14 goes on a (short) road trip

Posted on Tuesday 31 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

With preparations continuing for the 125th anniversary of the Manx Electric Railway the most high profile work is on Ratchet Car 14 which will re-enter service during the week long event. Following on from its public debut during the recent Manx Heritage Transport Festival 14 has now gone on a road trip – but don’t worry it hasn’t left the line as it as just transport a short distance to turn the car around.

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Picture in Time: Manchester Light Rail demonstration

Posted on Tuesday 31 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

We are off to Manchester again for this edition of Picture in Time but instead of featuring one of the trams which have operated on Metrolink we go back a little further to 1987 when a key demonstration took place.

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In Pictures: Tramtastic Day Out at Heaton Park

Posted on Monday 30 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Last week we brought you news of the highlights of the Tramtastic Day Out at the Heaton Park Tramway where Stockport 5 burst back into life to lead a parade of trams. Although 5 isn’t ready for a return to service just yet the day did see Blackpool Brush 623 return to service after its year long loan in Blackpool and this was used as part of a three tram service along with Hull 96 and Manchester 765 – this was the first time in 2018 that three trams were used in service at the same time. To complete our coverage of the event we have some images of the day from Martin Bryan.

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In Pictures: New advert for Edinburgh Trams 271

Posted on Sunday 29 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

With all trams in Edinburgh having had external advertising applied it was only a matter of time before there was a change of advert and that is exactly what has happened on 271 which has now lost its adverts for Qatar Airways. The new advertiser for 271 is Tiso with the adverts being of a brighter colour than many others previously applied.

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Midland Metro hoardings runner-up in national awards

Posted on Sunday 29 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Hoardings surrounding Midland Metro extension works have been named as runner-up in a national competition. Yes you read that right, we are discussing hoardings! What can we say, its been a slow news week!

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 29 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

We have another three Photo Galleries for you this week, including one which gives further coverage of one of our recent news stories about the tracklaying on the latest Metrolink extension:

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Rail replacement works set to take place on Luas

Posted on Saturday 28 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

There will be a closure of part of Luas’ Red line on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th August to allow for some rail replacement work to take place close to the stop at St James. During this period trams on the Red line will run as normal from Tallaght and Saggart to Blackhorse with no trams running between Blackhorse and Connolly or The Point. Replacement buses will run instead. The work is due to take place from 0030 on 4th August and will be finished by 0530 on Monday 6th August allowing a Sunday service to run on that day which is a Bank Holiday in Ireland.

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Picture in Time: Seaton Tramway 19, Works 01 & 02

Posted on Saturday 28 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Back to Devon for this instalment of Picture in Time as we take a look at the Seaton Tramway with a true original Devon tram the main feature.

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MER disrupted after car collides with tram

Posted on Saturday 28 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

There were delays to Manx Electric Railway services – during the Manx Heritage Transport Festival – on Friday 27th July after a car drove into the side of a tram in Onchan. Winter Saloon 22 was heading north at the head of the 1340 Derby Castle to Ramsey service when a car came out of one of the side roads along the Douglas to Groudle section of the line – Howe Road for those interested – driving into the side of the tram. Photos from the scene have shown fairly bad damage to the front of the car although it is unclear what damage the tram sustained. No injuries were reported.

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Zonal fare system approved for Metrolink

Posted on Friday 27 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

A new zonal fare system will be introduced on Manchester Metrolink from early 2019 after council leaders have final approval to the plans following the results of a public engagement exercise. There will be some winners and losers in the new fare system but the majority of travellers will see lower fares with 78.5% of fares said to be lower as a result.

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Group tickets launched in Nottingham and West Midlands

Posted on Friday 27 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

With school now out for summer a couple of the UK’s tram systems have launched special group ticket offers to help families make the most of the holiday season. Both Nottingham Express Transit and West Midlands Metro have extended the periods their popular £5 Group Tickets are available throughout the summer holidays.

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In Pictures: London Tramlink from above

Posted on Thursday 26 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

In this pictorial we take a brief look at London Tramlink from above with a couple of images taken at the Centrale stop on Tamworth Road, part of the single line loop through central Croydon on the way to West Croydon. Images courtesy of Kevin Saltmarsh.

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Around the World in Trams: Amsterdam 465

Posted on Thursday 26 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Today we take a look at a historic tram from the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam – 465.

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Track laying starts at Trafford Centre

Posted on Wednesday 25 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Another week and another tramway extension has seen the laying of track with the first track now in place at into Trafford Centre as part of the Metrolink extension due to open in 2020. This track laying is in addition to that already taking place at EventCity, Parkway, Village Way and Warren Bruce Road.

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Special DLR Discovery trains to run this summer

Posted on Tuesday 24 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Have you ever travelled on the Docklands Light Railway and wondered about the history of the area? Well if you have now is your chance to fund out more with the DLR Discovery train running every weekend from 4th August to 9th September. Not only will you be able to learn more but it will also be a unique opportunity to travel on a fast DLR train not stopping at any intermediate stations!

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Picture in Time: South Yorkshire Supertram 15

Posted on Tuesday 24 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

As we continue our archival photographic series we are once again in South Yorkshire for a image taken towards the start of operations on Supertram.

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Stockport 5 leads the way!

Posted on Monday 23 July 2018 by Andrew Waddington

Heaton Park’s ‘Tramtastic Day Out’ on Sunday 22nd July turned out to be another great event, with a three-car service on the heritage line for the first time this year, and several other members of the fleet posed for photography. However, there was an extra surprise in store, as Stockport 5 also made an unexpected appearance running under its own power after an absence of a few years whilst it has been undergoing extensive renovation, including the fitting of a new roof canvas.

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Increase in punctuality for Metrolink

Posted on Monday 23 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

The last set of performance data for Manchester Metrolink (for the period 27th May to 23rd June) has shown that punctuality has increased on the network with reliability also on the up. True, neither were big increases but it was a good step in the right direction in trying to operate a more reliable service for passengers.

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In Pictures: Supertram 119 receives a relivery

Posted on Monday 23 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

With fewer trams currently required for service as a result of the rail replacement works the chance is being taken to give the tram fleet some TLC including 119 which has seen its standard fleet livery reapplied giving a much brighter look. With 119 having received the livery originally back in 2006 the colours had started to dull but with this reapplication the tram really does stand out from the crowd once again in one of the most colourful fleet liveries in the UK. Ryan Hartley with the photo.

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In Pictures: West Midlands Metro makes its mark

Posted on Sunday 22 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

31 became the very first Urbos 3 to receive the new blue livery vinyls when it entered service during the evening peak on Monday 16th July and was then used in service again the following day. We featured the first images of the tram on Monday evening and now with it starting to make its full mark in service we again take a look at the tram in service.

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