3 X B

Posted on Monday 14 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Sunday 13th September was another noteworthy day for the Blackpool tramway, and the modified pool of ‘B Fleet’ Balloon cars in particular. For what is thought to be the first time since 2012, three of these trams were utilised in normal passenger service at the same time, albeit for just a few hours.

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Flexity 007 named Alan Whitbread

Posted on Monday 14 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

007 has become the second of Blackpool’s Flexity2 class of trams to be named. The tram has received the name ‘Alan Whitbread’ in gold lettering at both ends, beneath the driver’s windscreens. This follows on from sister 002 which was controversially named ‘Alderman E E Wynne’ after a councillor who had actually campaigned against the retention of trams in the town many years ago.

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This week on British Trams Online…

Posted on Sunday 13 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

We have five new Photo Galleries for you this week as part of the latest main site update:

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, London Trams, Manchester Metrolink, Manx Electric Railway, Site News, Snaefell Mountain Railway, South Yorkshire Supertram | Comments Off on This week on British Trams Online…

Isle of Man 50 Group Charters and Heritage Transport Festival 2015, or A further twelve days on the Isle of Man!

Posted on Sunday 13 September 2015 by admin

Summarising the main activities on the Manx Electric Railway and Snaefell during private hires by the ‘Isle of Man 50 Group’ and the following Manx Heritage Transport event. David Mee reports.

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1012

Posted on Sunday 13 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

We are back in Manchester for our latest Picture in Time image and we have now reached 1012 in our quest to feature all of the original T68s. Today we bring you two images, both taken in April 1992.

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Preparations for ‘TMS 60’ event get underway

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Workshop staff at Crich Tramway Village had an earlier start than usual on Saturday 12th September, shunting various trams in preparation for next week’s ‘TMS 60’ event which is being held on 19th September. As previously reported, this will predominantly feature the resident open top trams, two of which have already been moved from their normal resting places ready for a starring role at the big event – weather permitting, of course!

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One in, one out at Tramlink

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

The latest Variobahn for London Tramlink is now on British soil but the number of the Stadler trams in Croydon has not increased with one having to be returned to Germany for repairs following a recent incident. The two trams involved are newbie 2561 with 2556 the one making the return journey to mainland Europe.

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Passenger numbers increase on Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

Some pleasing news to report from Edinburgh Trams where the latest figures have shown an increase in the number of passengers being carried on board the trams. For the first time it is possible to compare figures year on year and the period between 31st May and 4th September 2015 has seen 50,000 more passengers carried than in the same period in 2014 (which was, of course, the first three months of operation).

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Another naming in Nottingham

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

The latest Nottingham Express Transit Citadis tram to receive a name is 236 which has been named Sat Bains after the legendary local chef. The naming ceremony took place at Wilkinson Street Depot on Thursday 10th September and means there are now nine Citadis trams to carry names. Eventually all will be adorned with a name.

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New Nottingham Express Transit DVD available

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

The latest DVD from Bob Hodges Transport DVDs is on Nottingham Express Transit and is available now! Nottingham Trams: Scenes from the line to Hucknall & Phoenix Park plus the new lines to Toton Lane and Clifton South is 75 minutes in length and like all of Bob’s DVDs features subtitles with no commentary just the natural sounds of the trams and their surroundings. The DVD costs £12.50 and be purchased from http://bhtransportdvds.co.uk/ where many other transport DVDs from across Europe can also be purchased. To get a taster of what to expect from the DVD visit Bob’s YouTube page at http://youtu.be/_ZlGb49HvMA.

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New NET survey shows passengers still happy

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

A new passenger survey has shown that Nottingham Express Transit continues to impress travellers with customer satisfaction rating remaining over 90%. This latest survey – which was undertaken on behalf of Nottingham Express Transit – was undertaken before the extensions opened and 92% of respondents declared they were satisfied with the overall service between Station Street and Hucknall/Phoenix Park.

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Car and tram collide at Sandilands

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

A car was involved in a collision with a tram at Sandilands tramstop during the evening rush hour of Tuesday 8th September causing delays to all services on London Tramlink. The collision happened at approximately 1830 but the details of what happened have not been released. The occupants of the car did not suffer serious injuries and there were no reports of any injuries on board the tram.

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Nottingham Express Transit service change: Sunday 27th September

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit services will be disrupted on Sunday 27th September due to the new route of the Robin Hood Marathon. From the start of services (until mid afternoon) trams will run Hucknall/Phoenix Park to Royal Centre, Clifton South to Wilford Village and Toton Lane to University Boulevard. A replacement bus service will run from Beeston Centre and Wilford Village to Royal Centre.

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Extra Friday fun in Blackpool

Posted on Saturday 12 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

There were some strange goings-on in Blackpool on Friday 11th September when a limited heritage tram service operated completely unadvertised. It is believed that staff who were on duty for illumination tours during the evening were allocated trams and sent out to work, rather than being effectively paid to wait for it to get dark, as has been common practice in the past!

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Sheffield 264 takes to the tracks (sort of!)

Posted on Friday 11 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The restoration of Sheffield 264 at Beamish Museum has reached another landmark on 9th September. Whilst the body work remains incomplete, the truck has now been fully overhauled and reassembled, and on this day it was taken out for an unusual test run with Blackpool 31 providing the motive power.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Illuminated Standard

Posted on Friday 11 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

With the Blackpool Illuminations shining again we head back to the northwest’s premier holiday resort for today’s Picture in Time image and the time machine has stopped in 1961 this week for a view of one of the Standard Cars decorated for the illuminations.

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Douglas Horse Tramway set to end another year

Posted on Thursday 10 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

It seems hard to believe that we have already reached the end of another year of operation (some of us haven’t even had our main holiday of the year yet!) on the Douglas Horse Tramway with the last services due to run for 2015 over the weekend of Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September. To mark the end of the 139th season of operation Douglas Borough Council have announced a number of special events with children going free and lots of trams out and about.

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Going for a ride…

Posted on Thursday 10 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

And so it begins! This weekend marks the start of a hectic few weeks for the traditional trams of the British Isles with the launch into service of Liverpool 245 at Birkenhead (Saturday 12th September) whilst just across the Irish Sea on the Isle of Man it is the last operating weekend of 2015 for the Douglas Horse Tramway (last trams run Sunday 13th September). Read on below if you want to read the latest update of when and where you can enjoy a ride on a traditional tram at 13 different tramways in the British Isles…

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In Pictures: Urbos 3 35 enters service

Posted on Wednesday 9 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

Wednesday 9th September saw the latest member of the Urbos 3 fleet to enter service on Midland Metro with 35 carrying its first fare paying passengers. This was the seventeenth different CAF built tram to enter service meaning that the class is now officially the largest single class of trams to operate on Midland Metro since opening (of course there were only 16 T69s in total).

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Picture in Time: Prague 180

Posted on Tuesday 8 September 2015 by Gareth Prior

A tram which escaped from its home city just before the Soviet tanks arrived is the latest tram to feature in our “Picture in Time” series today – Prague 180. We find the tram in action at Crich in 1989, a world away from the scene it left 21 years earlier.

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