In Pictures: West Midlands Metro 26 heads off to Worksop

Posted on Thursday 17 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

The Harry Needle storage facility in Worksop, Nottinghamshire has now welcomed its second West Midlands Metro tram after 26 departed Wedndesbury Depot on Thursday 17th August. As with the first departure (17) this tram has been to Dudley for repairs and has run in service since but with space at the depot remaining at a premium its off for temporary storage.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

Communications fault brings NET service to a halt again

Posted on Thursday 17 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

Article updated 18/8/23

Last night we brought you the news that strikes may be incoming on Nottingham Express Transit as a result of a pay dispute but today (17th August 2023) has seen services suspended in their entirety for a different reason as a communications fault has meant it has not been possible to run trams. This is the second communications fault suffered within the past month and comes a day before engineering works are due to get underway around The Forest.

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In Pictures: Wakebridge the terminus at Crich

Posted on Thursday 17 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

Not previously noted on these pages is that currently no trams are running between Wakebridge and Glory Mine at the Crich Tramway Village because of infrastructure issues. The current problem relates to the overhead and has been ongoing since July, albeit with a short one day period when it was possible for trams to go through to Glory Mine.

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Strike action threatened in Nottingham over pay offer

Posted on Wednesday 16 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

Staff on Nottingham Express Transit could go on strike later this year after the GMB Union called a ballot over the latest pay offer which they say is a real terms pay cut. Its likely that any strike action will come into effect around the time of the Goose Fair, one of the busiest times of the year on the trams.

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In Pictures: Split service operates in Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 16 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

One of the big selling points of the Blackpool Tramway is that it runs along the Promenade allowing good views of the sea as you travel along. One of the disadvantages of the Blackpool Tramway is that it runs along the Promenade so that when there are big events it is difficult to maintain a safe service. And so it was over the weekend of Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th August that with the Blackpool Airshow taking place trams were not running between Central Pier and North Pier.

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West Midlands Metro service disruption: Sunday 20th August

Posted on Wednesday 16 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

There will be no services on the West Midlands Metro before 1200 on Sunday 20th August to allow for essential power systems upgrade work to take place.

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In Pictures: Volk’s Electric Railway celebrates 140 years of operation

Posted on Tuesday 15 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

In 1883 Brighton seafront welcomed a revolutionary new transport system. Operated by electricity what we now know as the Volk’s Electric Railway started running on 4th August 1883 and although its been regauged and extended since that first day its history can now be traced back 140 years. To celebrate this non significant anniversary a special event took place on the railway over the weekend of Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th August.

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In Pictures: Images on the Birmingham Eastside extension

Posted on Tuesday 15 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

This latest look at construction works on the West Midlands Metro Birmingham Eastside extension views the continued removal of rubble from the old McDonald’s and work by Birmingham Coach Station.

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Latest performance poster out for Tyne and Wear Metro

Posted on Tuesday 15 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

The performance data for the Tyne and Wear Metro is out again and unfortunately once again it shows that performance is down – both when comparing it to the previous four weeks and the same period in 2022.

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West Midlands Metro 33 back at Wednesbury

Posted on Monday 14 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

In, Out, Shake it all about?! It does seem that the West Midlands Metro are doing the hokey cokey as no sooner does one tram leave for storage then another arrives back at Wednesbury Depot after completion of repairs at Dudley.

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Poetry showcased on Tyne and Wear Metro

Posted on Monday 14 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

Seven published poets are currently showcasing their works on the Tyne and Wear Metro as part of a new project to bring poetry to a wider audience. The verses are being displayed on large posters on the platforms at Longbenton with this new scheme forming part of the Art on Transport programme.

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Out and About: The sun shines on the West Midlands Metro

Posted on Monday 14 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

Blue skies and blue trams on the West Midlands Metro are the subject of this latest edition of “Out and About”.

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Stop by Stop Edinburgh Trams: Newhaven extension – Ocean Terminal

Posted on Sunday 13 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

We continue our journey along the Edinburgh Trams extension to Newhaven as we go “Stop by Stop”.

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FTT stalwart Eric Berry passes away

Posted on Sunday 13 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

Eric Berry, one of the founding members of the Fylde Transport Trust, has passed away after a period of ill health.

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Posted in Fylde Transport Trust | 1 Comment

Isle of Man Diary – 20th to 26th July 2023

Posted on Sunday 13 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

With 2023 being promoted as the Year of the Railway on the Isle of Man thanks to two significant anniversaries – 130 years of operation for the Manx Electric Railway and the 150th anniversary of the Isle of Man Steam Railway – and a week long Transport Festival taking place in late July what more excuse did David Mee need to head to the island? None! This is the first part of his diary of what happened taking in the period between 20th and 26th July 2023.

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Posted in Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, Event Reviews, Manx Electric Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway | 2 Comments

What’s New on British Trams Online? 13th August 2023

Posted on Sunday 13 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

This week we have the first part of our look at the Year of the Railways 2023 Transport Festival on the Isle of Man:

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In Pictures: Messi heads to Edinburgh too!

Posted on Saturday 12 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

Last time the Hard Rock Café had an advert on Manchester Metrolink they soon followed it up with one on Edinburgh Trams – and that pattern has continued in 2023 with the Messi Chicken Sandwich promotion now featured on vinyls applied to 277.

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Around the World in Trams: Turin 5019

Posted on Saturday 12 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

We’re back off to Turin for the latest edition of “Around the World in Trams”.

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August Bank Holiday to see next Enhanced Weekend for Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours

Posted on Saturday 12 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

With the August Bank Holiday weekend fast approaching (the last before Christmas!) the first details of the latest Enhanced Weekend for Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours have been announced. It’s the same pattern as the past few Enhanced Weekends and as we’ve come to expect it will see a hop-on, hop-off timetable running for all three days of the Bank Holiday Weekend.

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West Midlands Metro trams on the move again – to Worksop

Posted on Friday 11 August 2023 by Gareth Prior

Article updated 20/8/23 with photos

There was a time when seeing a tram on back of a lorry was a rare sight which made it incredibly newsworthy. But the past few years have seen tram moves becoming ten a penny, if its not another Blackpool tram being moved (often back to where it came from a couple of years ago!) it’s a modern tram arriving at its new home. Probably the biggest customer for haulage companies over the past few years has been the West Midlands Metro and it looks like they have found another reason to get on the back of a lorry.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 7 Comments