Blackpool Marton Box 31
31 started the year as usual at Beamish but just a few months into the year and it was on its travels to Blackpool for a loan period with Blackpool Standard 147 (see below) heading in the opposite direction. This is 31's third visit "back home" since restoration at Beamish and this time in doing so it became the first traditional open topper to operate on a modern tramway in the UK. The tram proved a very popular visitor in Blackpool with its open top often full especially when running all the way through to Fleetwood.

Blackpool Standard 147
For the first time since returning from the USA and its restoration 147 was on its travels with Beamish the lucky recipient as part of the exchange with 31 (see above). Arriving in the north east in time for the Great North Festival of Transport 147 soon settled into operation and as with 31 in Blackpool it proved to be a popular tram with its relatively large capacity vital to move the many visitors to the museum and having the added benefit of being completely enclosed. Despite the fact that it wasn't built until 1924 it certainly looked at home in the 1913 town.

Glasgow 1017
At first glance the shortlisting of Glasgow 1017 may look a little strange. The tram spent the majority of 2016 out of service requiring workshop attention following the discovery at the end of 2015 of a fractured axle box and then when this started to be attended to a host of other issues were also found (as always seems to be way in tram overhauls). However the work was completed allowing the tram to return to use at the start of December and is included on the shortlist as an example of a small preservation group's efforts in maintaining a tram fleet.

London County Council 106
Shortlisted for the second year in a row 106 has made the 2016 final 5 as a result of its short-term loan to the East Anglia Transport Museum in Carlton Colville. In order to support the London Event during July 106 spent a week on holiday operating for the two days of the event as part of a two tram service with fellow London tram 1858. In doing so 106 became the first open topper to run there, was the first time a tram from the national collection was loaned to Carlton Colville and was also the first short-term loan of a tram to the East Anglia Transport Museum.

Sheffield 264
264 returned to the serviceable ranks at Beamish on 9th April after the completion of its extensive overhaul/restoration. Having last operated in 2003 the tram has spent the last three years undergoing its extensive work which had seen the tram split into three for a thorough overhaul to take place. Completed in a sparkling coat of traditional Sheffield livery the tram looked resplendent as it returned to action during the Great North Steam Fair; returning to what it does best - transporting visitors around the museum tramway. Since that initial foray into service 264 has settled back into service to become one of the mainstays of the operational fleet.

Manchester Metrolink 3120
The start of October saw the completion of the M5000 order for Manchester Metrolink with 3120 being delivered to Queen's Road Depot on Saturday 1st October. Following the usual commissioning and mileage accumulation work 3120 entered service on Sunday 23rd October.

Midland Metro 37
On Monday 30th May after many delays the full Midland Metro Birmingham City Centre extension opened to the public with Urbos 3 37 the tram chosen to do the honours of operating that very first service. With the suitable banner broken 37 operated the first service at 0800 with this line now part of the city centre environment.

Douglas Bay Horse Tramway
This time last year there was no indication of the dramas which would come for the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway. 2016 has seen so many ups and downs and this page isn't the place - or space - to go into them all. The year started with Douglas Council announcing that the tramway would close with immediate effect and then following a campaign it was revealed Isle of Man Railways would take on operation for at least two years. A reinvigorated tramway operated an extended season with a much improved timetable and in August a celebration of the 140th Anniversary of the tramway was held including a spectacular parade of trams. Despite this success the future of the full tramway continues to hang in the balance with the Department of Infrastructure announcing that they plan to abandon part of the tramway with the Prom reconstruction likely to see trams only run from Derby Castle to Villa Marina.

Midland Metro
The latest extension to open on a UK tramway was the full Birmingham City Centre extension with public services starting on Monday 30th May. This followed on from the opening of the first part of this line as far as Bull Street in December 2015. Having previously only reached the edge of the city centre the opening of this extension gave Midland Metro more visibility entering the heart of the city and hopefully increasing passenger numbers.

Blackpool - Anniversary Spectacular
Held over the weekend of 24th/25th September the Anniversary Spectacular built on the success of the 130th Anniversary event in 2015. With an excellent use of specials in addition to the usual timetabled service the weekend saw 20 different trams in action. Unfortunately the weekend was marred by the fire suffered by Twin Car 272+T2 and a derailment by Boat 600 but even these incidents did not spoil what was a well organsied event which also included depot tours and tram line-ups.

Crich - Tram Day
Renamed for 2016 Tram Day at Crich continued the tried and tested formula of an extensive tram service coupled with photographic line-ups of rare trams in the open. The main theme for 2016 was changes to the collection with Oporto C65 making its one and only public appearance whilst part of the national collection. It was displayed on the depot fan along with other works vehicles and the other Oporto trams in the collection as well as on its own. Shortly after the event it was off to Beamish and its new life.

Douglas Bay Horse Tramway - 140th Anniversary
To celebrate 140 years since opening on Sunday 7th August the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway held a special event. Included on the day were two runs of double deck tram no. 18 - complete with two horses at its head - and a nine tram cavalcade. The cavalcade included Toastrack no. 38 which hadn't operated in service for several years along with some of the more common members of the operating fleet. In addition to the cavalcade trams were also displayed outside the tram depot and there were tours of the stables.

East Anglia Transport Museum - London Event
Held over the weekend of 9th and 10th July the London Event was not just tram orientated with the four London trolleybuses resident at the East Anglia Transport Museum also in service alongside buses and other vehicles associated with the capital. But for us the highlight was the loan operation of London County Council 106 which ran the two tram service alongside London Transport 1858 throughout the weekend - the first short-term tram loan to the museum, the first open topper to run at the museum and the first tram from the national collection.