In Pictures: And still there’s more blue on the West Midlands Metro

Posted on Monday 9 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

Or what headline can you use when the same thing keeps happening! Yes, the “blue revolution” on West Midlands Metro is continuing with 24 the latest tram to receive the new livery, completed with OLA adverts – 24 is the 13th fully blue tram and the third to receive the OLA adverts.

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In Pictures: Trams return to fleet livery in Manchester

Posted on Monday 9 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

Recent weeks have seen a couple of trams lose their vinyl wrap adverts and return to standard fleet livery on the Manchester Metrolink network. Both 3094 (Olivia Burton) and 3116 (Cheshire Oaks Outlet) have seen their advertising contracts come to an end with both trams now running in standard fleet livery once more.

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Around the World in Trams: Prague 9218

Posted on Sunday 8 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

Our time in Prague is nearly at an end but not before we can take a look at one further tram running in the Czech capital.

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Box 40 returns to Crich

Posted on Sunday 8 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

After the end of its successful six month loan spell in the north eats at Beamish, Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 is now safely back at the Crich Tramway Village; the first time it has seen Derbyshire for a little under five years. 40 touched down on Crich metals during the afternoon of Friday 6th September after its transport down from Beamish during the day.

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In Pictures: Now American Express go for two adverts in Edinburgh

Posted on Sunday 8 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

What is it this year about companies deciding to have at least two adverts on trams? Well, whatever it may be there is another occurrence in Edinburgh with American Express now advertising on both 264 and 270. The advert applied to 270 is identical to that on 264 using the same colours and wording.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 8 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

There is another full site update now online and we have another couple of Photo Galleries included:

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Lisbon 360 on the move?

Posted on Saturday 7 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

23 years ago a tram was purchased for possible use on the Manx Electric Railway but once delivered it was decided it would be too wide to travel on the line – and now it looks as if its current life on the Isle of Man may be coming to an end as it is in the way of the Ballasalla bypass. Lisbon 360 was purchased in 1996 (arriving in the Isle of Man in the May of that year) but was destined never to run and eventually was sold to a private individual who proceeded to convert it to a bar in his back garden!

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Picture in Time: Nottingham Express Transit 209

Posted on Saturday 7 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

When Nottingham Express Transit opened in 2004 some of the trams in the fleet started off not in fleet livery but instead carried full vinyl wrap adverts, one of which was 209 and it is that tram which is featured in today’s archive photo.

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In Pictures: Latest images from Birmingham Westside extension

Posted on Saturday 7 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

As we saw last week the first tram has now been tested on the West Midlands Metro Birmingham Westside extension and further work is now underway to complete the infrastructure ahead of services beginning “by the end of 2019”. Ken Jones paid a recent visit to see what was going on.

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Woman taken to hospital after being hit by tram

Posted on Saturday 7 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

A woman in her 20s was taken to hospital with head injuries on Tuesday 3rd September after she was hit by a tram close to the Ashton Moss tramstop on Manchester Metrolink’s Ashton-under-Lyne line. The incident happened at approximately 1500 with the ambulance service taking her to hospital for further treatment; she was said to be conscious and breathing. No trams were able to run between Ashton Moss and Ashton-under-Lyne whilst the incident was dealt with.

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In Pictures: Shunting and trams in service at Crich

Posted on Friday 6 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

As the school holidays start to come to an end (possibly much to the relief of some!) its time for those last few family trips before its back to school and at Crich a number of activities have been on offer in the learning centre getting ready for the return. Of course, there is also a tram service on offer and the very last day of August saw three trams in normal service whilst there was also some interest around the depot with trams being shunted, including one withdrawn car enjoying some TLC. Trevor Hall made the trip.

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In Pictures: A second OLA advert on West Midlands Metro

Posted on Friday 6 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

Blue and green may not go together and now there are two examples of this on the West Midlands Metro with Urbos3 32 – the latest to go blue – now carrying ads for OLA, following on from 27 as seen earlier in the week.

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In Pictures: American Express now accepted on Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Friday 6 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

264’s period of time in standard fleet livery with no adverts didn’t last for long as barely a week after it was noted in this condition it has now received vinyls for American Express. Of note is that the application of this advert comes in the month where it is expected that American Express will be accepted at ticket machines on the network, at the same time as the minimum fare when paying by card is abolished.

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In Pictures: B fleet Balloon runs in service

Posted on Thursday 5 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

Ever since the upgraded Blackpool Tramway started in operation one major topic of conversation has been the use of the “B fleet” Balloons which were modified with porches to allow them to stop at the light rail platforms. Since 2012 their use has been sporadic in this way and over the past couple of years the only use for these trams has been with them on loan to heritage tram tours – but now the 2019 illuminations has begun and it looks as if there may be an increase in their use on specials.

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In Pictures: 30 back in service complete with batteries

Posted on Thursday 5 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

It seems to have been ready for a while but Tuesday 3rd September finally saw the return to service of West Midlands Metro Urbos3 30 with batteries fitted. In entering service 30 has become the very first battery fitted tram to only run in the blue livery as it received the vinyls before entering service whereas all others so far have run for at least a day in the old livery.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Marton VAMBAC 11

Posted on Thursday 5 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

Hopefully you haven’t had too much of looking at Blackpool Marton VAMBAC 11 over the past couple of weeks as the final part of our trilogy is featured today as we take another look at the tram whilst in operation at the East Anglia Transport Museum.

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In Pictures: Box 40 runs for the last time at Beamish

Posted on Wednesday 4 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 1st September was the last opportunity to enjoy a ride on Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 at Beamish ahead of its departure from the north east to return to Crich, where it was last seen for a brief spell in 2014. On the day – another busy and sunny day at Beamish – it was part of a four tram service operating around the museum and amongst the many visitors was David Maxwell.

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In Pictures: Blackpool Illuminations off and running for another year

Posted on Wednesday 4 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

A sure sign that summer is almost over is the switching on of the illuminations in Blackpool and for trams that also means their busiest period of the year – especially for the heritage trams with illumination tours now underway. As has now become the norm no standard illumination tours are able to run on switch-on night with the first tours this year being Saturday 31st August – when no fewer than six trams were allocated to tour duty, including both operational Boats!

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Card and contactless payments on the way for Supertram

Posted on Wednesday 4 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

As the way we pay for things continues to evolve it has been confirmed that Stagecoach Supertram will shortly be accepting card and contactless payments aboard the trams. A new ticket machine is being developed and will be piloted on a limited number of services from Wednesday 4th September. Not all conductors will have the new machines at this point but those who do will be easily identified as they will be wearing a pink hi-vis vest. A date for full switch-over to these new machines will be confirmed in due course by Stagecoach Supertram.

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In Pictures: Heaton Park pull out the stops for late summer event

Posted on Tuesday 3 September 2019 by Gareth Prior

In the wake of the cancellation of the Trans Lancs Rally because of ground conditions on the rally ground in Heaton Park the Heaton Park Tramway organised a short-notice late summer event which saw all three operational passenger trams in service with stored trams on display plus a model tram exhibition in the Middleton Road Depot – all combining to fill in the gap in the special events calendar. Steve Kemp visited as seen in the below photos.

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