It’s another successful Festival for Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Wednesday 29 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

It seems that every time there is a major event in Edinburgh the tram system is once again proving its worth with record breaking figures and the 2018 Edinburgh International Festival has been no different! More than 600,000 passenger journeys were recorded throughout the Festival – a new record.

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In Pictures: Trackwork in Nottingham

Posted on Tuesday 28 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

Between Thursday 23rd August and Sunday 2nd September services are suspended on Nottingham Express Transit between The Forest and Wilkinson Street to allow for track replacement to take place. The track is due to be replaced at several different locations on the closed section with work starting just beyond the stop at The Forest as shown in the below photos from Hazel Quarmby.

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Pretty little things spread to Blackpool!

Posted on Tuesday 28 August 2018 by Andrew Waddington

Two of Blackpool’s LRT fleet have received all-over vinyl adverts for women’s clothing store Pretty Little Thing – following on from two near identical liveries previously seen on the Stagecoach Supertram fleet in Sheffield. 016 was the first Blackpool tram to be so adorned, entering service in its new guise on Saturday 25th August, with 003 following on Tuesday 28th.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Open Top Balloon 706

Posted on Tuesday 28 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

One of the most popular trams of the past 30 years in Blackpool is the feature of today’s Picture in Time – Princess Alice herself, Open Top Balloon 706.

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Why vinyl wrap adverts on a tram?

Posted on Monday 27 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

Recent months have seen a major expansion in vinyl wrap liveries on several UK tram systems (well Edinburgh and Manchester anyway!) but have you ever wondered why trams are chosen for a mobile advert? Well a previous campaign for Sainsbury’s who were looking to appoint programmers saw Metrolink M5000 3058 used to take the word out to thousands in the area.

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Rare chance to see behind the scenes at Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Sunday 26 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

There has always been a certain fascination about tram depots and just what goes on behind the closed doors with open days a popular way to see where the trams are maintained and stored when not in service. The latest system to open the doors to visitors in Edinburgh Trams as part of the Doors Open Day on Saturday 29th September – and entry is free!

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In Preview: Manx Electric Railway 125th Anniversary – 7 days to go!

Posted on Saturday 25 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

If you’ve been living under a rock so far this year you may have missed the news that the Manx Electric Railway will be celebrating its 125th Anniversary with a very special week long celebration between Saturday 1st and Saturday 8th September. Anticiptation for the event continues to build with the expected star of the show – Ratchet Car 14 – having now traversed the whole of the line on test with Ramsey reached over the past week whilst the last of the repaints for the celebrations – on Trailer 59 – is now drawing to a close. In this preview we take a look at what you can enjoy throughout the event.

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The Rack is back – for one day only!

Posted on Saturday 25 August 2018 by Andrew Waddington

Since it last ran in October 2014, Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘Rack’ 2 has been greatly missed in the operational fleet at Crich Tramway Village. However, the popular 1898 built tramcar is set to play a starring role in next week’s enthusiast event at the museum, and subject to successful commissioning, it will be running in passenger service for the first time in nearly four years!

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Picture in Time: Manx Electric Railway Derby Castle Sheds

Posted on Saturday 25 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

Today we have a Picture in Time with a slight difference as we have a then and now look at Derby Castle Sheds.

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Prague 180 reaches 50 years at Crich

Posted on Friday 24 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

In August 1968 a tram arrived at the then Crich Tramway Museum – now far better known as the Crich Tramway Village, or National Tramway Museum for some – in a blaze of publicity. That tram was Prague 180 which just escaped the Czechoslovakian capital before the Soviet tanks rolled into the city at the end of the period of the Prague Spring. Roll on 50 years and although the tram hasn’t been part of the operational fleet for a number of years the anniversary is being marked with TMS volunteers on hand to give visitors information about 180 on Sunday 26th and Monday 27th August.

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In Pictures: Supertram 107 back in action

Posted on Friday 24 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram have welcomed 107 back into service following a two month layoff and it has had a full repaint in its period off the road. The tram was back in action on Tuesday 21st August showing off its fresh shiny look – retaining the standard fleet livery – with the interior also enjoying a refresh including a retrim of the seats with the same fabric as that used on the Tram-Trains.

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In Pictures: NELSAM Open Day

Posted on Thursday 23 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

It is sometimes easy to forget that the northeast of England is home to two significant tram collections. Of course, we all remember about the operational tramway and the trams which operate it at Beamish but a few miles away can be found the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum (NELSAM) which has a number of trams belonging to the North East Electric Traction Trust (NEETT) on display, many of which came from Blackpool at the time of the tramway upgrade. NELSAM has an annual Trams and Transport Day which for 2018 was held on Sunday 19th August. Trevor Hall with the photos.

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In Preview: August Bank Holiday Gold, Blackpool

Posted on Thursday 23 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

Its another Bank Holiday this weekend which can mean only one thing – another Gold weekend in Blackpool! With the previously announced Centenary Car tour on Friday 24th August kicking things off there will then be three days of intensive heritage tram tours between Pleasure Beach and Fleetwood Ferry which will now be unaffected by a Prom closure after the cancellation of the planned concerts on the Tower Headland.

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Around the World in Trams: Oporto 191

Posted on Thursday 23 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

Into Portugal as we continue a tour of trams from around the world, this one coming from Oporto.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Wednesday 22 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

It may only be a few days since our last update but we are back again tonight with another Photo Gallery:

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A Blackpool Coronation car in Heywood!

Posted on Wednesday 22 August 2018 by Andrew Waddington

In an unexpected but extremely welcome development, Blackpool Coronation car 663 departed Rigby Road depot on the morning of Wednesday 22nd August, bound for the Heywood workshop premises of Ian Riley Engineering. There, extensive work is to be carried out which will bring the tram much closer to a return to service than would be possible in the same timescale at Blackpool.

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642 returns to service in Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 22 August 2018 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Centenary car 642 made its welcome return to passenger service, as expected, on Sunday 19th August, when it was one of four trams to be employed on the enhanced heritage service between Pleasure Beach and Little Bispham. It has also been confirmed that it will operate a special evening tour on Friday 24th August – this time paired with sister car 648. This of course celebrates 642‘s recent mini-overhaul and repaint into an amended version of its 1995 ‘Travelcard’ advert livery.

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In Pictures: Trafford Park line junction installed

Posted on Tuesday 21 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

Between 28th July and 10th August no trams on Manchester Metrolink ran between Cornbrook and Eccles to allow for the construction of the junction with the new Trafford Park line at Pomona. The work was completed on time allowing Metrolink services to resume as planned and in this pictorial we see the finished work at the junction on 17th August.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Ex-Towing Railcoach 678 & friends

Posted on Tuesday 21 August 2018 by Gareth Prior

We continue our look at some early 1990s images from Blackpool today as we see Ex-Towing Railcoach 678 along with a couple of the ubiquitous Balloon Cars.

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Visitor’s Guide to…Crich Tramway Village

Posted on Monday 20 August 2018 by admin

In the third of our series of guides suggesting ideal photographic locations on tramways within the British Isles, Edward M Koehler takes a look at the Crich Tramway Village. Home of the National Tramway Museum many who read this website will be well aware of this location but here Edward gives the observations of a first time visitor taking a look at where best to get photos of those all important trams.

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