In Pictures: The new look Wimbledon opens

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Monday 2nd November saw London Tramlink return to Wimbledon station following completion of the work to extend the platform length to allow two trams to be in situ at any one time. Tramlink services had been terminating at Dundonald Road since 13th July whilst the work was undertaken.

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New timetable for Blackpool

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

The end of the Illuminations signals the start of another new timetable on the Blackpool Tramway with a standard 15 minute service due to operate every day of the week from Sunday 8th November.

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Another £1 day on Nottingham Express Transit

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit are offering passengers the chance to travel on their network for just £1 again on Sunday 8th November. Following the success of the previous £1 Sunday the deal is being repeated with the offer available for both adults and children. The tickets must be purchased from the ticket machines before boarding a tram.

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New NET Park and Ride sites are officially safe

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

The two large Park and Ride sites at Toton Lane and Clifton South on the Phase Two extensions of Nottingham Express Transit have been awarded “Park Mark” safer parking awards following recent Police assessments. Both sites have extensive lighting, excellent vehicle and pedestrian access and are covered by CCTV all of which combine to make it a safe environment to leave your car. The NET sites at Phoenix Park, Wilkinson Street and Hucknall already have “Park Mark” status.

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Going for a ride…

Posted on Thursday 5 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

And as the bonfires are lit and the Christmas adverts start traditional tram operation starts to draw to a close for another year. Yes there will be Santa Specials and a few locations continue with regular operation throughout the winter but this weekend will see the true end of the 2015 operating season. Blackpool (with an enhanced green timetable running) and the Manx Electric Railway run normal services for the last time this year which will just leave us with Beamish, Birkenhead, Black Country Living Museum, Heaton Park and Summerlee to see us through the winter. But more on that next week; in the meantime read on to find out when and where you can enjoy a ride on a traditional tram over the next week or so…

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Crich – on the right track to the future?

Posted on Wednesday 4 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The Tramway Museum Society’s 2015 Annual General Meeting was preceded by a discussion regarding plans for the future development of Crich Tramway Village and a series of interesting proposals to improve the visitor offer. A number of these will hopefully be in place by 2019, whilst looking further ahead, thoughts are turning towards some much-needed improvements to the museum’s tram depots.

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Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 21 Comments

Latest vehicle on tram tracks is a bus!

Posted on Wednesday 4 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

We are used to reporting about cars driving onto tram tracks across the UK and getting stuck but the morning of Wednesday 4th November saw a bus make a wrong turning on Stagecoach Supertram! The First Bus – hopefully not a case of industrial sabotage! – somehow drove onto the tram track at Birley Lane blocking services on the Blue route from approximately 0630. The bus was eventually dragged clear by a tram and services resumed from 0745. In the intervening period First provided four buses as a tram replacement between Halfway and Gleadless Town End (you may say that is the least they could have done!). It just goes to show even professional drivers make a wrong turn at times!

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Picture in Time: Glasgow 1282

Posted on Tuesday 3 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Crich is the location again for our latest Picture in Time image with the main focus of our attention between Glasgow 1282. It was 1993 when this photo was taken and the scene around the tram is probably as interesting to see as 1282 itself.

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Posted in Crich Tramway Village, Picture in Time | 5 Comments

In Pictures: Half-term heritage in Blackpool

Posted on Tuesday 3 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The October school half-term holidays usually provide the Blackpool tramway with one of its busiest and most interesting weeks of the year, and 2015 was no exception to the rule. As well as the core tram service being boosted by a few additional trams running as specials, the heritage fleet also had an excellent week with a daily blue service operating plus a vastly increased amount of illumination tours.

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Blackpool’s last hurrah for 2015

Posted on Monday 2 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

As briefly mentioned previously on British Trams Online, the final weekend of the 2015 Blackpool illuminations has been enhanced with an increased heritage tram output now planned. Instead of the basic two car promenade service originally expected to operate, the four car green timetable will now run on both Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th November. However, since being announced this has been further enhanced with six heritage trams now expected to run on both days.

