In Pictures: Classic Transport Gathering at Crich

Posted on Saturday 31 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

The Sunday and Monday of the August Bank Holiday weekend was met with fine and sunny weather at the Crich Tramway Village as their latest Classic Transport Gathering took place featuring visiting vehicles dating from pre-1979. On Sunday 25th August a five tram service was provided with an excellent good weather selection of trams in use for visitors – Chesterfield 7, Blackpool 40, London County Council 106, Blackpool 166 and Blackpool 236. Hazel Quarmby was also there and has sent us the following images.

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Picture in Time: Nottingham Express Transit 208

Posted on Saturday 31 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Another image coming from Nottingham for this week’s modern tram edition of Picture in Time.

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Southampton Tram Project Open Day cancelled

Posted on Saturday 31 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Unfortunately the planned open day at the Southampton Tram Project’s workshop in Southampton Docks has had to be cancelled. Due to take place on Saturday 14th September as part of a wider Heritage Fayre at West Quay the tram workshop will now not be included in the day’s event.

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Derailment leads to delays on Tramlink

Posted on Saturday 31 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Tram services on London Tramlink were delayed during the evening rush hour on Thursday 29th August after a reported derailment at Phipps Bridge. As with a previous derailment earlier in 2019 Transport for London’s official Twitter feed again described this as a “faulty tram” but local media reported that there was a derailed tram. No more details of the nature of the derailment are known or which tram was involved. Whilst the tram was attended to no services were able to run between Morden Road and Mitcham Junction. This disruption happened at the same time as engineering works were seeing no trams beyond East Croydon to Beckenham Junction, Elmers End or New Addington.

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First tram runs onto Birmingham Westside extension

Posted on Friday 30 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

We were doubtful on the timescale when it was announced the first tests on the Birmingham Westside extension would take place in August but that is exactly what has happened with Urbos3 28 making the first gauging test this week. This is without doubt a major milestone in the constriction of this line which is still scheduled to be welcoming its first passengers before 2019 is out.

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Extra event for Heaton Park as Trans Lancs Rally cancelled

Posted on Friday 30 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Sadly the annual Trans Lancs Rally which usually takes place on the first Sunday in September at Heaton Park has had to be cancelled this year because the parade ground in the park is not in a condition where it is possible for the various buses which usually visit to be put on display. But not to be put off by this news the Heaton Park Tramway have announced a special event of their own which will still see an intensive tram service along with a shuttle bus service linking the tramway with the Manchester Museum of Transport at Boyle Street.

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Trams in the works at Seaton

Posted on Friday 30 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Obviously an important part of any tramway is the maintenance of the tram fleet and the Seaton Tramway in Devon is no different. Recently three trams have been – or are going – through the works at Riverside Depot with a longer term project in 19 having been joined by 16 and then 12.

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In Pictures: Doors opened to Rigby Road Depot

Posted on Thursday 29 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

As part of the latest Gold weekend of heritage tram operation in Blackpool, Rigby Road Depot held an open day on Sunday 25th August allowing the public access beyond the gates to see the trams both not needed for service on the day and those usually tucked up safely in the shed awaiting their chance to be restored for service. As well as the trams there were some other vintage vehicles on display along with trade stalls and model trams.

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In Pictures: Always a tram in sight – Edinburgh style!

Posted on Thursday 29 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

They always used to say that if you went to Blackpool there was always a tram in sight and recently that seems to have been the case in Edinburgh with an intensive tram service being operated for a number of events taking place in the city. On top of the Edinburgh Festivals – which, of course, included all night services on Fridays and Saturdays – Saturday 24th August also saw a Rugby international take place at Murrayfield which, with its adjacent tram stop, often brings extra passengers to the network. To cater for the crowds on this busy day extra trams were laid on which gave the unusual sight of trams waiting outside tram stops from the previous one to depart and short-running to get the trams into the right place for where the crowds either were or wanted to be. Roy Calderwood captured the following photos of this day.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Marton VAMBAC 11 & Blackpool Standard 159

Posted on Thursday 29 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Not only do we stay at the East Anglia Transport Museum this week but we also feature the same tram as we saw last week, although this time it is joined by a fellow Blackpool tram. The two trams in question are Marton VAMBAC 11 and Standard 159.

