Monthly Archives: August 2015

Edinburgh Trams continues to perform better than targets

Posted on Saturday 15 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams has exceeded its performance targets in the first year of operation as the latest set of figures are released. The first set of annual accounts have been published and show that the services generated revenue of £6.4 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 3 Comments

NET VIPreview tram trips a success

Posted on Saturday 15 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

The two special tram trips which took place on the two new Nottingham Express Transit lines have been hailed as a success as the extensive testing period continues in the build up to the opening of Phase Two. The journeys … Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 18 Comments

Rain stops play on Metrolink

Posted on Saturday 15 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Parts of Greater Manchester were hit by nearly half of August’s average rainfall on Friday 14th August leading to the suspension of service on the Metrolink lines to the Airport and East Didsbury for several hours. The torrential downpours led … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 714

Posted on Friday 14 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Our latest Picture in Time subject is a tram which has never featured on these pages before; well at least not in this form – Blackpool Balloon 714, now know as Jubilee 762.

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 2 Comments

Farewell to the Midland Metro T69s

Posted on Friday 14 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Next time you take a trip on Midland Metro your journey is now guaranteed to be on a sleek and modern CAF Urbos 3 tram following the withdrawal of the last of the T69s. The highest numbered of the 16 … Continue reading →

Posted in West Midlands Metro | 4 Comments

The tram that can’t be moved

Posted on Friday 14 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The task of transferring Blackpool Brush Railcoach 290 from its current location to storage at Rigby Road sounds a simple one on paper, but unfortunately it has turned out to be anything but. It will be recalled that this tram … Continue reading →

Posted in Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust | 4 Comments

Book Review: ‘The Tower to Bispham – the Blackpool Tramway since 1960’

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Last year, well-known Blackpool tramway historian Brian Turner released the first of a trilogy of books taking a detailed look at the changing face of this much-loved system in the period since 1960, focussing on the section from Starr Gate … Continue reading →

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In Pictures: WW2 Home Front – Crich

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Last weekend also saw the culmination of the WW2 Home Front at the Crich Tramway Village with an intensive tram service in operation alongside the usual re-enactors and also a visiting replica Spitfire. These photos were mainly taken on the … Continue reading →

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In Pictures: Blackpool Rocks Manchester – Heaton Park

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

As we reported earlier this week another successful event took place at the Heaton Park Tramway over the weekend of Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August. Blackpool Rocks Manchester was a joint event between several heritage transport organisations in Greater … Continue reading →

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In Pictures: Supertram rail replacement works continue

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram’s rail replacement works are starting to come towards a close with 90% of the work now completed. All rail replacement work is due to be finished before the end of August and during the first week of the … Continue reading →

Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Middleton Road Paint Shop!

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The original tram depot at the Heaton Park Tramway is currently resembling a Paint Shop, with two trams currently occupying the building which are being transformed in appearance. The long-running project, Hull 96, has recently been joined by Blackpool 280 … Continue reading →

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Going for a ride…

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Once again here is your one stop guide to just when and where you can go and enjoy a ride on a traditional tram in the British Isles over the next week or so. You may not realise it when … Continue reading →

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Trams & Chips

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours are offering a unique new experience on Wednesday 30th September, by teaming up with the world-famous fish & chip shop Harry Ramsdens for an illuminations tour with a difference! This brand is of course no stranger … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Metrolink to resume services through St Peter’s Square

Posted on Wednesday 12 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink will resume services through St Peter’s Square from Friday 28th August following the completion of the first stage of the major transformation works. The past two months have seen all services through this key area of the network … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 5 Comments

‘HMS Blackpool’ on driver training

Posted on Tuesday 11 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The sight of heritage and ‘B Fleet’ trams on driver training duties in Blackpool has become an increasingly common one of late, presumably as efforts intensify to increase the number of staff trained on these trams in time for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Midland Metro T69s: End of an era **Updated**

Posted on Tuesday 11 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

There will be a tinge of sadness in the West Midlands on Friday 14th August when the last ever public passenger runs of the T69 trams takes place. After months of rumour and false starts it has now been decided … Continue reading →

Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

Trams & Planes

Posted on Tuesday 11 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The recent week-long 1940s event at Crich Tramway Village featured a special appearance by an unusual visitor: a Spitfire aircraft, which was prominently displayed at Town End for the whole week. Co-incidentally while this event was in full swing, another … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Crich Tramway Village | 3 Comments

Picture in Time: Blackpool Conduit car 4

Posted on Tuesday 11 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

For today’s ‘Picture in Time’ image we head once again to Manchester, however rather than the familiar Heaton Park Tramway or the Metrolink system, our destination this time is the Manchester Museum of Science & Industry. For a number of … Continue reading →

Posted in Picture in Time | 1 Comment

Blackpool rocks Heaton Park!

Posted on Monday 10 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

On the weekend of 8th & 9th August, a number of heritage organisations in Manchester hosted a joint event celebrating the city’s love affair with the seaside resort of Blackpool. Naturally, such an event provided the perfect opportunity for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 1 Comment

This week on British Trams Online…

Posted on Sunday 9 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

This week we bring you a couple more Photo Galleries as we start another trilogy, this time from the Isle of Man:

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