In Pictures: B fleet Balloon used as B fleet Balloon!

Posted on Wednesday 26 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

Since the launch of the new Blackpool Tramway timetable following the opening of the Blackpool North Station extension there has been much debate (our comments section has never been so “popular”) about its effectiveness. Much of it has centred over complaint about the reduction in frequencies, especially for through services between the north of the tramway and south, and the uneven spacing of trams between North Pier and Starr Gate. In an effort to allay some of these complaints, Sunday 23rd June saw the relatively rare use of  “B fleet” Balloon as a special using LRT platforms.

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Another award for Trams to Newhaven project

Posted on Wednesday 26 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

Its been open for over a year now but the Trams to Newhaven project which saw a 3 mile extension added to the Edinburgh Trams network is still being recognised in various awards with the latest coming at the Local Government Chronical (LGC) Awards in London.

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In Pictures: Work underway on returning an Aberdeen tram to the rails

Posted on Tuesday 25 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

Not all trams end up being restored back to their former use but do still end up carrying passengers once again, and it is a tram which falls into that category which we feature in this article. The Alford Valley Community Railway in Aberdeenshire has in its possession the body of Aberdeen Suburban Tramway Company 11 which was converted into a carriage a number of years ago and is currently undergoing attention to make it operational again.

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More London Trams strikes confirmed

Posted on Tuesday 25 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

The ongoing dispute on London Trams has escalated with more dates announced for strike action by engineering staff represented by Unite the Union. This dispute has been ongoing since earlier this year and is over pay where the union claim engineers working on the trams can earn around £10,000 less than their counterparts who work on London Underground.

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New Edinburgh Arena plans approved

Posted on Tuesday 25 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

We’ve recently seen how Edinburgh Trams is able to move large crowds in short periods of time to events at Murrayfield Stadium (Taylor Swift we’re talking about you!) and they look set to be able to showcase that again in the future after plans for the construction of a new arena at Edinburgh Park were approved by Councillors.

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In Pictures: The adverts keep on coming for Manchester Metrolink

Posted on Monday 24 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

It seems that there aren’t many weeks where we’re not reporting on a new advert for Manchester Metrolink and so it is that we again head to the northwest to see a couple of new advertising liveries – one which seems to be so high-profile that it involved a press release!

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New glazing being installed at Whitley Bay

Posted on Monday 24 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

The restoration project at Whitley Bay Tyne and Wear Metro station has reached an important stage with the start of the installation of new glazing into the canopy. Its all part of a £5.3 million project to restore the canopy which dates from the Edwardian era and will also see the metalwork full restored to its former glory.

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Out and About: On Blackpool Promenade in February 2024

Posted on Monday 24 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

We have another trip to Blackpool Promenade for this latest edition of “Out and About”.

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Trams &: Blackpool 700 & bus

Posted on Sunday 23 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

Today in “Trams &” we are heading back to the Blackpool Tramway.

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In Pictures: Another Tram-Train heads to Wales

Posted on Sunday 23 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

The delivery of the Stadler Citylink Tram-Trains being built for the South Wales Metro services is continuing with 398 017 having recently been spotted at a service station on their way to their new home.

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Events this week…

Posted on Sunday 23 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

The next week is a fairly quiet one event wise but for Beamish its one of their two main transport events for the year taking place which is the highlight.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 23rd June 2024

Posted on Sunday 23 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

The opening of the UK’s newest section of tramway in Blackpool is the subject of this week’s set of photos:

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In Pictures: New adverts on Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Saturday 22 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

There have recently been a couple of new adverts stuck onto trams in Edinburgh. One is the latest full vinyl wrap whilst the other is a more “traditional” Edinburgh style partial advert, with both debuting in mid-June as we see in this article.

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Around the World in Trams: Ostrava 21 & 218

Posted on Saturday 22 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

Back to Ostrava again for this edition of “Around the World in Trams”.

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Metrolink staff to be balloted for strikes over “woeful” pay offer

Posted on Saturday 22 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

Unite the Union have confirmed that they are to ballot their members who work for KeolisAmey Metrolink over what they describe as a “woeful” pay offer.

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Tram windscreen smashed and driver injured after brick dropped from bridge

Posted on Saturday 22 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

Nottinghamshire Police have launched appeal to find those responsible after a brick was dropped from a bridge in Basford which hit a tram’s windscreen leading to minor injuries for the driver. The incident happened at around 1900 on Tuesday 4th June.

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Two more new units arrive on the Tyne and Wear Metro

Posted on Friday 21 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

There are now nine of the new trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro in northeast England after 555 002 and 555 021 made the lengthy journey from mainland Europe, arriving onto Metro metals on 18th June 2024.

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In Pictures: Progress continues on Dudley extension

Posted on Friday 21 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

The wording on the Midland Metro Alliance website may now have changed to “expected to open within a year” rather than claiming it will be open by the end of 2024 but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t work still going on in the construction of the West Midlands Metro extension to Dudley (and then a phase two onwards to Brierley Hill). This pictorial article takes a look at some of the recent work in and around Horseley Road.

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Picture in Time: Newcastle 102

Posted on Friday 21 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

A tram which we’re hoping to see in service this year is the feature of this edition of “Picture in Time”.

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In Pictures: A visit to Crich in June

Posted on Thursday 20 June 2024 by Gareth Prior

We’re off to the Crich Tramway Village again for this pictorial article with Steven Hughes visiting the museum on Sunday 16th June 2024. This was, of course, the first day of public services on the Blackpool North Station extension and one of the trams in service at Crich on this day had a decidedly North Station link.

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