Tyne & Wear Metro performance stats released

Posted on Saturday 11 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

During this Covid-19 pandemic, the actual performance of our light railways and tramways has been quite a way from the front of our minds but recently the Tyne and Wear Metro have started to publish the stats again. These show that performance is slightly improved but there is still room for it to get even better!

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Blackpool Council awarded £1.1 million compensation over tram depot construction

Posted on Friday 10 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

If you follow the Blackpool Tramway closely you will probably be aware of an argument between Blackpool Council and contractors VolkerFitzpatrick Limited over the construction of the depot at Starr Gate. It centred over claims by the Council in regards to damage and the intended lifespan of the depot and has ended with the Council being awarded £1.1 million in compensation.

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In Preview: Crich Tramway Village reopens

Posted on Friday 10 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

The Crich Tramway Village will be reopening from Saturday 11th July with the museum open every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until further notice. As with the Seaton Tramway, a number of changes in how they will operate have been announced taking into consideration the latest government Covid-19 advice.

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Lockdown Walks: Tyne & Wear Metro 4016+4088

Posted on Friday 10 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this latest “Lockdown Walk” we are heading to the Coast, Tynemouth to be precise on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

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Picture in Time: Leeds 517

Posted on Friday 10 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

It is probably tramway preservations biggest failure – the aborted preservation scheme at Leeds’ Middleton Railway. Over the next three weeks we take a look at some of the trams which were stored on site but ended up being scrapped after vandalism.

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In Pictures: Nottingham City Centre rail replacement work

Posted on Thursday 9 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit is currently taking the opportunity to undertake some essential rail replacement works in the city centre with the section between Royal Centre and Old Market Square being treated to some new rails, the old rails having been in situ for 16 years since the line opened to the public in 2004. The work got underway on 20th June and is due to continue until 19th July.

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Trams &: Sheffield 510 & steam engines

Posted on Thursday 9 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

As part of the Best of Sheffield event held at Crich in May 2014 the Wirksworth Assessment Trial Run passed through which allowed for many unusual photo opportunities and, of course, that included lots of different “Trams &” shots.

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Still Standing! Huddersfield Tram Shelter

Posted on Thursday 9 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

We head back to look at another surviving first generation tramway structure today, and this time it’s a tram shelter in Huddersfield.

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Scottish government confirm support for Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Wednesday 8 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

Whilst local government officials in England have been very vocal with their need for extra funding to continue to operate light rail systems throughout the pandemic, north of the border it has been a far quieter affair, although obviously Edinburgh Trams has been facing the same challenges as those lines in England. Bit now it has been confirmed that after length negotiations both Edinburgh Trams and the Glasgow Subway are set to receive up to £9 million in funding to support their continued operation. The money is to be provided between now and the end of September to ensure that services on both lines continue to operate throughout the summer months.

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So Nearly, Not Quite! Liverpool 869 & Chesterfield 7

Posted on Wednesday 8 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

For the first time in this series we head to Crich for a view of two trams which wasn’t quite as wanted.

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Picture in Time: Luas 3020 & 3025

Posted on Wednesday 8 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

We head back to Dublin for this latest edition of “Picture in Time”.

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Birds of prey swop on South Shields Interchange to stop seagulls!

Posted on Tuesday 7 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

Nexus have recently employed a specialist firm to use birds of prey to keep seagulls off the roof of the new multi million pound South Shields Interchange to prevent them from claiming it as their territory and starting to nest on the roof. Both a falcon and a hawk have been used for this task, an essential job to try and prevent any significant damage from being made to the structure.

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Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Balloon 718

Posted on Tuesday 7 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

The next tram to feature in our series looking at those trams which ran over the last weekend of the traditional tramway in Blackpool is Balloon 718.

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Around the World in Trams: Oslo 141

Posted on Tuesday 7 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

For today’s trip overseas we are again in Oslo, Norway for another image.

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Bolton MP proposes extension of Metrolink

Posted on Monday 6 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

Mark Logan, Conservative MP for Bolton North East, has reignited plans for extending the Manchester Metrolink network to Bolton by submitting proposals to the Department for Transport as part of the £500m Restoring Your Railways fund. The line would link Bolton with Bury and Radcliffe and would mainly run on a disused railway track bed.

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Lockdown Walks: Manchester Metrolink 3036

Posted on Monday 6 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

Today we continue our “Lockdown Walks” with another image taken in the vicinity of Chorlton.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Boat 606 & 600

Posted on Monday 6 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

We are going back to warm, sunny days on Blackpool Prom for today’s “Picture in Time” as we feature a double dose of Boat Cars in action.

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Trams in Video: Seaton Tramway – 2003 & 2006

Posted on Sunday 5 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

We are back with more videos today and in this edition we head down to Devon for footage taken at the Seaton Tramway in both 2003 and 2006. In 2003 the service was dominated by the older trams but three years later and the three new Bolton Trams Ltd trams – 9, 10 and 11 – were fully in service providing the majority of the service. The majority of the fleet is included in the footage, including 7 (since withdrawn) and 17 (before rebuilding into 15).

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Trams&: Stagecoach Supertram 120 & bus

Posted on Sunday 5 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this latest instalment of “Trams &” we head to Sheffield for a view of one of the trams on the Supertram system along with a bus.

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New stamps released to celebrate Snaefell Mountain Railway anniversary

Posted on Sunday 5 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

21st August 2020 marks the 125th anniversary of the Snaefell Mountain Railway and although the Covid-19 pandemic means that the celebrations for this key milestone will have to be scaled back a new set of six stamps has just been released featuring the railway over the years.

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