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In Pictures: New adverts for two trams in Edinburgh

Posted on Wednesday 28 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

The ever changing scene of adverts being carried on trams in Edinburgh certainly keeps us in news with the latest new advertiser on the tramway being Spotify with both 262 and 267 being seen in identical designs, with different colours held on each side.

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In Pictures: Trackwork moves to University

Posted on Wednesday 28 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Its been a long haul but we are almost there with rail replacement works on Stagecoach Supertram with the final phase of 2019 now underway close to the stop at University, affecting both Blue and Yellow route services. The work being undertaken is on the city side of the stop at University which means no trams are travelling any further than Cathedral with services being replaced by buses (the bus service runs to Fitzalan Square). This phase of work is due to be completed on Friday 30th August after which it should be full steam ahead for the remainder of 2019 on Supertram. Stuart Cooke with the photos of the latest work.

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Boy taken to hospital after getting trapped under tram on Blackpool Prom

Posted on Wednesday 28 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

A 14 year old boy has been taken to hospital after he became trapped under a tram near Waterloo Road on Blackpool Promenade during the Ride the Lights event on Tuesday 27th August at approximately 2150. The boy became trapped under Flexity2 001 with fire crews having to use specialist equipment to lift the tram to free him. He suffered “multiple major trauma injuries” and was taken by Paramedics to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool where he has been described as being in a critical condition. Our thoughts go out to all those involved in the incident.

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In Pictures: Blackpool 001 receives Merlin attractions advert

Posted on Tuesday 27 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

It has long been a tradition in Blackpool that the various attractions in the town advertise on the trams but since the introduction of the new modern trams the only full advert liveries have been for a shopping centre (twice!), a fashion website (x2!) and a sports shop (very, very briefly!) – until now that is! First built Flexity2 001 has received a full vinyl wrap – yes, it does include window contravision – for the various Merlin run attractions along the Golden Mile with the tram debuting with this look on Monday 26th August.

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In Pictures: West Midlands Metro blue extended to non-battery trams

Posted on Tuesday 27 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

With all trams fitted with batteries now either in the full West Midlands Metro livery of special advert liveries the new fleet livery is now being extended to those trams which haven’t yet received the batteries on their roofs. The first such tram to enter service in blue is 34 which ran for the first time in this condition on Friday 23rd August.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Belle 731 and Warship 736

Posted on Tuesday 27 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

This week as we return to Blackpool for some another archive image we are in the 1970s for a view of two stabled illuminated trams.

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Metrolink performance down in latest figures

Posted on Monday 26 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

The latest four week period of performance figures on Manchester Metrolink are in and it hasn’t been such a good month for the network with a fall in both punctuality and reliability although it still remains a mostly positive story as over 9 in 10 trams are reported as departing on time between 23rd June and 20th July.

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In Pictures: Livery variations on West Midlands Metro

Posted on Monday 26 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

The past few months hasseen West Midlands Metro showing a good variety of different livery styles on the 21 strong class, with advert liveries, new fleet livery and a special livery all in evidence. Before it started to get quite so hectic with the new liveries we take a look at some of the trams in service as they were in April 2019.

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In Pictures: More from the Old Hillsborough Tram Depot

Posted on Monday 26 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

We once again head to Holme Lane in the Hillsborough area of Sheffield for another look at the location of the old Hillsborough tram depot, this time heading more into the complex which now houses two doctors practices, as well as some old tram track! Stuart Cooke with the images.

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Around the World in Trams: Prague 9051

Posted on Sunday 25 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

We stay in the Czech Republic for this week’s worldwide tram image with another view from Prague.

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