Monthly Archives: March 2014

Looking forwards and back at East Anglia

Posted on Tuesday 18 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

As another operating season approaches for the East Anglia Transport Museum at Carlton Colville near Lowestoft, now seems a good time to reflect on the successes of 2013 for this superb museum, as well as looking forward to some of … Continue reading →

Posted in East Anglia Transport Museum | 2 Comments

Heritage tramways prepare for spring

Posted on Monday 17 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

As the start of the main 2014 season approaches for most of Britain’s heritage tramways, preparations for the onslaught of visitors is now well underway at several different locations across the country. Trams at Blackpool, Crich and Manchester have all … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Crich Tramway Village, Heaton Park Tramway | 6 Comments

Open cars rule at Crich in 2013

Posted on Monday 17 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The annual tramcar mileage figures published by the National Tramway Museum Society always make for interesting reading, and the statistics for the 2013 season which have just been published are particularly fascinating. Thanks to a glorious summer, two of the four … Continue reading →

Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 2 Comments

Midland Metro gets £5 million for track replacement

Posted on Sunday 16 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The Department for Transport are to give £5 million in funding to Midland Metro to allow for track replacement in the Bilston Road area of Wolverhampton this summer. The tracks in this area are now 15 years old and are … Continue reading →

Posted in West Midlands Metro | 7 Comments

Edinburgh’s exercise “Salvador” a success

Posted on Sunday 16 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The first mass transportation of passengers on the Edinburgh Trams system has been deemed a success following the completion of exercise “Salvador”. 1,000 volunteers were involved in the exercise which was testing crowd control procedures at Murrayfield Stadium.

Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 6 Comments

Works wagon returns to Manx Electric Railway

Posted on Thursday 13 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

An unusual item of rolling stock has made a welcome return to prominence on the Isle of Man, following a number of years in limbo. The 1897-built Wagon 10 has recently been moved by road back to the Manx Electric … Continue reading →

Posted in Manx Electric Railway | 1 Comment

Twin car sighted at Starr Gate

Posted on Thursday 13 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The latest member of Blackpool’s heritage tram fleet to pay a visit to the state-of-the-art tram depot at Starr Gate, is Twin set 272+T2. The pair first visited this building last autumn to rectify some minor defects, and now they … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 7 Comments

Blackpool lights switch-on event to be free

Posted on Wednesday 12 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Last year, what is normally one of the busiest weekends of the year for the town of Blackpool was ruined by an attempt to make money out of the annual illuminations switch-on event, which was replaced by two concerts held … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Vanguard 619 gets bored of boards

Posted on Wednesday 12 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

With all of the trams residing at the Heaton Park Tramway now safely undercover, no time has been wasted in preparing Blackpool Vanguard 619 for service for the first time since 2011. This tram had been covered with wooden boards … Continue reading →

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Visitor numbers fall at Glasgow museum

Posted on Tuesday 11 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The transport museum located in the Scottish city of Glasgow has traditionally been the most visited tram-related visitor attraction in the UK, no doubt largely thanks to the lack of an admission charge. Since being redeveloped as the Riverside Museum … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Midland Metro welcomes its fifth CAF Urbos 3

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The fifth of the CAF constructed Urbos 3 trams for Midland Metro arrived at Wednesbury Depot on Monday 10th March. 21 followed the usual road, sea, road path via Santander and Plymouth from the CAF factory at Zaragoza in Spain … Continue reading →

Posted in West Midlands Metro | 2 Comments

And then there were 10! Citadis 225 arrives in Nottingham

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit now has ten Alstom Citadis trams on site following the arrival of 225 late on Friday 7th March. The tram was unloaded the following day and joins its nine other sisters in Nottingham.

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | Comments Off on And then there were 10! Citadis 225 arrives in Nottingham

In Pictures: Metrolink T68As on Abraham Moss shuttles

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The two remaining T68As available for service – 2001 and 2003 – saw use on the Bury to Abraham Moss shuttle service on Saturday 8th March and with thanks to Steve Kemp we are able to bring you a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 4 Comments

Help for horse trams at Leeds

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The restoration of the rediscovered Cambridge/Bradford/Bath horse tramcar now housed at the Ipswich Transport Museum is now underway, with some assistance being provided by the Leeds Transport Historical Society. Having gained considerable expertise whilst restoring the similar horse tram Leeds … Continue reading →

Posted in Ipswich Transport Museum, Leeds Transport Historical Society | 3 Comments

Another Heaton Park tram goes undercover

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

It seems like barely a week goes by without something momentous happening at Manchester’s Heaton Park, and the latest milestone was achieved on Sunday 9th March when the first two tracks to be laid within the new Lakeside Depot were … Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 1 Comment

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 9 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The latest main site update of British Trams Online is now available for your viewing pleasure with another couple of Photo Galleries online alongside the usual Fleet List updates:

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Further section of track re-opens at Seaton

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

Trams are now able to run on two separate sections of the Seaton Tramway following the completion of the first stage of repairs required because of storm damage suffered shortly before the tramway opened for the 2014 season. As you … Continue reading →

Posted in Seaton Tramway | Comments Off on Further section of track re-opens at Seaton

In Pictures: Metrolink M5000 deliveries continue

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

Two more M5000s have been delivered to Queens Road Depot since we last reported on them on these pages with 3079 arriving on Saturday 8th February followed by 3080 on Saturday 1st March. The latter tram remains at Queens Road … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Nottingham Express Transit Incentro catch-up

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The refurbishment of the Bombardier built Incentro trams in Nottingham is continuing with the latest example to have the interior work done being 201, although it retains its all over advert for Nottingham Contemporary and continues to fly the flag … Continue reading →

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Tram-Trains proposed to link Glasgow Airport to rail network

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

Five years ago the Scottish Government scrapped plans for the so-called Glasgow Airport Rail Link due to the high costs involved but the plans could now be back on the table if a report in The Scotsman is anything to … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 3 Comments