A trip to… West Midlands Metro and their advert trams

Posted on Monday 12 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

For a period from the middle of March until early May 2025, the West Midlands Metro was home to four trams carrying advertising vinyl wraps. On a warm and sunny spring morning – Tuesday 8th April for the record – all four were in action on the same day and were captured in the sunshine as they operated on the line between Edgbaston Village and Wolverhampton Railway Station. Michael Morton took the photos.

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They’ve Run in 2025!

Posted on Monday 12 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

For the first time this year we bring you a round-up of which heritage trams have operated across the British Isles, which includes the three lines on the Isle of Man. The idea behind this list is to give an update on any tram which has been used in passenger service – test runs don’t count although private hires do. As always, if you notice there are any omissions or errors please let us know!

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Posted in Beamish Tramway, Birkenhead Heritage Tramway, Black Country Living Museum, Blackpool Tramway, Burton & Ashby 14, Crich Tramway Village, Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, East Anglia Transport Museum, Great Orme Tramway, Heaton Park Tramway, Manx Electric Railway, Seaton Tramway, Snaefell Mountain Railway, Summerlee Museum Tramway, They Ran in 2025, Volk's Electric Railway | Leave a comment

Old(er) and New – Manchester Metrolink: Old Trafford

Posted on Monday 12 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

For this edition of “Old(er) and New” we head out of the city centre and find ourselves at Old Trafford.

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Out and About 2025: Edinburgh Trams – Ocean Terminal

Posted on Sunday 11 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

For another edition of “Out and About” we go to Edinburgh and feature more trams in service.

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Blackpool 166 latest to return to service at Crich

Posted on Sunday 11 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Article updated with photo 18/5/25.

With the spring brining plenty of sunshine – and some warmer temperatures – what could be better than enjoying an open tram ride? The team at the Crich Tramway Village obviously think the same as well with the latest tram to be recommissioned for service this year being Blackpool Toastrack 166.

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Four becomes three on West Midlands Metro

Posted on Sunday 11 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

There are now only three advertising liveries on the West Midlands Metro after the vinyls on 53 were removed. This tram had been advertising KFC since March 2025 but with the contract now having come to an end 53 is once again operating in standard fleet livery.

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Tyne and Wear Metro overhead line work: Sunday 18th May 2025

Posted on Sunday 11 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Essential overhead line maintenance work will be taking place on the Tyne and Wear Metro from 2100 on Sunday 18th May 2025 meaning no trams will be able to work south of South Gosforth.

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In Pictures: Sheffield Station the terminus over May Day Bank Holiday

Posted on Saturday 10 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

A few days ago we saw the trackworks taking place at Gleadless Townend on the South Yorkshire Supertram system over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. As a result of these works there were service changes in place with no trams running any further than Sheffield Station in the direction of Halfway or Herdings Park. This meant Sheffield Station was a temporary terminus and in these photos Stuart Cooke shows us the arrangements for trams turning there.

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Around the World in Trams: East Berlin 219 069-4

Posted on Saturday 10 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

We return to East Berlin for this edition of “Around the World in Trams”.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 10th May 2025

Posted on Saturday 10 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

We go down to Brighton for some photos from the Volk’s Electric Railway in this week’s update:

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London Trams Engineering Works: Saturday 10th May 2025

Posted on Saturday 10 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Late night services on the London Trams network will be affected by trackworks taking place after 2030 on Saturday 10th May 2025. No trams will be able to run on the eastern part of the network with the Beckenham Junction, Elmers End and New Addington lines all suspended.

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In Pictures: Crich at the start of another day

Posted on Friday 9 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Its time to head back to the Crich Tramway Village as we take a look at some trams in action at the Crich Tramway Village. These were taken on a normal mid-week opening day when a standard three car service was in operation with the trio of trams being Chesterfield 7, Glasgow 22 and recently returned to action Blackpool 236. Keith Chadbourne captured these photos before starting his duty as a conductor.

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More overhead issues for West Midlands Metro

Posted on Friday 9 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Trams didn’t run on the West Midlands Metro for much of Friday 9th May 2025 because of issues with the overhead lines. The problem was first reported at the very start of service with trams not able to start entering service until early afternoon.

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1019

Posted on Friday 9 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

For the next five weeks “Picture in Time” will be featuring images taken on the Manchester Metrolink system in the summer of 1994 by Donald Brooks.

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In Pictures: Telford Steam Tram on the road to return

Posted on Thursday 8 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Back in 2023 we reported on an appeal by the Telford Steam Railway for funding to restore their 2 foot gauge steam tram engine. Now a couple of years later and the project has progressed sufficiently to allow it to start running, although it isn’t quite ready to be used in passenger service just yet. The loco made its public debut on Sunday 4th May 2025 at the Telford Steam Railway Official Open Day. Ken Jones was there to capture a few images of it.

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Tyne and Wear Metro on the stage again!

Posted on Thursday 8 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

The Tyne and Wear Metro is once again playing a starring role on the Newcastle theatre stage as part of a new play – Dogs on the Metro – now playing at the Live Theatre until 17th May. The stage has been made to look like a Metro platform and that’s not where the connection ends as there plenty of other Metro items on show too.

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ToTo to launch on 19th May

Posted on Thursday 8 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams have confirmed that the new ”Tap on, Tap off” system will be fully introduced from Monday 19th May 2025. As revealed a few weeks ago this system will allow users to pay for their travel on the tram by tapping their contactless payment card or device onto platform validators at the start and end of their journeys rather than having to buy a physical ticket.

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More tram moves between Wednesbury and Dudley

Posted on Wednesday 7 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

The first couple of days of May have once again seen trams being moved between West Midlands Metro depot at Wednesbury and the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley with another one heading that way before one came back. The two moves took place on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd May 2025.

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Whitefield Tunnel works to start

Posted on Wednesday 7 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Major work to ensure that Whitefield Tunnel on Manchester Metrolink’s Bury line remains safe will be getting underway this weekend with service changes required as a result. The work is seeing the replacement of beams which support the roof of the tunnel and comes after the successful completion of preparatory work.

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Pwllheli & Llanbedrog horse tram goes into storage

Posted on Wednesday 7 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Last featured on these pages in October 2022 it has been confirmed that Pwllheli & Llandbedrog 1 is no longer on display at Plas Glyn Y Weddw, its home since 2016.

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