In Pictures: Sheffield tram-train work update

Posted on Monday 25 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Work to bring the UK’s first tram-train service to life is continuing with two major worksites now underway – at Meadowhall South to connect Supertram tracks with the national rail network and also at Rotherham Parkgate where a stop is due to be constructed. In this pictorial update Stuart Cooke has been exploring and we take a look at preparatory works in Rotherham.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 1 Comment

In Pictures: A closer look at 3058’s advert

Posted on Monday 25 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Last week we brought you news of Manchester Metrolink 3058’s new all over advert for Sainsbury’s and now, with thanks once again to Steve Kemp, we take a closer look at the advert which seems to have a Space Invaders theme…

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 5 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 24 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

This week we bring you more photos as part of our main site update:

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink, Manx Electric Railway, Site News, Snaefell Mountain Railway | Comments Off on This week on British Trams Online

Rush Hour on the Railway: 25th – 28th March

Posted on Sunday 24 April 2016 by admin

The following is a report on the first major transport event on the Isle of Man in 2016 – Rush Hour, running over the long Easter weekend. Circumstances conspired against the event this year with many potential visitors having difficulty getting to the island following an unfortunate accident befalling the Steam Packet Fast Craft ‘Mannanan’, resulting in it sustaining damage after hitting the pier wall at Douglas and being out of action throughout the holiday period. However, once again, the railways pulled out all the stops and produced a first class variety of events. David Mee reports from the weekend.

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Midland Metro set to reach New Street from 22nd May

Posted on Sunday 24 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

The sight of trams running through Birmingham City Centre as far as New Street station is set to become a regular occurrence following the completion of the first overnight tests of the section to there from Bull Street. As previously announced these first tests took place in the early hours of Sunday 24th April with Urbos 3 37 the tram in charge to ensure that everything was as it should have been. Providing that nothing untoward is discovered once the results of the tests are analysed Centro have now confirmed that passenger services to New Street station via Corporation Street will commence from Sunday 22nd May.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 16 Comments

In Pictures: 3113 enters service

Posted on Sunday 24 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

3113 has become the latest Manchester Metrolink M5000 to enter service with the first reports of it carrying passengers being on Saturday 23rd April. Running solo on the Rochdale Railway Station to Ashton-under-Lyne circuit 3113 was captured on camera by Steve Kemp.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 3 Comments

L&CBER replica no. 7 back out on the road

Posted on Sunday 24 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

2016 has well and truly got underway for Llandudno and Colywn Bay Electric Railway replica no. 7 with its first public appearance taking place at the annual 1940s festival in Colwyn Bay over the weekend of 16th and 17th April. And preparations are also underway for its next appearance which should be at the Llandudno Transport Festival and Victoria Extravaganza over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend (30th April to 2nd May).

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Picture in Time: Croydon Tramlink 2533

Posted on Sunday 24 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

We head back to Croydon Tramlink for today’s Picture in Time image for a view of another of the early all over adverts carried by the trams with a design for Nescafe on 2533.

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Balloon 723 launch event confirmed

Posted on Saturday 23 April 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Previously known as Blackpool’s ‘Scruffy Surprise’, the appearance of Balloon car 723 has been transformed over the past two months with a full repaint in the 1980s green and cream livery, finally returning this tram to an immaculate appearance. To celebrate its return to regular service, 723 will be launched with a special late afternoon tour on Friday 29th April, acting as a warm-up to the activities of the Bank Holiday weekend.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 5 Comments

TfGM warn motorists over yellow box junctions

Posted on Friday 22 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Anyone who has ever spent any period of time just outside Piccadilly undercroft on London Road watching or photographing Manchester Metrolink will know how often trams gets delayed by traffic encroaching on the rather obvious yellow box junction and now Transport for Greater Manchester have released video footage together with a warning to motorists. The video footage shows that over a six hour period a total of 640 vehicles entered the yellow box when the exit was not clear and 114 of those went on to block the tram tracks.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Midland Metro duo to represent UK in European TramDriver Championships

Posted on Friday 22 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Two tram drivers from Midland Metro have been selected to represent the UK in the European TramDriver Championships due to take place in Berlin over the weekend of 23 and 24 April. Cath Wood and Karol Wilski were selected by Midland Metro to make the trip to Europe where they will compete against tram driver from 16 other European nations.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 6 Comments

Manchester Airport early bird service a success

Posted on Friday 22 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink’s early bird service to the Airport has been declared a success with 1,474 passengers taking the tram in the first month of the service. The service departs Firswood at 0300 and was introduced from 21st March to encourage early shift workers at the Airport to use public transport to get and to and from work.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 2 Comments

NET services hit by ice

Posted on Friday 22 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

It may be April but that doesn’t mean that overnight ice on the overhead wires doesn’t still have the knack of delaying tram services with Nottingham Express Transit having problems on Sunday 17th April.

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Cyclists in Sheffield demand changes after injuries caused by tram tracks

Posted on Friday 22 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Campaign group Cycle Sheffield have this week revealed that there have been at least 228 cyclists who have crashed due to tram lines in the city over the past two years and they are now demanding improvements to the cycle network to prevent further incidents from occurring.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 10 Comments

Fares to increase in Blackpool

Posted on Friday 22 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 1st May will see an increase in single fares on the Blackpool Tramway with a 10p increase across the board. The reason for this increase – the first standard single fare increase since 2010 – is an increase in operating costs and a reduction in subsidies paid to Blackpool Transport. Single fares on the tramway will now cost £1.60, £2.10 and £2.60. There are no increases in the Blackpool1 ticket range or to 16-19 and child tickets.

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London horse tram to enter preservation

Posted on Friday 22 April 2016 by Andrew Waddington

The London County Council Tramways Trust have announced that the unrestored body of a North Metropolitan Tramways horse car is set to join the national collection. The remains of the tram were actually discovered in 2014 when they were inspected by members of the LCCTT and the Tramway Museum Society, although at that point in time preservation was not an option. This has now changed and the tram looks set to move to Derbyshire in the fairly near future.

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In Pictures: Metrolink 3058 receive another new ad as another M5000 arrives

Posted on Wednesday 20 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink M5000 3058 has received a new vinyl wrap advert for Sainsbury’s replacing its previous design for Kayak.co.uk. The mainly black livery again leaves the ends of the tram in the standard Metrolink livery and features a significant amount of contravision on the windows. 3058 had only received the Kayak.co.uk advert in January so it will be interesting to see how long this latest vinyl wrap remains on the tram.

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In Pictures: Jensen Club Rally at Crich

Posted on Wednesday 20 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 17th April saw the first of several car rallies due to take place at Crich this year with the Jensen Club Rally. Unsurprisingly the day featured a large number of Jensen built cars on display across the museum and of course with it being the Crich Tramway Village trams were in action as can be seen in these pictures from the camera of Hazel Quarmby.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 724

Posted on Wednesday 20 April 2016 by Gareth Prior

We’re off to sunny Blackpool for the latest instalment of Picture in Time with an image taken during 2005 of Modified Balloon 724.

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Horses at war – but no 264

Posted on Wednesday 20 April 2016 by Andrew Waddington

The second installment of Beamish Museum’s annual transport spectacular, this year with a First World War theme, was ‘Horses at War’ which was held over two days, Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th April. As the name suggests the main attraction (or should that be ‘mane attraction’!?) was an impressive number of horses at work around the whole site, showing how these magnificent creatures helped the war effort both at home and on the battlefields.

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