Record passenger numbers for Metro as the Spice Girls hit Sunderland

Posted on Monday 17 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The Spice Girls have been the cause of many things over the years and their latest claim to fame is they were the reason for record passenger numbers of the Tyne and Wear Metro for a concert at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light for their concert held on 6th June. There were an extra 16,000 passenger journeys on the night which generated record revenue from ticket sales for a concert there.

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Around the World in Trams: Rio de Janeiro 116

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Our world tour stays in South America this week for another image from the system in Rio de Janeiro.

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In Pictures: New advert for Metrolink 3066

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink M5000 3066 has received a new advert livery with a pleasing on the eye design for the Clean Air Greater Manchester campaign. Featuring a sky blue base the colour seems to go nicely with the standard fleet livery colours and we are sure many reading this website will also be glad to hear that it is devoid of vinyls on the windows meaning not only is it clean air for Greater Manchester but also clean views through the windows!

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In Pictures: Edinburgh Trams get 5G – on an advert anyway

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

With Manchester Metrolink being the tramway of Vodafone (four trams in full vinyl wraps) it would appear that Edinburgh Trams is the tramway of EE with a new advert for that company’s 5G network now adorning 267. However, whilst Vodafone advertise on Metrolink because they provide the on-tram Wi-Fi this is just a pure advertising contract.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

There are a duo of new Photo Galleries for you this week:

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In Pictures: Latest on Supertram rail replacement project

Posted on Saturday 15 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Work on Area Two of this year’s rail replacement project on Stagecoach Supertram is now well underway with the current worksite now being on the outbound track from Bamforth Street stop to Burnaby Street. This is a longer section that most of the other sites so far this year and it did slightly overlap with work on the other track although access for road traffic into the city was maintained throughout. Stuart Cooke with the photography for us.

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Picture in Time: Luas Citadis 301 interior

Posted on Saturday 15 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

We remain in Dublin again for this week’s modern tram archive image – this time though we don’t look outside a tram but rather feature the interior.

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Metro line closure ahead as part of final preparations for new South Shields Interchange

Posted on Saturday 15 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The Tyne and Wear Metro is currently enjoying a high level of investment with existing infrastructure being upgraded, new trains on the way over the next few years whilst a £21 million project at South Shields will see a new terminus station for the network at an all new transport interchange. It has now been confirmed that this will open on Sunday 4th August but not before a four week closure of the line to South Shields to allow for works on the new station to be completed.

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Investigation launched into Metrolink near miss

Posted on Saturday 15 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The RAIB have announced that they are investigating an incident on Manchester Metrolink which saw a tram pass a signal showing a stop aspect at Deansgate-Castlefield in front of another tram which had been given permission to proceed. Thanks to the actions of the driver of the other tram a collision was averted but the investigation will look to find out why the first tram went past the signal.

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Halfway there! Birmingham Westside extension continues to progress

Posted on Friday 14 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Half of the track for the first phase of the Birmingham Westside extension is now in place as progress towards its opening at the end of 2019 continues. The first pieces of track along Paradise Circus are now in place marking another significant milestone in the project, with this line set to be the next tramway extension in the UK to open.

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Minor collision in Nottingham

Posted on Friday 14 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit services were disrupted on Tuesday 11th June after a minor collision between an Incentro tram and a Range Rover. The collision occurred on Goldsmith Street between the stops at Nottingham Trent University and Royal Centre. NET described it as a minor collision and confirmed that there were no reported injuries as a result.

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Luas launch new safety campaign

Posted on Friday 14 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

2019 marks the fifteenth anniversary of Dublin’s Luas light rail system – with service starting on the last day of June 2004 – and despite the fact that other road users should by now be used to the trams running there are still many collisions and near misses with not only vehicles but also pedestrians. To try and improve this situation Luas have launched a new safety campaign warning motorists, pedestrians and cyclists that “only seconds could change their life”.

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In Pictures: New platform at Crumpsall starts to receive track

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Crumpsall may seem some distance from the new Trafford Park extension of Manchester Metrolink but with trams from the Trafford Centre set to run via Manchester City Centre to this stop on the Bury line it is very much at the forefront of ongoing construction work. Crumpsall is receiving an extra platform face to allow trams to terminate here out the way of through trams on the Bury line and recent progress has seen the track start to be laid.

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In Pictures: Trams in action at Summerlee

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The only operating heritage tramway in Scotland is of course the short line at Summerlee in Coatbridge near Glasgow. With three operating trams plus Glasgow 1245 under restoration there is plenty to keep a tram enthusiasts interest at the museum which also has other trasnport interest including a Garratt steam locomotive built for the South African market and now on display alongside the tram line. In this article we take a look at the three operational trams of which one, Dusseldorf 392, was in service on 6th June during a visit by David Maxwell.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool 49, Blackpool 607 & Blackpool 710

Posted on Thursday 13 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

We return to Crich for the next few weeks of the Traditional Tram Picture in Time series, starting in 1985 including a couple of loan trams.

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In Pictures: 26 returns to service on West Midlands Metro

Posted on Wednesday 12 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Well that didn’t take long! Just a week after testing started West Midlands Metro Urbos3 26 returned to service on Wednesday 12th June 2019 – the best part of two years since it had last turned a wheel in revenue earning service.

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CAF chosen to supply new fleet for the DLR

Posted on Wednesday 12 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

A fleet of 43 new walkthrough trains on the Docklands Light Railway will be built by CAF following the awarding of a contract by Transport for London. These new trains will replace 33 of the oldest trains currently running on the DLR plus an additional ten to add additional capacity to the network.

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Tree halts West Midlands Metro services

Posted on Wednesday 12 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

It may not have escaped your notice but the weather over the past few days (even weeks!) is decidedly un-June like with very wet and windy conditions across much of the UK (just ask the cricketers trying to compete in the World Cup at the moment!). Obviously this had an impact on transport in various areas of the country as well with flooding in particular an issue. But on the West Midlands Metro it was so much the excess water but rather a fallen tree which caused issues for a couple of hours on Tuesday 11th June.

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Open Day to see progress on Brighton 53

Posted on Tuesday 11 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Around the country there are various groups restoring trams which remain off the radar as they aren’t such high profile of those projects ongoing at the main heritage tramways we regularly report on. One such tram is Brighton 53 – the last remaining passenger tram from this system – and there will be a chance to see progress on its restoration at Open Days on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June.

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Reliability on the up for NET

Posted on Tuesday 11 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Some pleasing news to report from Nottingham Express Transit – the service has just published its highest reliability for three years. Statistics for the period between February and April 2019 have shown 95.9% punctuality and 98.8% reliability; it was during 2016 that the figures were this high with tram reliability in recent years preventing such a positive outlook.

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