Voting is now open for the British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2022! Thanks to everyone who took their time to nominate in the four categories and we are now able to confirm the trams, tramways and events which have been shortlisted in all of the categories. In many ways it has been a very challenging year to decide on the shortlists with many of the things we would have predicted would have been in the running at the start of the year not actually happening or things happening which gave us second thoughts (i.e. ordinarily the opening of an extension would mean that tramway would be almost certain to be nominated but when that tramway is the West Midlands Metro which has had one or two issues in the past year it kind of makes you think maybe not!) but we still have nominations in all categories. To find out more about the shortlists read on…
Tram (Traditional) of the Year
Blackpool Standard 159
Although 159 operated in 2021, over the winter and early spring period the tram went through the works at the East Anglia Transport Museum and this stalwart of the operating fleet returned to service on 22nd May 2022. It has since seen regular use including the Ride the Lights event in December.
Blackpool Balloon 700
Originally due to have returned to service in September 2021, Balloon 700 was unable to enter service during 2021 in its new coat of wartime green and cream paint. With its issues solved it has run extensively throughout 2022 and a pseudo member of the heritage fleet this B fleet Balloon has provided to be popular on Coastal Tours.
Blackpool Balloon 715
We don’t often feature a tram which is withdrawn from service but we do this year! Popular with many enthusiasts the Fylde Transport Trust’s Balloon 715 was withdrawn from service after a final farewell tour in November 2022 which covered the whole Blackpool Tramway between Starr Gate and Fleetwood. Now requiring significant workshop attention it will be quite some time before it runs again with the FTT having other priorities to return to service. Its now on static display at Tramtown.
London Transport 1622
Not having run in passenger service since 2016, London Passenger Transport Board 1622 returned to action in August 2022. Its been in the workshops for a couple of years being prepared for its return and now featuring external between deck adverts it was a welcome return to the operating fleet. Unfortunately, an incident in September saw it taken out of use again but it did run on several days before succumbing again and hopefully it won’t be too long before its out running again.
Tram (Modern) of the Year
Blackpool Tramway 011
September 2022 saw 011 receive its very first all over advert with a design for Mazuma Mobile unveiled in a special ceremony at North Pier. The brightly coloured advert is one of the more pleasing designs seen not only in Blackpool but elsewhere in the UK and certainly brightens up a dull day on the Fylde Coast!
Manchester Metrolink 3147
The last of 147 M5000s built for Manchester Metrolink by Bombardier (now Alstom), 3147 was delivered to Queens Road Depot on 24th September 2022. With no more trams on the agenda for Metrolink it may end up being the last M5000 to be built but only time will tell on that one. After commissioning it entered service in mid-October.
West Midlands Metro 42
2022 was quite a year for the West Midlands Metro – not all of it necessary good! But Sunday 17th July 2022 was a good day when the extension between Library and Edgbaston Village finally opened to the public. Fortunately, the first public tram was one of the newer Urbos100 trams rather than an Urbos3 (with all the issues the older trams have caused it would have been a bit off for one to be nominated!) with 42 doing the honours.
Tramway of the Year
East Anglia Transport Museum
Nominated for the second year in a row, the East Anglia Transport Museum certainly currently seems to be a museum going places – especially when you look at the tram side of their operations. 2022 has seen work continue on the construction of a new (second) tram depot and although work has not yet been completed it has already become home to some trams. And that’s because they have also become the owners of not one, not two but three more Blackpool trams! Brush Car 290 was first to arrive before November saw the arrival of another Brush in the shape of 625 and then Balloon 726. With work continuing on Glasgow 488 and Lowestoft 14 as well not forgetting plans for an extension to the tramway the museum is looking good for the future.
Seaton Tramway
Also nominated last year, and winning in 2020, the Seaton Tramway makes it to the shortlist again. 2022 has seen the tramway continue to operate its regular services along with their special themed trams and then in August 2022 two brand new halts were opened. Riverside Halt and Seaton Wetlands Halt add two more locations where you can get on and off the tram and gives excellent access to the Seaton Wetlands reserve which should add to tramway visitors in the long-run.
Event of the Year
Blackpool Tramway – Jubilee Tram Parade
2nd June 2022 was part of the extended Bank Holiday weekend to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and to mark the occasion Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours got together with partners in the town to run a special parade of trams from Pleasure Beach to Little Bispham, including a pause at Tower/North Pier. Featuring 13 trams from the operating fleet – including Balloon 723 on its first day back in 1990s green and cream – crowds lined the tramway to see the spectacle.
Crich Tramway Village – Tram Day
The annual Tram Day at the Crich Tramway Village returned again in September. The usual offering of an intensive tram service plus line-ups of trams on the depot fan featured. Included this year was Blackpool & Fleetwood 40 which had only recently returned to service whilst the depot fan saw line-ups of Glasgow and London trams to celebrate significant anniversaries.
Isle of Man – Manx Summer Transport Festival
2022 was back to normal for the Isle of Man with a full blown Transport Festival featuring in July. Whilst the Manx Electric Railway dominated proceedings again the period also saw the return of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway for the first time since 2019. For the MER highlights included rare combinations, special tours, car shed tours and parallel runs and the Snaefell Mountain Railway wasn’t left out either with a special four cars at the summit photography special.
How to Vote
You can vote for your favourites in each category by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/9MRRSYK. You can vote in all of just some of the categories but please remember multiple votes will be discounted so if you’re not sure don’t submit one vote and then decide to go in later and change your mind!
Voting will be open until Saturday 7th January 2023 at 1000. Please remember only vote once (multiple votes will be removed!) and that the contest is just for fun!
All the best to everything nominated!
- More details on the Tram of the Year contest are available on the dedicated page at http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/tramofyear.html
Seeing the recent videos of Blackpool 159 has anything been overhauled on the body work ? The rubbing strip is corroded and parting company in places .