Sheffield 264 progress update

Posted on Wednesday 2 December 2015 by Andrew Waddington

It has been a little while since we provided an update on the major overhaul of Sheffield 264 at Beamish Museum, with our last update on the project concerning the reunion of top and bottom decks. Since this milestone achievement work has continued on the tram, which is rapidly approaching completion – in fact, it is expected to commence test running before the end of 2015.

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Happy Birthday to us!

Posted on Tuesday 1 December 2015 by Gareth Prior

Today (1st December) sees us celebrate our 13th birthday (and we enter the tricky teenage years)! Yes back on 1st December 2002 the unsuspecting internet saw the launch of a brand new website dedicated to trams and light rail in the UK. At that time there was very little else on the internet concentrating on trams in the UK but since then there has been a major increase with at times it seeming that a new website is launching every month! When we started the website was a much smaller affair and a weekly update would normally take about two hours to complete on a Sunday morning – how times change! Either more happens in 2015 than it did in 2002 or we just find out about more! A huge thanks to everyone who has contributed to the website either on a regular basis or even just the once – without you there would be no website and thanks to everyone who just reads it as without you there wouldn’t be any point to the website! Here’s to the next 13 years!

Posted in Site News | 12 Comments

In Pictures: The UK’s first Tram Train arrives in Sheffield

Posted on Tuesday 1 December 2015 by Gareth Prior

At 2140 on Monday 30th November a little piece of history was made when the very first tram train arrived at its new home following a lengthy journey from Spain. The Vossloh built vehicle arrived on the back of a Allelys low loader in the dark and was driven into the confines of Nunnery Square Depot and spent its first night in South Yorkshire awaiting unloading.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 11 Comments

Metrolink Second City Crossing set to open

Posted on Tuesday 1 December 2015 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 6th December looks set to be a busy day of line openings on the UK’s light rail systems with the news that the short section of the Second City Crossing (2CC) to Exchange Square will open – the same day as the first part of the Midland Metro extension to Bull Street is due to open.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 3 Comments

In Pictures: Heaton Park’s Autumn Gala

Posted on Tuesday 1 December 2015 by Andrew Waddington

On Sunday 15th November, the Heaton Park Tramway staged one of their popular gala days offering an enhanced tram service as well as a few unusual photographic opportunities. The event was slightly scaled back from what was originally planned but still featured all four available trams in service – although unfortunately a weekend of dismal weather did nothing to encourage extra custom and patronage was somewhat disappointing.

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Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 2 Comments

Adverts rule in Blackpool

Posted on Monday 30 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The application of external advertising to Blackpool’s fleet of modern Flexity2 trams has stepped up a gear since the end of this year’s illuminations, with cars 007 and 009 recently being adorned with colourful banner adverts encouraging organ donations. These were the last two trams of the type to be devoid of advertisements and means that all sixteen trams can now easily be differentiated even without glimpsing their small fleet numerals.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Western Train visits Fleetwood

Posted on Monday 30 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Saturday 21st November was another exciting day for Blackpool’s heritage trams, in spite of the fact that none were due to operate in passenger service on this date. However, three trams were required for private hire duties, the undoubted highlight being a rare visit to Fleetwood by the illuminated Western Train 733+734.

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Tram of the Year 2015 – voting now open!

Posted on Sunday 29 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Voting is now open for the British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2015 contest with 17 choices across four categories (in the end Tramcar (modern) of the Year is back this year) for you to make. Voting is now open until Saturday 16th January 2016 and you can cast your vote at http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/tramofyear.html  where you can also find more details on the shortlists.

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3108 arrives in Manchester

Posted on Sunday 29 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

With most eyes looking at Southampton for the arrival of the first UK tram-train, Saturday 28th November saw Manchester Metrolink welcome 3108 to the city following its journey from mainland Europe via Hull Docks. This follows the arrival of 3107 two weeks earlier, a tram which had yet to be noted running in service.