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A ticket to drive Newcastle 114

Posted on Monday 2 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The final weekend of enhanced transport activity at Beamish Museum during 2015 is set to take place on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th November, with focus on some of the passenger-carrying vehicles in the resident fleet. The star attraction will be tramcar Newcastle 114 which is celebrating its 114th birthday, and to celebrate this members of the public will be able to actually drive the tram!

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In Pictures: Testing starts on Second City Crossing

Posted on Sunday 1 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

As expected the early hours of Sunday 1st November saw the first tram movements on Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing between Victoria and Exchange Square. M5000s 3083 and 3090 were chosen to perform the initial gauging run operating a successful return trip before heading back to depot. Further gauging and test runs will continue over the next few weeks before services start before Christmas. Photos courtesy of Steve Hyde.

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Picture in Time: Nottingham Express Transit 203

Posted on Sunday 1 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

For the first time in our Picture in Time series we are off to the East Midlands’ only operating light rail system – Nottingham Express Transit. We are in Nottingham for the second day of public operation – 10th March 2004 – with a view of one of the original Incentro trams.

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Two becomes one

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram is set to welcome a hybrid tram into service following the announcement that the undamaged sections of 118 and 120 – which were of course involved in a collision at Shalesmoor in October – are to be combined to provide one good tram whilst repairs are undertaken. Work is already underway at the Nunnery Square Depot to combine the tram on Sunday 25th October when the doors were flung open to the public as part of the 21st anniversary celebrations.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 4 Comments

Frozen fever and starlight surprises at Crich

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The busy October school half-term holidays saw an expanded Starlight Halloween event take place at the Crich Tramway Village over a period of six days. This event has established itself as one of the museum’s best – but this year even more effort has been made to attract families in particular with craft stalls and costumed characters adding to the atmosphere this year. British Trams Online‘s own Andrew Waddington paid a visit on Friday 30th October and this is what happened!

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Posted in Crich Tramway Village, Event Reviews | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Supertram 123 unveiled in new livery

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

On Sunday 25th October Stagecoach Supertram held an Open Day at the Nunnery Square Depot with over 1800 visitors taking the opportunity to see behind the scenes. Included on the day was a behind the scenes tour (allowing visitors to see the accident damaged 118 and 120), cake, historic displays and the unveiling of 123 in a new livery with artwork by local artist Pete McKee.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 4 Comments

In Pictures: Metrolink welcomes 3106 to town

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

The deliveries of Manchester Metrolink’s Bombardier built M5000 trams is continuing with Saturday 31st October seeing 3106 arriving at Queens Road Depot. Often when one new tram arrives the previous delivery has just entered service but on this occasion 3105 is still undergoing testing and mileage accumulation and at the time of writing has yet to carry its first passengers.

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In Pictures: Midland Metro Birmingham City Centre extension works

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

No sooner had Midland Metro services stopped running into the original Snow Hill terminus workmen entered the site and started to dismantle 16 years of history. The overhead wires were swiftly removed and some track has also been lifted as attention is shifted towards connecting the extension to the current line just south of St Paul’s stop. Photos courtesy of Andy Walters.

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First tram to Exchange Square imminent

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

It is expected that the early hours of Sunday 1st November will see the first tram run on Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing (2CC) with an initial gauging run due to take place between Victoria and Exchange Square. This is the first step in services starting on the line which, as previously reported, is due to be before Christmas.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Midland Metro Snow Hill last day

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 24th October saw something happen which is thankfully nowadays a rare occurrence – the closure of a section of tramway in the UK. This was the last day that you could go for a ride on a Midland Metro tram between St Paul’s and the Birmingham Snow Hill terminus as from the start of service the following day St Paul’s became the terminus to allow for the Birmingham City Centre extension to be connected to the current line.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 1 Comment