Monthly Archives: December 2012

First tram reaches Edinburgh Airport

Posted on Wednesday 12 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

The first tram has reached Edinburgh Airport as progress continues to be made in the project to return trams to the City. As reported previously the overhead power was switched on between Gogar Depot and the Airport on 26th November … Continue reading →

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Two trams from South of England under threat

Posted on Tuesday 11 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Recent developments in the UK tramway scene have caused many tram enthusiasts to fear for the future of various Blackpool trams that have been sold off and placed in outside storage for various new owners. However, it is even more alarming … Continue reading →

Posted in Crich Tramway Village, General | 4 Comments

Blackpool’s ‘Santa Express’ package is poorly received

Posted on Tuesday 11 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The latest duty for Blackpool Transport’s retained fleet of historic trams, the ‘Santa Express’, commenced on Saturday 8th December. The illuminted Western Train 733+734 is booked to operate three round trips between Pleasure Beach and Little Bispham on Saturdays and … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 7 Comments

Ticket machine contract set to be approved in Edinburgh

Posted on Monday 10 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

What is being described as the final significant tram contract is set to be approved in Edinburgh with Parkeon the preferred bidder to provide and maintain ticket vending machines for the tram system. Parkeon currently provide ticketing services for Lothian … Continue reading →

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Metrolink Service Performance Update

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

The latest service performance statistics on the Manchester Metrolink system have been released on the TfGM Committee website – http://www.transportforgreatermanchestercommittee.gov.uk/downloads/file/4496/item_05_metrolink_service_performance. This latest report looks at periods 5 and 6 which are between Monday 20th August and Sunday 14th October 2012.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

It’s another busy week on British Trams Online as we conclude our 10th anniversary updates and open the voting for Tram of the Year.

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Tram of the Year 2012: Voting Now Open!

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

A few weeks ago we opened nominations for the Tram of the Year 2012 contest and after a couple of weeks we have now come up with a shortlist for this year’s contest – except it’s not very short and … Continue reading →

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Picture in Time 2: Trams outside at Carlton Colville

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

2012 will probably – hopefully! – go down as the year when the most trams were stored outside as groups and societies sought to find locations to put their acquisitions from the Blackpool Tramway. We have all seen from the fate … Continue reading →

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Another M5000 arrives as one more enters service

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

There has been more movement on the M5000 front on Manchester Metrolink recently with 3061 becoming the latest vehicle to arrive on Saturday 1st December. Meanwhile 40 of the fleet are now available for service with 3036 the latest to … Continue reading →

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Aberdeen tram set for restoration?

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

One of the many regrets of tramway preservation has been the lack of an Aberdeen electric tram being saved for posterity but all this could be about to change with the apparent discovery of one of the trams, in use … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 17 Comments

Cable fault causes problems for Metrolink

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

Long suffering passengers on Manchester Metrolink have had to endure another morning of delays after a communications cable fault on Thursday 6th December 2012 saw major disruption to services in the Altrincham area. The fault was first discovered shortly before … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Park and Ride system introduced in Blackpool

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

The use of the Blackpool Tramway as a key part of the transport network on the Fylde Coast has been shown again this week with the introduction of a new Park and Ride system which enables users to park their … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 3 Comments

Crich Stephenson Workshop project wins national award

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

The project to restore the historic stone workshop at the Crich Tramway Village to bring it back to life and to play a useful role has been rewarded with an award at the 2012 LABC National Building Excellence Awards. The … Continue reading →

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Car and tram involved in collision

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

A car was struck by a tram at a crossing on London Tramlink near to New Addington on Sunday 2nd December with the driver of the car having to be cut free from his vehicle and taken by air ambulance … Continue reading →

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The Future of British Tramways

Posted on Sunday 9 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Having recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of British Trams Online with a trip down memory lane, looking back at some memorable moments from the past decade, it now seems appropriate to look forwards towards the next ten years. Andrew Waddington … Continue reading →

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Heaton Park depot project officially launched

Posted on Saturday 8 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

A small press event took place at the Heaton Park Tramway on Friday 7th December, to celebrate the commencement of work on the brand new tram depot at Lakeside. Although the worksite was actually cleared a few days earlier, it … Continue reading →

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Flexity 010, you shall go to the ball!

Posted on Saturday 8 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

December is shaping up to be quite a colourful month for the Blackpool tramway with some new adverts appearing on the Flexity2 trams. Following in the tracks of 004, now 010 has been adorned with new advertising vinyls promoting this … Continue reading →

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A new role for Blackpool Balloon 701

Posted on Friday 7 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

In a surprising development, Blackpool Balloon 701 has been fitted with a snowplough in case of severe weather over the course of the winter months. 701 has never been used in this capacity before, but both of the previous plough … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

All aboard the Santa (Fe) Train!

Posted on Thursday 6 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The Blackpool tramway may now be in the depths of winter, but the illuminated Western Train 733+734 recently provided a welcome break from the mediocrity of nothing but Flexities running each day, by performing an unusual private charter. The ever-popular … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

Heaton Park depot project to be launched on December 7th

Posted on Thursday 6 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The Manchester Transport Museum Society have announed that a small event will be held at 11:00am on Friday 7th December to commemorate the beginning of work on constructing a new tram depot at the Heaton Park Tramway’s Lakeside terminus. As reported earlier … Continue reading →

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