Monthly Archives: December 2013

Queens Road Metrolink stop to open 16th December

Posted on Thursday 12 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

Monday 16th December will see one stop open and one close as the new Queens Road stop will welcome its first passengers as Woodlands Road is officially closed. The Queens Road stop is replacing the former staff only halt at … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 3 Comments

Thank-you and goodnight from Blackpool 680

Posted on Thursday 12 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

An extremely hectic week of tram moves by road in and around Blackpool has concluded with the departure from Rigby Road of Ex-Towing car 680 in the early hours of Thursday 12th December. The tram, which was sold to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Beamish Tramway, Blackpool Tramway, Heaton Park Tramway | Comments Off on Thank-you and goodnight from Blackpool 680

Sheffield 264 – one becomes three!

Posted on Wednesday 11 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Whilst various historic tramcars were being transported back home to Blackpool’s Rigby Road depot, another fascinating series of events was also unfolding in the North East. At Beamish Museum, work has finally got underway on starting the major restoration of … Continue reading →

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Blackpool Jubilee car back on home turf

Posted on Wednesday 11 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust’s preserved Blackpool Jubilee car 761 made a very welcome return to Blackpool’s Rigby Road tram depot on Wednesday 11th December, after spending just over two years languishing in an industrial yard at Fleetwood. Although not … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust | 4 Comments

The Brush cars are back with a vengence!

Posted on Wednesday 11 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The task of returning the numerous Lancastrian Transport Trust trams to Blackpool Transport’s premises for inclusion in the company’s expanded heritage tram collection took another giant leap forwards on Tuesday 10th December, when two more old friends were transported back … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 1 Comment

Blackpool Balloon 715 goes home

Posted on Monday 9 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Mere hours after Blackpool Coronation car 663 returned to the safety of Rigby Road depot, another much-loved Blackpool tramcar was brought back home to join the town’s heritage tram fleet. Unlike 663, Balloon 715 is a tram that most of … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 5 Comments

Blackpool Coronation cars reunited at Rigby Road

Posted on Monday 9 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

On Monday 9th December, all three surviving Blackpool ‘Coronation’ cars were reunited at the town’s Rigby Road tram depot for the first time since 1975. On this day, cars 304 and 660 were joined by 663, which had made the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 7 Comments

Time running out for Blackpool Balloon 716

Posted on Saturday 7 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

When the Blackpool Tramway fleet started to be sold around the country one of the most surprising purchases saw Blackpool Balloon 716 head north to Perth in Scotland where it was planned to be used as an office by Ptarmigan … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 17 Comments

NET 204 returns to service after refresh

Posted on Saturday 7 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

After a break of nearly five months another tram has entered service on Nottingham Express Transit in new mainly silver fleet livery. The tram in question is 204, which was previously in the blue based “Glide in Nottingham” livery, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | Comments Off on NET 204 returns to service after refresh

Metrolink fares to rise by average 4.2%

Posted on Saturday 7 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

It has been confirmed that fares on Manchester Metrolink are to increase by an average of 4.2% in January 2014 – in line with the agreed financial strategy that underpins Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s established major investment programme. The 4.2% … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 6 Comments

Government award £5 million for Supertram track replacement

Posted on Saturday 7 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

The Department for Transport have awarded £5 million to go towards the replacement of tracks on the Stagecoach Supertram system. This money is a one off payment and has been made to South Yorkshire PTE who will be delivering the … Continue reading →

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New look for front of DLR trains revealed

Posted on Saturday 7 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

The Docklands Light Railway have revealed which of the three designs for the front of some of their trains has won an online vote which took place over the past couple of weeks. The winning design – which received over … Continue reading →

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News in brief from Crich

Posted on Saturday 7 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The latest edition of the Tramway Musuem Society Journal reports on a number of interesting developments at Crich. As many of these can be explained fairly briefly it is not felt that they warrant their own individual articles, and so … Continue reading →

Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Trams reach York Place for first time

Posted on Thursday 5 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

57 years. That is how long it has been since the last tram ran down Princes Street in Edinburgh city centre, until last night that is! As planned the very first test run between Haymarket and York Place took place … Continue reading →

Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 2 Comments

Driver Training starts on Oldham town centre line

Posted on Thursday 5 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

Driver training has started on the Oldham town centre extension of Manchester Metrolink this week as further progress is made towards the opening of the line in early 2014. The driving training commenced on Wednesday 4th December and is as … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 2 Comments

Trafford Centre Metrolink extension moves a step closer

Posted on Thursday 5 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

The Transport for Greater Manchester Committee are due to meet this week to discuss plans for an extension of the Metrolink system to serve the Trafford Centre. A 5.5km route has been earmarked which would leave the current network close … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 7 Comments

Blackpool tramway affected by severe storms

Posted on Thursday 5 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Much of the country has been severely affected by adverse weather conditions on Thursday 5th December, and the Fylde coast was no exception. Despite the multi-million pound investment in a new sea wall for Blackpool’s promenade over the past decade, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 3 Comments

Tonight’s the Night! First tram set to run down Princes Street

Posted on Wednesday 4 December 2013 by Gareth Prior

It has been confirmed that tonight (Wednesday 4th December) will see the first tram to run down Princes Street as part of the continued testing of the new Edinburgh Trams system. Following Mondays (see article – http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/news/?p=5849) successful tests between … Continue reading →

Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 3 Comments

Tram depot construction works in North East and North West

Posted on Tuesday 3 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

As the latter stages of construction work on the Heaton Park Tramway’s second tram depot are reached, another tramcar preservation group have reached a major milestone in their own project to provide suitable covered storage space for its own vehicle … Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway, North Eastern Electrical Transport Trust | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Blackpool Balloon 721 restoration progress

Posted on Tuesday 3 December 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Restoration work on the interior of Blackpool Balloon car 721 by members of its owning group, the North Eastern Electrical Traction Trust, is continuing to make good progress. Recent developments have included the removal of the interior lining panels on … Continue reading →

Posted in North Eastern Electrical Transport Trust | Comments Off on In Pictures: Blackpool Balloon 721 restoration progress