And the winners are!

After five weeks of voting the results have been “checked and verified” and we have three new winners in the British Trams Online Tram of the Year contest. The Tram of 2013 is a tram who saw one of its sisters head for a new life across the sea, the Tramway of the year comes from the north west of the country whilst the Event of the Year is, well the winning event was rather predictable really.

Tram of the Year

The winner in this category was Blackpool Boat 227 which received just over a quarter of the votes. Although the tram quickly established a lead the whole contest was a fairly tight one with less than 30 votes the difference between all five trams – the tightest it has ever been between all nominees. 227 proved popular with the majority of people following its return to action during the August Bank Holiday Heritage Service on its home system in a new “what if” red and white livery.

Just five votes separated the next three trams with Blackpool Centenary 648 making it a Blackpool one-two in second swiftly followed by Glasgow 1068 and then Stockport 5 in fourth. Last but certainly by no means least was Leeds 107.

Results

Blackpool Boat 227 – 79 votes (25.08%)

Blackpool Centenary 648 – 64 votes (20.32%)

Glasgow 1068 – 61 votes (19.37%)

Stockport 5 – 59 votes (18.73%)

Leeds 107 – 52 votes (16.51%)

Tramway of the Year

Normally when the Blackpool Tramway is nominated for anything you expect it to walk away with the award but not this time as a late surge by the Heaton Park Tramway meant that the up and coming heritage tramway in Manchester became the second winner of this category. Just over 40% of those voting felt that the progress made at Heaton Park, particularly with the construction of the new depot during 2013 meant the tramway deserved the award.

Coming in second place, 13 votes behind Heaton Park, was reigning champion the Blackpool Tramway, whilst the third place tramway was Manchester Metrolink almost 50 further votes back.

I’m pretty sure this category will be very keenly contested in 2014!

Results

Heaton Park Tramway – 128 votes (41.42%)

Blackpool Tramway – 115 votes (37.22%)

Manchester Metrolink – 66 votes (21.36%)

Event of the Year

Let’s be honest here there was only ever going to be one winner for Event of the Year and that was, of course, the rejuvenation of the Blackpool Heritage Service with 133 voters believing that was the best event of 2013.

The other three events of the year probably didn’t really ever stand a chance but they make a nice symmetry with 80 votes for second place Heaton Park Tramway Autumn Gala, 60 votes for the Crich Enthusiasts’ Event and 40 votes for the perhaps surprising fourth place event Great North Festival of Transport at Beamish.

Looking at how some great events were unable to compete with the Blackpool juggernaught probably shows just how much tram events have come on in recent years.

Results

Rejuvenation of Blackpool Heritage Service – 133 votes (42.49%)

Heaton Park Tramway Autumn Gala – 80 votes (25.56%)

Crich Enthusiasts’ Day – 60 votes (19.17%)

Great North Festival of Transport, Beamish – 40 votes (12.78%)

And so that is the contest over for another year. Congratulations to all those who won and well done also to all the nominees, the strength of the shortlists seems to go from strength to strength each year. The Tram of the Year contest will return towards the end of 2014 – who knows just what will be in contention then as we certainly have a lot to look forward to over the next year!