Clearance work underway in Preston

Posted on Sunday 17 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

You may recall the ongoing project to bring trams back to Preston which seems to stall and then get restarted fairly regularly. The last update we had on it all was back in November 2018 and even the Preston Trampower website hasn’t seen a news update since March 2019 but if local reports are to be believed clearance works on the planned test line have now started.

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What’s New on British Trams Online?

Posted on Sunday 17 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

Its back into the archives for this week’s photographic offering as we head back 60 years to Sheffield:

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Campaign launched to save the full Horse Tramway – again!

Posted on Saturday 16 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

We suggested earlier this month we doubted this story has run its course and sure enough the ongoing saga of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway looks like it is here to stay once more! As you recall earlier this week panic set in when the regular updates from the Douglas Promenade project team said that the line would be terminated at the War Memorial and although the Department of Infrastructure later said this was an error and incorrect there was confirmation would still be a delay to the remainder of the tramway being laid, possibly until the 2023 season.

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Around the World in Trams: Melbourne 893

Posted on Saturday 16 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

This week’s edition of “Around the World in Trams” is staying in Auckland, New Zealand at MOTAT but instead of a tram which used to operate on the streets of the city we see a newcomer in the form of a W class tram from Melbourne.

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Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Centenary 644

Posted on Saturday 16 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

Its time to take another look at one of the trams that ran on the final weekend of traditional operation on the Blackpool Tramway with another of the Centenary Cars featuring.

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In Pictures: “Safe Area” on Stagecoach Supertram

Posted on Saturday 16 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

One of a number of measures introduced on various tramways to try and minimise the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic been a “safe area” for staff on board the trams. On Stagecoach Supertram an area immediately behind the driver’s cab has been cordoned off with signs informing those passengers still having to travel on the trams not to use that area. With significantly lower passenger numbers than usual on the trams the loss of eight seats at each end Siemens-Duewag trams shouldn’t cause too many problems for those trying to social distance on board.

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TfL awarded government funding package

Posted on Friday 15 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

Usually the perception is London gets funding first and then the rest of the country has to wait to follow at a later date but during this Coronavirus pandemic it has been rather different with the regions transport undertakings being offered funding packages – although there have been complaints that these aren’t enough – whilst Transport for London continued to lose money with a threat that services may have to be suspended. The immediate threat of this happening have now been averted though as on Thursday 14th May it was announced a £1.6 billion package had been agreed – dwarfing many of the previously announced financial support to other areas of England.

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Lockdown Walks: Edinburgh Trams 270

Posted on Friday 15 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

This latest “Lockdown Walk” takes us to Edinburgh City Centre again.

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Picture in Time: Newcastle 114 & Blackpool 31

Posted on Friday 15 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

A tram double for you today as we are again at Beamish and take a look at Newcastle 114 and Blackpool 31.

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Tyne and Wear Metro to increase service frequency

Posted on Thursday 14 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

It was the first network to reduce its service frequency and now the Tyne and Wear Metro is set to be the first to return to something closely resembling a normal timetable. From Monday 18th May the daytime service frequency will be back to normal levels with a doubling of services from every 24 minutes to every 12 minutes on all routes.

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Trams &: Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 & Burrel Showmans Road Locomotive 3896

Posted on Thursday 14 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

It was inevitable that in this series we were going to end up at Beamish at some point but what is probably the biggest surprise is that it has taken us this long!

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Still Standing! Matlock Cable Tramway Depot

Posted on Thursday 14 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

This week we are taking a trip to Derbyshire to have a look at a remarkable survivor from the 19th century in the form of the old Matlock Cable Tramway Depot.

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West Midlands Metro to increase serve frequency slightly

Posted on Wednesday 13 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

With the slight easing of restrictions by the government this week thee is expected to be an increase in the number of passengers travelling by public transport as additional people will have no choice but to do so in order to start working again. To take this into account, West Midlands Metro have announced that from Friday 15th May a new revised service will run, a service which is very similar to one of the previous revised timetables.

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So Nearly, Not Quite! Blackpool Balloon 724

Posted on Wednesday 13 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

It seems that the photography session sent around Victoria Street in central Fleetwood on 2nd September 2018 was not the most successful ever as we have another entry for “So Nearly, Not Quite”!

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Picture in Time: Stagecoach Supertram 120

Posted on Wednesday 13 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

Continuing our series of photos from Sheffield, in this edition of “Picture in Time” we move forward to 2002.

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Horse Tram route won’t be completed by 2021

Posted on Tuesday 12 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

I guess its reassuring that even though we are all adapting to a new way of life thanks to Covid-19 there are some things which still plough as usual – such as the saga of the relaying of tracks for the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway! As you will no doubt recall the decision had been taken that the tramway would run on double track between Derby Castle and Broadway before switching to a single track on the seaward side of the Prom for the remaining section to the Sea Terminal but a recent newsletter has set hares running again as it announced that trams would not go any further than the War Memorial. It has since been clarified that this was an error but the Department of Infrastructure have confirmed it won’t be until 2022 at the earliest that the full line will be operational.

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Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Centenary 643

Posted on Tuesday 12 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

The next tram we take a look at that appeared over the final weekend of traditional tramway operation in Blackpool is the first to longer be on the Blackpool Tramway.

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Around the World in Trams: Wellington 257

Posted on Tuesday 12 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

We continue a look at the trams based at MOTAT in Auckland today and in this edition of “Around the World in Trams” we feature a tram which has moved to Auckland from Wellington.

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In Review: Croydon Tramlink A Definitive History by Gareth David

Posted on Monday 11 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

I guess its sign of getting old when a book entitled “A Definitive History” on one of the UK’s modern tramways comes out but when the main wave of new systems have now been around for approximately 20 years it is certainly time that we saw some in-depth looks at their gestation and operation. A new book from Pen & Sword Books seeks to do just this with Croydon (now London) Tramlink – but is it worth purchasing? Read on for our review of the book.

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Lockdown Walks: West Midlands Metro 27

Posted on Monday 11 May 2020 by Gareth Prior

For our latest “Lockdown Walk” we are back on the West Midlands Metro for another look at one of the Urbos3s in service.

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