Monthly Archives: December 2016

Another blow for Sutton Tramlink extension plan

Posted on Friday 9 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

At the end of 2015 it looked as if the plans to extend Tramlink to Sutton had actually taken a step forward with the then Mayor of London, Boris Johnson committing £100 million towards the project (which would still have … Continue reading →

Posted in Docklands Light Railway, London Trams | 1 Comment

Ice on the wires causes problems for NET

Posted on Friday 9 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

It is the same story as every year when temperatures fall, on Monday 5th December Nottingham Express Transit services were disrupted after a tram broke down at Moor Bridge with ice on the wires blamed. The tram was reported as … Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 3 Comments

Blackpool Brush car 621 returns home

Posted on Thursday 8 December 2016 by Andrew Waddington

In an unexpected development, Blackpool Brush Railcoach 621 has been gifted to the Blackpool Heritage Trust, and returned ‘home’ to Rigby Road after a five year absence on Thursday 8th December. The tram had previously been in the care of … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Unusual moves in Blackpool

Posted on Thursday 8 December 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Winter in Blackpool traditionally means work on the infrastructure, and this has been true so far of winter 2016/17. Some track repair works on Monday 5th December meant that, for a few hours, single-line working was enforced between North Pier and … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 9 Comments

A cunning plan for Glasgow 488

Posted on Thursday 8 December 2016 by Andrew Waddington

It has been a while since we mentioned progress on the restoration of Glasgow Standard 488, which is being renovated in Wales before joining the collection of the East Anglia Transport Museum near Lowestoft. In truth, this hasn’t been much … Continue reading →

Posted in East Anglia Transport Museum | 5 Comments

Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 295

Posted on Thursday 8 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Picture in Time today is back in Blackpool with our time machine stopping in 1967 for an image of Blackpool Brush 295.

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | Comments Off on Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 295

When is a horse bus, not a horse bus?

Posted on Tuesday 6 December 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Followers of the Heaton Park Tramway may well be aware that, a few years ago, the Manchester Transport Museum Society acquired a partially restored horse-drawn bus from Beamish Museum, where it had been declared surplus to requirements. The idea was … Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Llandudno 7 celebrates Christmas

Posted on Tuesday 6 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 3rd December saw another outing for the replica Llandudno and Colwyn Bay Electric Railway tram no. 7 with the tram visiting both Colwyn Bay and Llandudno including a run along the former tramway route which linked the two North … Continue reading →

Posted in Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway Society | Comments Off on In Pictures: Llandudno 7 celebrates Christmas

Picture in Time: Southport Pier Railway

Posted on Tuesday 6 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Today’s edition of Picture in Time is of a tramway/railway very rarely illustrated on these pages as we head to a resort on the northwest coast but instead of Blackpool we are a bit further down the coast at Southport … Continue reading →

Posted in Picture in Time | 4 Comments

British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2016 – voting open!

Posted on Sunday 4 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Voting is now open for the British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2016 in all four categories: Tram of the Year (traditional), Tram of the Year (modern), Tramway of the Year and Event of the Year.

Posted in Tram of the Year | Comments Off on British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2016 – voting open!

In Pictures: Metrolink goes Christmassy

Posted on Sunday 4 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

As the build-up to Christmas continues Manchester Metrolink have put up their Christmas decorations with a number of trams being seen with window vinyls in place. Mainly consisting of snowflakes the trams which have been decorated also have Santa and … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Midland Metro 04

Posted on Saturday 3 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

We take a trip to Wolverhampton for our latest archive image as part of Picture in Time as we feature an image of one of the T69s in action in the year 2000.

Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

Ballooning in Winter

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016 by Andrew Waddington

The final ‘gold’ operating weekend for Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours took place on Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th November, and as usual each day featured a regular service operated by six trams. Understandably for the time of year, the weather … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | Comments Off on Ballooning in Winter

Douglas Horse Tramway to be relaid – but only partly

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

It may be a new government on the Isle of Man but it really seems to be the same old decision making as the latest plans for the reconstruction of Douglas Promenade will see the Horse Tramway only relaid between … Continue reading →

Posted in Douglas Bay Horse Tramway | 9 Comments

October breaks records on Metrolink

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

October seems to be a popular month for travelling on Manchester Metrolink with a new record set over the 31 days in 2016 breaking the previous record set in October 2015. 3.3 million passengers were carried on Metrolink in October … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | Comments Off on October breaks records on Metrolink

Award winning partnership awarded Trafford Park Metrolink line

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Transport for Greater Manchester are to continue their collaboration with MPact Thales (MPT) and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff on the Trafford Park extension of Manchester Metrolink it has been announced. This same partnership has already successfully delivered extensions to MediaCityUK, Manchester … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Testing starts on Second City Crossing

Posted on Thursday 1 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

The early hours of Thursday 1st December saw the first gauging run on Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing with M5000 pair 3004 and 3021 in use to officially become the first trams to run on the section of the 2CC … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | Comments Off on Testing starts on Second City Crossing

MER prepares for 2017

Posted on Thursday 1 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

No sooner had the 2016 season on the Manx Electric Railway finished then attention was turned to preparing both the fleet and infrastructure for 2017. It is planned that this winter will see a number of repaints with some trams … Continue reading →

Posted in Manx Electric Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway | Comments Off on MER prepares for 2017

Picture in Time: Blackpool Centenary 646

Posted on Thursday 1 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Our archive photo series is back with another helping from Blackpool. This time around we are taking a look at Centenary 646 in the early 1990s.

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | Comments Off on Picture in Time: Blackpool Centenary 646