Another Crossbench set for return on the MER

Posted on Saturday 8 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Whilst 2019 is looking like being the year of the returning trailer on the Manx Electric Railway (37, 49 and 54 all due to back in action in time for the Manx Heritage Transport Festival in July) looking further ahead and a long withdrawn Crossbench Car is now being prepared for a return within the next few years. In a project which has just got underway 1904 Crossbench 29 is the tram in a question – a tram which hasn’t run since 1979!

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Picture in Time: Luas 301

Posted on Saturday 8 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

We continue our look at the trams in Dublin through the years as part of Picture in Time today.

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Work continues on returning Bluebird to service

Posted on Saturday 8 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

In what has been volunteers week the workshops at Crich continue to be a hive of activity with three major projects ongoing with a view to returning more trams to the operational fleet. With Newcastle 102 and London Transport 1622 more recent arrivals into the workshop the long-standing, long-term and major project continues to be that of London County Council 1 – Bluebird – with major progress continuing to be made as it starts to reach a conclusion, although at this stage, rather sensibly one might say, no end date has been announced.

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Tyne & Wear Metro performance increases

Posted on Saturday 8 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

It may be hard to believe after the way the period begun but the latest four week performance stats on the Tyne and Wear Metro have shown that train punctuality has increased from the previous period with 82% of all trains said to be on-time. The previous period saw only 80% on time.

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In Pictures: Back to fleet livery for another tram in Edinburgh

Posted on Friday 7 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

With the C R Smith advertising contract in Edinburgh seemingly starting to come to an end more trams are now being seen running without any adverts. One of the latest to lose adverts (the Speyside to Aberdeen version) is 275 which lost them during late May.

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Long serving staff recognised at West Midlands Metro

Posted on Friday 7 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

As well as unveiling a special 20th anniversary livery on Urbos3 19 as part of the celebrations West Midlands Metro also recognised those members of staff who are still working on the network having been there from the beginning. More than 20 staff of the original team are still employed by West Midlands Metro and they were all invited to the special VIP party at Wednesbury Depot on 30th May.

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In Pictures: More from Beamish

Posted on Friday 7 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The Half Term holidays may be over but Beamish still continues to be busy enough for a three tram service to operate. That was what was in operation on Tuesday 4th June with three long-term residents in service: Blackpool 31 and Sheffield 264 running clockwise and Sunderland 16 anti-clockwise. Trevor Hall paid a visit and also captured some of the other trams stabled outside the depot.

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In Pictures: 26 gets ready for a return to service on West Midlands Metro

Posted on Thursday 6 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

It has been two years since West Midlands Metro 26 last operated on the system but it looks set to return soon with the tram seen out and about under test with CAF engineers on board to check that all was well as it made its first tentative steps towards a return to service. Since the tram last ran its network has changed operators, name and a new livery has been introduced so it’s a very different place to the one it last graced its presence with!

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In Pictures: New safety features on Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Thursday 6 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Ever since the fatal accident when a pedestrian was hit by a tram at Saughton, Edinburgh Trams have been including extra safety features at pedestrian crossings across the network in order to make it as clear as possible to those crossing the tracks that they need to be alert. As well as new wooden barriers the standard Tramway Look Both Ways signs have been applied on the ground.

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Picture in Time: Dudley, Stourbridge & District 5

Posted on Thursday 6 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Off to the West Midlands for our latest foray into the archives as we head to the Black Country Living Museum to take a look at the tram which was the mainstay of the service for many years and has recently returned to action.

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In Pictures: New look for NET Incentro’s

Posted on Wednesday 5 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

As we reported last month all 15 of Nottingham Express Transit’s original Bombardier build Incentro trams are currently undergoing a refurbishment in a £3.5 million project which is said to “future-proof” the network. Whilst a lot of the work will be invisible to most travellers the most visible change will be a new livery – the third fleet livery variation these trams have seen since introduction in 2004 – much more akin to that which adorns the newer Citadis trams.

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In Pictures: Supertram trackworks move on to area two

Posted on Wednesday 5 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The Stagecoach Supertram rail replacement works have now moved onto 2019’s area two with the main work due to take place in the Shalesmoor area. Once again this will see changes for the Yellow and Blue routes with no trams able to run any further than Shalesmoor from Meadowhall and Halfway. For most of the time the Blue route will run to Shalesmoor but apart from in the evenings and weekends the Yellow route will only run to Cathedral.

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In Pictures: Horse trams and diesels run on Horse Tramway

Posted on Wednesday 5 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Last month when preparations for the return of services on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway were in full swing there were a couple of visitors to the newly laid rails. We have previously seen the Manx Electric Railway works diesel 34 in use but the Simplex loco was also used. In this short pictorial article we take a look at the goings on after service had begun on 30th May.

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In Pictures: Beside the Seaside at Crich

Posted on Tuesday 4 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Over the past few years one event which has become more and more popular at the Crich Tramway Village has been Beside the Seaside. Taking place over nine days with extra attractions such as a Fun Fair and seaside entertainment it is the perfect event for all the family as the seaside comes to somewhere which is almost as far way from the sea as you could get in the British Isles! 2019 was no different with a selection of trams running on each day of the event. Trevor Hall paid a visit on Saturday 1st June.

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NET Open Day announced

Posted on Tuesday 4 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

There will be a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes at Nottingham Express Transit’s Wilkinson Street Depot with a special open day on Friday 7th June. The event will include a guided tour as well as a chance to ask those burning questions you may have about the tram network!

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Centenary 648

Posted on Tuesday 4 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

2011 is again the year for today’s Blackpool Picture in Time image with one of the Centenary Cars featuring.

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In Review: Rail Guide Light Rail & Heritage Railways 2019

Posted on Monday 3 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Over the past few years the number of books available providing general information and stock lists of tramway and light rail systems in the British Isles has been increasing and the latest release onto the market is Rail Guide Light Rail & Heritage Railways 2019 by respected railway author Colin J Marsden.

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Metrolink punctuality remains consistent

Posted on Monday 3 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Punctuality and reliability on Manchester Metrolink has remained consistent as the latest performance figures are released. These statistics relate to period one of the 2019/20 year and are between 1st and 27th April with 91.5% of all trams departing less than two minutes late and 99.4% of all planned miles operated.

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Extra Metro services for the Spice Girls

Posted on Monday 3 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

With the Spice Girls currently touring the country much to the delight of their fans the Tyne and Wear Metro have announced that they will be running extra services when they perform at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on Thursday 6th June. Not only will extra services be running the lead up to the concert but there will also be extra late night trains.

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Around the World in Trams: Rio de Janeiro 128

Posted on Sunday 2 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

This week we stay in Rio de Janeiro but instead of the historic Santa Teresa tramway we look at the modern light rail system.

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