In Pictures: Volk’s Electric Railway Visitor Centre

Posted on Monday 28 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Part of the Saving Volk’s project was the creation of a new visitor centre for the line to give a bit of background behind the history of the longstanding railway which runs along Brighton seafront. In this pictorial we take a quick look around the visitor centre from the camera of Stuart Cooke.

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Around the World in Trams: Tenerife Tram 18

Posted on Sunday 27 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Another image taken on the Canary Islands today as we feature Tenerife Tram once more.

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Transport Secretary backs Metrolink expansion – in words anyway

Posted on Sunday 27 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Chris Grayling, the much criticised Transport Secretary, has backed plans to expand Manchester Metrolink (as revealed as part of the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s recent long-term transport strategy) in a visit to the region. A share commitment between the Department for Transport, Network Rail and Transport for Greater Manchester could see a range of proposals approved for expansion plus the chance for a greater degree of local control of transport.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 27 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Another small Photo Gallery from December 2018 has now been added to the main website:

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Picture in Time: Tyne & Wear Metro 4014

Posted on Saturday 26 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Since opening in 1980 the Tyne and Wear Metro has featured one depot at South Gosforth which has been home to the whole fleet of 90 trains which operate the service across the network. In today’s look back at the Metro from years past that is where we are.

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In Pictures: 399 205 failure causes Supertram delays

Posted on Saturday 26 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Services on the Yellow routes of Stagecoach Supertram were severely disrupted on Friday 25th January after Citylink 399 205 failed at Hillsborough. The fault on the tram-train was so severe that it was not possible to repair on site and so there was the unusual sight of a Siemens-Duewag tram – 109 – being coupled to the stricken 399 205 to push it all the way back to depot. Stuart Cooke was on scene.

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Cross Party campaign launched to stop Edinburgh Trams extension

Posted on Saturday 26 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

A new cross party campaign – led by members of Unite the union and including councillors from the Conservative Party, Scottish Socialist Party, independents as well as local businesses – has been launched in Edinburgh to try and stop the proposals to extend the Edinburgh Trams system down Leith Walk to Newhaven – a decision on which is due to be made in March. The campaign claims that the city should be concentrating on a bus led transport system and that the money needed for the trams would be better off spent on other council services.

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Week-long closure on Tramlink for bridge works

Posted on Friday 25 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink services on the Beckenham Junction and Elmers End lines will be suspended between Saturday 16th and Sunday 24th February to allow for the start of work to replace a bridge over the tracks between the stops at Blackhorse Lane and Addiscombe. This will be the first of three closures of the line to allow this work to take place.

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Overhead line problems for Tyne & Wear Metro

Posted on Friday 25 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

No sooner had we published a report on the latest performance figures for the Tyne and Wear Metro with mention of overhead problems then another similar problem happens on the network causing widespread suspension on Thursday 24th January.

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Ten trams an hour for Ashton

Posted on Thursday 24 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

As reported late last year the tram service through to Ashton-under-Lyne will be doubled from Monday 28th January with the extension of the MediaCityUK to Etihad Campus service throughout the day. Trams will now run every six minutes to Ashton instead of the current 12 minute frequency – doubling the capacity of this line.

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Punctuality on the up for Tyne & Wear Metro

Posted on Thursday 24 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Some positive news to report from the Tyne and Wear Metro where after a couple of consecutive four week periods where punctuality had dipped to 68% it is now on the rise again with the latest period showing the figure as 80%. It is still a disappointing figure for regular travellers – as well as being lower than the corresponding period in 2017/8 = but at least it does show that things are starting to get better again.

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Picture in Time: Leeds 602

Posted on Thursday 24 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

A very popular tram – part of the static collection at Crich nowadays of course – with enthusiasts is Leeds 602 and that is the tram which features in today’s look into the photographic archives.

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Can you help? Photographic locations on Manchester Metrolink

Posted on Wednesday 23 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Regular contributor to British Trams Online, Edward M Koehler is a self confessed British Tram fan, which makes life difficult when it lives across the other side of the Atlantic in America! But later this year Edward will be paying a visit to the UK again (primarily for a rail tour in Wales) but will be flying into Manchester Airport and spending a night in the city. In that time Edward will have some time on the afternoon of Friday 29th and morning of Saturday 30th March to enjoy the delights of Manchester Metrolink. Edward is looking for any tips on best places to take photos in that time and we are throwing it open to the readers of British Trams Online! If you have any favourite photo locations you are willing to share please either leave a comment below or alternatively email Edward directly at EdwardMKoehler@nyc.rr.com.

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In Pictures: Sunshine at Beamish

Posted on Wednesday 23 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

We’ve already had the exciting news from Beamish this week that Manchester 765 is to visit from Heaton Park for most of the first half of the year but before that tram arrives it is up to the resident fleet to cater for early season visitors. On a sunny 22nd January a two tram service was in operation with Blackpool 31 and Oporto 196 operating either way around the tramway circuit. Work to replace the sleepers between Pockerley and the Town is still ongoing but is not a daily task and when it is not taking place a normal service runs.

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Trams revealed for first Winter Gold of the year in Blackpool

Posted on Tuesday 22 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

This weekend will see the first Winter Gold operation of 2019 in Blackpool with six trams due to run on each day plus the unusual sight of a snowplough fitted tram as the Shop at North Pier/Tower. As has become standard during Winter Gold events trams will run on New South Promenade to Starr Gate as well as the more usual Pleasure Beach to Fleetwood section.

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Back to fleet livery for two more trams on Metrolink

Posted on Tuesday 22 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

So far in 2019 it has been a case of more trams returning to fleet livery in Manchester than those receiving new vinyl wraps with another two now noted running in standard Yellow and Silver. The two trams are 3007 (losing its Mars2 advert which had been applied back in November) and 3014 (formerly in an American Express advert which had only been applied at the end of November) which leaves just eight and a bit adverts left on the trams.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon

Posted on Tuesday 22 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

We stay in Fleetwood for this week’s offering from the Blackpool Tramway archives as we have another photo of a tram which we can’t quite identify!

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Long serving Tyne and Wear Metro driver retires

Posted on Monday 21 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Ian Rossiter – one of the very first people to drive on the Tyne and Wear Metro when it opened back in 1980 – has retired after 40 years driving the trains on the transport network. Mr Rossiter, now 60, started driving trains in 1980 when he was just 21 and rose through the ranks to become a senior Metro manager.

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Manchester 765 to Beamish – The Return!

Posted on Monday 21 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

Back in 2011, Manchester 765 spent a very successful month on loan at Beamish, primarily for operation at the Great North Steam Fair of that year, as it made its way back to its usual home tramway at Heaton Park from Blackpool (via the rather picturesque route it must be said!). And now some eight years later 765 is to head back to Beamish; this time for a slightly longer stay where the chance will also be taken for some maintenance work to be undertaken on the tram.

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Around the World in Trams: Tenerife Tram 13

Posted on Sunday 20 January 2019 by Gareth Prior

We stay out in the Canaries for this week’s worldwide tram image for some more winter sun as we view another of the Alstom 302’s which operate the two line tramway in Tenerife.

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