First new Tyne & Wear Metro arrives in the UK!

Posted on Saturday 25 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

The first of the new trains being built by Stadler for the Tyne and Wear Metro has arrived in the UK. 555 003 was delivered by rail from the Stadler plant in Switzerland and was then moved initially from Dollands Moor to Wembley and then on to Doncaster with a further move expected to Tyne Yard ahead of its arrival on Tyne and Wear Metro metals.

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New tram safety campaign in Nottingham aimed at school children

Posted on Saturday 25 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit and local community group, The Pythian Club, have teamed up to help deliver a new safety message to local schoolchildren. The Pythian Club have found an innovative and effective way of engaging with young people and is now working with the tram operator to tackle anti-social behaviour around the trams as well as how to act safely in the vicinity of the network.

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In Pictures: New Metro bridge makes progress

Posted on Friday 24 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

The West Midlands Metro extension from Wednesbury to Dudley and ultimately Brierley Hill (subject to funding etc.) has a number of major infrastructure projects which need to take place to allow trams to travel on the route and this includes a number of bridges, replacing previous structures which weren’t considered to be of the required standard for the modern tram system. One of these bridges is located in Tipton which has continued to make progress over the autumn 2022 and winter 2022/3 period.

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Luas Engineering Works: March 2023

Posted on Friday 24 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

There will be a change to operating hours on Luas’ Green Line this March to allow work to take place on the upgrading of the overhead wires. The work is part of the ongoing maintenance programme to ensure trams can continue to run safely. It will be taking place over two weekends in March.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 726

Posted on Friday 24 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

For the next few weeks “Picture in Time” is returning to the Fylde Coast as we feature another set of images taken by Donald Brooks on the Blackpool Tramway. We are heading back to July 1977 again for these shots and we start off this set in Fleetwood.

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In Pictures: Balloon 713 returns to service at Blackpool’s first enhanced weekend of 2023

Posted on Thursday 23 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

The weekend of 18th and 19th February saw the first newly christened “Enhanced Weekend” from Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours. What was once known as a “Gold Weekend” saw a timetabled six tram service run on both days from 1000 to 1700, including trips between Pleasure Beach and all points north as far as Fleetwood. Although things didn’t quite go according to the plan (we are, of course, dealing with trams which are approaching 90 years old!) there were still several different trams out in service – including the return to action of B-fleet Balloon 713.

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Metro services resume between Monkseaton and North Shields

Posted on Thursday 23 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Tyne and Wear Metro services are now running between Monkseaton and North Shields again following their earlier suspension owing to storm damage at Whitley Bay. It has originally been stated that there were be no trains for the rest of this week but after engineers attended to the damage it has been possible to resume services.

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Public consultation set to take place this year for next Edinburgh extension

Posted on Thursday 23 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Whilst most of our extension attention in Edinburgh may have recently been concentrated on the Trams to Newhaven project with the excitement of the final overhead wire being installed, the same can’t be said for officials at the Council as they are already planning the next line with confirmation that they are planning a public consultation later this year. This line will be the much mooted line from Granton to the Royal Infirmary.

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Sandwell concrete pour marks another milestone for WMM Brierley Hill extension

Posted on Wednesday 22 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Another week and another press release giving us details of more progress on a West Midlands Metro extension. This time its back to the Brierley Hill line (which is currently only funded to go as far as Dudley so does that make it more the Dudley line?!) where a significant concrete pour has taken place at the site of the former Staffordshire Railway corridor in Wednesbury.

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Blackpool 010 back to fleet livery

Posted on Wednesday 22 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Its been a period of adverts and special liveries being removed in Blackpool as following on quickly from 001 and 011 losing their vinyl wrap liveries comes the news that Flexity2 010 has lost its special Queen’s Jubilee vinyls and it is now running in plain fleet livery once more.

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Communications issue causes NET service delays

Posted on Wednesday 22 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit services had a disrupted start to the day on Wednesday 22nd February after a communications fault. It was announced around 0600 that there were no trams running at all due to a “significant issue” with this later confirmed as being a communications fault which prevented them from talking to drivers via the radio system.

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In Pictures: Blackpool 31 runs for the first time in 2023 as Beamish runs a three tram service

Posted on Tuesday 21 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 18th February was the start of the February Half Term holidays in the northeast of England and marked the first time in 2023 that a three tram service operated at Beamish and saw the first use of open topper Blackpool Marton 31 for the year. The other two trams running were the familiar winter pairing of Sunderland 16 and Sheffield 264.

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Storm Otto damage leads to Tyne and Wear Metro disruption

Posted on Tuesday 21 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

There will be no Tyne and Wear Metro service from Monkseaton to North Shields until at least the end of this week because of damage caused by Storm Otto. Whitley Bay Metro Station is also to remain closed until further notice.

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In Pictures: West End becomes an Edinburgh Trams terminus again

Posted on Monday 20 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Last week in order to allow for the installation of overhead wires to connect the Edinburgh Trams extension to the existing line in York Place all trams from the Airport were turned short at West End. This meant that the temporary terminus here returned allowing for the chance to see trams being turned here using the in-service crossover just to the Haymarket side of the stop.

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Light Rail Summit 2023 to take place in Birmingham

Posted on Monday 20 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Birmingham will be the third tram city to hold the UKTram organised Light Rail Summit it as been announced. The 2023 edition of the event will take place on 21st September and follows on from two previous successful events which have happened in Manchester and Edinburgh.

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Trams &: Blackpool Balloon 700 & bus

Posted on Monday 20 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

Blackpool is our latest stop for our “Trams &” series and whilst a lot of entries into this series recently have shown a modern tram alongside a bus, this time we go a bit more traditional with the tram.

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Stop by Stop Nottingham Express Transit: Hucknall & Phoenix Park – Highbury Vale (Hucknall)

Posted on Sunday 19 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

We carry on with our journey towards Hucknall in this edition of “Stop by Stop” and the next stop will be Highbury Vale.

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RAIB Safety Digest released into NET Highbury Vale derailment

Posted on Sunday 19 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

The RAIB have released their latest Safety Digest which is related to the slow speed derailment of Nottingham Express Citadis 219 at Highbury Vale on 30th September 2022. This is not a full report as it has been decided a full investigation is not needed as the causes of the incident are similar to other cases on the main line railway; the Safety Digest enables the RAIB to release learnings to the parties involved as quickly as possible.

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Classic Motorcycle Day returns to Crich this July

Posted on Sunday 19 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

It may seem a while off but publicity has started for the Classic Motorcycle Day at the Crich Tramway Village which this year will be taking place on Sunday 2nd July 2023. This will be the sixth such event for the partnership with the Vincent HRD Owners Club and features sponsorship from Derwent Waste Management.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 19th February 2023

Posted on Sunday 19 February 2023 by Gareth Prior

We have another “20 Photos of…” this week and its off to the northeast and Beamish:

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