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Picture in Time: Midland Metro 04 & 08

Posted on Sunday 29 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Its another unrepeatable scene for today’s Picture in Time images as we head to the West Midlands for a view of two T69s at Wolverhampton St George’s.

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Trams proposed for Glasgow Airport link

Posted on Friday 27 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Tram-Trains or a light rail line are on the table for Glasgow with both being considered to link Glasgow Airport to the City Centre it has been revealed. Renfrewshire Council and Glasgow City Council have been working together to look at proposals for Glasgow Airport to be linked by rail and have now produced a business case for both options.

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Posted in Glasgow Airport link | 3 Comments

Santa Claus is coming to town!

Posted on Friday 27 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Yes we know its still November but that doesn’t mean that the man in the red coat isn’t already making his plans for this year. And in both Manchester and Douglas these plans include trams!

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Can you help? Blackpool tram destination blinds

Posted on Friday 27 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Anyone who has visited Blackpool this year won’t have failed to notice the increasing number of replica blinds being fitted to the heritage trams with Twin Car 675+685 and Open Top Balloon 706 the latest to become recipients of Peter Watts’ handiwork. Peter is now working on more replica blinds for fitting to more of the heritage fleet including a very special set of blinds of a style that hasn’t been seen for many years in Blackpool. To help him in his task of creating more blinds he is looking for anyone who has an original Blackpool tram blind in their collection to contact him.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 5 Comments

Spot the Tram Train!

Posted on Friday 27 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

The first tram train for the UK is continuing to make its way across Europe as it heads towards Sheffield and is now due to arrive at Southampton Docks on Saturday 28th November. Once it arrives in the UK it will then be transported up the country via the M1 before arriving at Stagecoach Supertram’s Nunnery Square Depot. If anyone sees the vehicle on its way – numbered 399 201 – Travel South Yorkshire are asking people to use the hashtag #UKTramTrain on Twitter.

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Brick thrown at tram after driver refuses cyclist on

Posted on Friday 27 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

On Wednesday 25th November at 1100 a man threw a brick through the driver’s cab window of a tram at Ladywell on the Eccles line after he had been told he wasn’t allowed to take his bike on board. Greater Manchester Police are now investigating the incident and it is believed that the man deliberately targeted the driver in his cab but fortunately missed with luckily only an interior window being damaged. Anyone who saw the incident and can help is urged to contact the Police with further information.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 2 Comments

Winter work at Crich

Posted on Wednesday 25 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Crich Tramway Village may be closed to the visiting public for winter, but that certainly doesn’t mean that the activity on site has ceased – far from it, in fact! Around the museum preparations are already underway for re-opening in March 2016 and in no place is that more evident than inside the workshop, where several tramcars are currently receiving varying degrees of attention.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 625

Posted on Wednesday 25 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

After a week’s break (sorry!) we are back with our archive series “Picture in Time” and head to Blackpool for a couple of photos of Blackpool Brush 625 in 1993.

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In Pictures: A Centenary car reunion

Posted on Monday 23 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

A welcome bonus in the placing of pioneer Blackpool Centenary car 641 on the display siding at Pleasure Beach, has been the possibility of creating some photo opportunities with members of this often undervalued class. With both 642 and 648 now part of the tramway’s own heritage fleet, it has been possible on a small number of occasions to see all three trams gathered together again for the first time since 2011 when they bowed out of regular public service.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust | 5 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 22 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Two Photo Galleries lead the way with our main site update for this week:

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British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2015

Posted on Saturday 21 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

It’s that time of the year again as we turn our attention towards the British Trams Online Tram of the Year contest and start the task of finding the winners for 2015. We have three categories for you this year: “Tramcar of the Year”, “Tramway of the Year” and “Event of the Year” and are looking for nominations for all three categories over the next week before voting opens.

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Posted in Tram of the Year | 37 Comments