Sheffield’s Tram Train stretches its wheels

Posted on Wednesday 24 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

The UK’s very first tram train arrived in Sheffield on 30th November and since that time commissioning and testing has gradually been increased. A few weeks ago 399 201 (to give its full Network Rail number of just 201 for Supertram purposes) started to run from the depot at Nunnery Square through to Meadowhall outside of normal service hours but now over the past couple of days it has started to be tested on the street sections of Supertram into the city centre.

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In Pictures: Bluebird restoration continues

Posted on Wednesday 24 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

The Crich Tramway Village may be closed to visitors at the moment but that hasn’t meant it has been all quiet behind the scenes. The workshop continues to be a hive of activity with the main concentration continuing to be the major restoration of London County Council 1.

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Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 7 Comments

Urbos 3 19 returns to service

Posted on Wednesday 24 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

Urbos 3 19 has returned to service on Midland Metro following the completion of accident repairs. The tram has been absent since August 2015 having been involved in a collision with a van close to Wolverhampton St George’s.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Liverpool 43

Posted on Wednesday 24 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

Today tucked away in the Wirral Transport Museum at Taylor Street in Birkenhead on display Liverpool 43 is a tram which has found itself in various different locations over the years. In today’s Picture in Time we remember a time when it was displayed at Port Sunlight.

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A fitting farewell for 147

Posted on Monday 22 February 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Standard car 147 is set to travel to Beamish Museum shortly for a loan period which is expected to last for much of 2016, but before it departs the tram will enjoy one final outing on its native tracks. The car is due to appear as part of the heritage output on Saturday 27th February before being prepared for its first road journey since 2000.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 21 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

We have a couple more Photo Galleries for you this week in our latest main site update:

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1023

Posted on Sunday 21 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

We head back to the familiar territory of Manchester Metrolink for the next instalment of our archive photo series Picture in Time as we take a brief look at T68 1023 with photos from 1992.

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New Street testing to take place on 23rd April

Posted on Friday 19 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

In what must surely be the slowest tramway construction project in history it has been announced that crucial overnight testing of Midland Metro to New Street will take place on 23rd April – four months after it has been hoped the line would open to the public. No date for the line to actually open to passengers hasn’t been announced but it would seem that it will not be before May now.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 20 Comments

Freezing fog halts Metrolink

Posted on Friday 19 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services were suspended during the morning rush hour of Thursday 18th February between Oldham Mumps and Rochdale Town Centre due to freezing fog. Rain overnight had left moisture in the air which then froze overnight leaving ice on the overhead wires preventing trams from picking up a reliable power source. Passengers on the affect section were advised to either use bus or rail services whilst the issue was rectified. It is not known whether ice breaker trams were run during the night to try and prevent this problem.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 10 Comments

NET wins environmental award

Posted on Friday 19 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Trams Limited – the operator of Nottingham Express Transit – are celebrating having received the prestigious ISO 14001 Environmental Management accreditation. This is an internationally recognised certificate which measures green standards in the workplace. The company also have accreditations in occupational health and safety and quality management.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 634

Posted on Wednesday 17 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

A tram that has been in the news in recent weeks is Blackpool Brush 634 as a result of its forthcoming return to its home tramway and it is that tram which is the latest to feature as part of Picture in Time.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 11 Comments

In Pictures: Double trams to Exchange Square

Posted on Tuesday 16 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 14th February saw the rare use of two double units on the service to Exchange Square with two doubles being diagrammed on the service from the latest terminus on the Metrolink network to Rochdale Town Centre. The trams diagrammed were 3010+3016 and 3024+3031. Photographs courtesy of Steve Kemp.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Luas strike action set to continue

Posted on Tuesday 16 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

Members of the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (Siptu) are set to step up their strike action in their ongoing dispute over pay on Dublin’s Luas tram system with a further three strikes now announced. The first strike took place at the end of last week – causing mass disruption to thousands of travellers in the Irish capital – and another 48 hour strike with now take place on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th February.

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Cyclist dies after collision with tram

Posted on Tuesday 16 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

A cyclist has died after a collision with a tram close to the Robinswood Road on the Manchester Metrolink line to the Airport. The incident happened at approximately 0700 on Tuesday 16th February.

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NET track replacement work completed on time

Posted on Tuesday 16 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

Services on Nottingham Express Transit resumed normal operation from the start of service on Monday 15th February following the completion of the track replacement work at Lace Market. As previously reported on British Trams Online NET services were split in two for three days whilst this work took place which saw the rails on the sharp curve leading from Victoria Street to Middle Hill replaced over 12 years of constant use. In addition the paved area around the tramstop was also improved. The work was undertaken by VolkerRail who have previously been involved in both Manchester and Sheffield.

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 1 Comment

Delays after car and tram collide at Exchange Quay

Posted on Tuesday 16 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

There have been more delays on Manchester Metrolink after a car collided with a tram close to Exchange Quay on the Eccles line. The collision took place at a road crossing which is controlled by traffic lights on Tuesday 16th February with all trams suspended between Piccadilly and MediaCityUK for around an hour at the start of the evening rush hour. A double unit led by 3065 was involved in the collision and no serious injuries were reported.

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Picture in Time: Docklands Light Railway

Posted on Sunday 14 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

We are off to the Docklands Light Railway for only the second time in Picture in Time with an image taken of the then fairly new system in 1988.

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In Pictures: M5000 3110 into service as 3111 arrives

Posted on Saturday 13 February 2016 by Gareth Prior

The Manchester Metrolink fleet of M5000s has increased again, both with those now operational and those actually in Manchester. 3110 has now carried its first passengers having arrived in the city back on 23rd January whilst on 13th February 3111 became the latest of the trams to arrive at Queen’s Road Depot having made the trip across from Germany.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 7 Comments

Crich Tramway Village gets a ten from Len!

Posted on Saturday 13 February 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Crich Tramway Village has featured in a recent episode of the BBC1 daytime television series, Len Goodman’s Holiday of a Lifetime. The series shows the Strictly Come Dancing judge accompany minor celebrities as they re-live fond memories of times spent at various destinations around the British Isles, and a recent edition featured Crich as part of a trip to Derbyshire.

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Wheel woes for Wallasey 78

Posted on Saturday 13 February 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Since the launch of Liverpool 245 into passenger service last September, members of the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society have turned their attentions to Wallasey 78 which has been lifted from its truck for an overhaul. Unfortunately, this has revealed a few unforseen problems which have pushed up the costs of getting this tram back into running order.

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Posted in Birkenhead Heritage Tramway | 1 Comment