to be carried out so that it can run.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 3 Comments

Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 719 & Brush 622

Posted on Thursday 19 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

A fairly modern image for you tonight for the latest installment of Picture in Time as we once again head up to the Blackpool Tramway and catch a pair of trams running along Lord Street in 2009 – Balloon Car 719 and Brush Railcoach 622.

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Sheffield tram-train project delayed again

Posted on Wednesday 18 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

It’s not been a great couple of days for the UK’s tram systems with the BBC breaking the news that the Sheffield tram-train project has now been delayed following hot on the heels of yesterday’s announcement that the Midland Metro Grand Central extension opening was also being delayed. This time Network Rail have seemingly pulled the plug on the planned early 2017 opening stating that this date is not possible and that a “thorough review” would be undertaken before a new date could be announced.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 8 Comments

Delay for Grand Central Midland Metro extension

Posted on Tuesday 17 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

Midland Metro services through to Grand Central will not open to the public on Sunday 22nd May after all with further work required before passengers will be able to travel on the extension from Bull Street. The decision has been taken by Centro “following extensive safety checks”.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 16 Comments

Night Train to Starr Gate

Posted on Monday 16 May 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Following on from the success of the recent launch tour of Blackpool Balloon 723 as a warm-up to the most recent ‘gold’ operating weekend, Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours have announced another exciting evening event to start the next Bank Holiday weekend in fine style. This will feature the Western Train 733+734, offering an unusually early chance to ride on this Blackpool icon this year.

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Thank Crunchie…it’s 3007!

Posted on Monday 16 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

Having only had around three non standard liveries in the first 24 years of operation Manchester Metrolink really does seem to have caught the advertising livery bug in 2016 with M5000 3007 the latest to receive a vinyl wrap livery. The tram debuted on 15th May in its new livery which advertises Cadbury’s Crunchie.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 5 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 15 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

The main site has been updated once again with a further three Photo Galleries for your viewing pleasure:

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Picture in Time: Great Orme Tramway 6

Posted on Sunday 15 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

We go black and white for today’s Picture in Time image as we are heading to the North Wales coast for an image of Great Orme Tramway 6 over 50 years ago.

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Posted in Great Orme Tramway, Picture in Time | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Metrolink Second City Crossing works

Posted on Saturday 14 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

Works to construct the Manchester Metrolink Second City Crossing (2CC) which will increase capacity through the City Centre whilst providing a secondary route for trams running across the city are continuing as show in this photo update provided by Steve Kemp.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Return of the Douglas Horse Tramway

Posted on Friday 13 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

A couple of days ago we belatedly reported on the return of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway for 2016 and now with thanks to the Friends of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway we can bring you a pictorial update of their return.

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Posted in Douglas Bay Horse Tramway | 3 Comments

Seaton Tramway on a bus!

Posted on Friday 13 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

All over advertising liveries on trams are often a contentious issue for many enthusiasts but this is a story with a difference as we are featuring an advert on a bus of a tramway! The tramway in question is the Seaton Tramway and the bus is a 1980 Bristol VR open top bus which is operated by Mendip Mule and will be used as part of a unique tram and bus offer this summer.

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Posted in Seaton Tramway | 3 Comments

And the strikes goes on

Posted on Friday 13 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

Despite hopes that there may be gave been an end to the strike action on the Luas tram system in Dublin drivers have once again taken action this week – with more strike days to come in the coming weeks.

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‘Bluebird’ flies away

Posted on Thursday 12 May 2016 by Andrew Waddington

The heavily stripped body shell of London County Council 1, alias ‘Bluebird’, left Crich on Thursday 12th May for a short road journey to Ilkeston. There, specialist engineers are to undertake expert repairs on the framework to remove the accumulated corrosion and ensure that it will be fit for many more years of service as restoration of this unique tramcar gets underway.

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Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 5 Comments

Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 722

Posted on Thursday 12 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

It’s back to Blackpool and the year is 1972 as we return to our Picture in Time series for a couple of images of Balloon car 722.

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Trams versus cars in Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 11 May 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Manchester Metrolink has become the UK tram system with the highest number of tram versus car incidents in recent years, but the Blackpool tramway seems to be catching up with an alarming increase in the regularity of such incidents so far this year. This has included two accidents within a few days of each other during May, both of which caused little damage but lots of disruption to long-suffering tram passengers.

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In Pictures: L&CBER 7 at the Llandudno Transport Festival

Posted on Wednesday 11 May 2016 by Gareth Prior

The May Day Bank Holiday Weekend saw the annual Llandudno Transport Festival at Bodafon Fields with the Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway Society’s replica tramcar no. 7 once again one of the star attractions.

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