More delays for West Midlands Metro extensions

Posted on Thursday 15 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

Yes, this is a “stating the obvious” kind of article but it may not have escaped your notice that the first phase of the Birmingham Eastside extension as far as Millennium Point did not open in late 2025 as had been hoped. Although testing was underway in 2025, issues were discovered which has meant its opening has been pushed back further with the latest being “early 2026”.

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UKTram appoint Tim Bilby as Stakeholder & Innovation Manager

Posted on Thursday 15 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

Tim Bilby, the former Managing Director of South Yorkshire Supertram, has joined the UKTram team as Stakeholder and Innovation Manager. This appointment will strengthen the organisations capacity to support innovation and engagement across the light rail sector.

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Beamish Tramway mileage and more infrastructure work to take place

Posted on Wednesday 14 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

It has been revealed that the trams at Beamish covered 16,305 miles during 2025 – a year which saw no trams between January and April because of major track relaying work. And 2026 is set to see even more investment in the tramway infrastructure to continue to maintain and improve the hardest working heritage tramway in the UK.

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First Metrolink engineering works of 2026 announced

Posted on Wednesday 14 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

A new year means new opportunities for improvement works on Manchester Metrolink and whilst big projects have yet to announced (which will inevitably come later in the year) the first line closures have been, as has some work which shouldn’t cause any disruption to services.

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Public transport usage in Edinburgh continues to grow

Posted on Tuesday 13 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

More passengers took advantage of Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses services in 2025 with the trams having record patronage whilst for the buses they also saw an increase on the previous 12 months. In total over 130 million passenger journeys were recorded across the two operators, who are now more closely aligned with the same Chief Executive in charge of the two.

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Latest NET Operational Performance report released

Posted on Tuesday 13 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

The Greater Nottingham Light Rail Transit Advisory Committee will be meeting in January 2026 for the first time in six months and as is usual ahead of the meeting an operational performance and progress report is released online. This report again goes through how the service has been running, with this particular one covering the period between the start of June 2025 and end of November 2025.

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Lisbon 730 to receive Newcastle Corporation colours

Posted on Monday 12 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

The first update of 2026 from the Beamish Transport and Industry blog is packed full of little snippets on the trams – and that includes the tantalisingly prospect that Lisbon 730 is set to receive a partial repaint which will see its existing bright yellow livery transformed into Newcastle Corporation colours!

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool & Fleetwood 40

Posted on Monday 12 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

We return with another edition of “15 Years Apart” as we take a look at Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 in both 2010 and 2025.

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Out and About: Edinburgh Trams – January 2026

Posted on Sunday 11 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

“Out and About” continues this evening and in this edition we are in Edinburgh once again.

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We missed a new Metro train into service!

Posted on Sunday 11 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

With the regular entry into service of the new trains on the Tyne and Wear Metro it was always inevitably going to happen that we missed one entering service! And that is precisely what happened in the lead up to Christmas with 555 041 having carried its first passengers.

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UKTram pledge to deliver even greater value for members in 2026

Posted on Sunday 11 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

UKTram plan to deliver even greater value for members in 2026 whilst supporting the continued growth, performance and impact of light rail across the UK and Ireland.

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In Pictures: Another advert on the West Midlands Metro

Posted on Saturday 10 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

They’re like London buses! We’re only 10 days into 2026 but the West Midlands Metro already have their second new advert of the year as 47 has followed 56 in receiving a set of vinyls with the tram now advertising itv.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 10th January 2026

Posted on Saturday 10 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

This week’s main site update includes a set of photos taken just before Christmas at the East Anglia Transport Museum during their Ride the Lights event:

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Around the World in Trams: Dalian 7-3511

Posted on Saturday 10 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

We carry on with anything goes January and this time “Around the World in Trams” is going to China.

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Blackpool Transport Family Saver ticket offer extended

Posted on Saturday 10 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

In the lead up to Christmas, Blackpool Transport introduced a special £10 ticket for families to take advantage of the tram and bus network across the region, and now its been so successful its been decided to extend it for the immediate future.

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Nottingham Express Transit Engineering Works: 24th and 25th January 2026

Posted on Saturday 10 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

Essential engineering works will be taking place on Nottingham Express Transit over the weekend of 24th and 25th January 2026, meaning that there will no service between Queens Walk and Clifton South.

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LRTA float plans for a tram network in Derby

Posted on Friday 9 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

When the East Midlands Combined Authority launched their consultation into improving transport in the region it was widely expected that the only tram related proposals would be concerning extending Nottingham’s system, with the idea of linking it with Derby another possibility. But the Light Rail Transit Association (LRTA) seem to have grander ideas with their Regional Officer for the East Midlands, David Gibson, having drawn up a detailed plan for an extensive tram network in Derby.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Works Brush 259

Posted on Friday 9 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

We start a new set of “Picture in Time” images today and we’re back in Blackpool for the next few weeks.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 14 Comments

In Pictures: One new advert as two removed in Manchester

Posted on Thursday 8 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

Following on from yesterday’s West Midlands Metro update, Manchester Metrolink has also already seen some advert changes in early 2026 with two adverts having been removed whilst one of the trams which has seen an ad go has now received a new design – the first new advert for the year on Metrolink. The trams involved in these latest changes are 3092 and 3102.

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Boy heads onto the Metro with his own version of one of the new trains!

Posted on Thursday 8 January 2026 by Gareth Prior

A five year old boy from Gateshead – with dreams of being a Metro driver one day – and his mother have recently created their own version of one of the new Metro trains. And after taking it out onto the network for photos they were noticed by staff and even got to meet a Metro driver.

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