Picture in Time: Manx Electric Railway 26

Posted on Friday 2 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

This is another edition of “Picture in Time” as we feature a tram in action on the Isle of Man.

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In Pictures: Old school tram output at Carlton Colville

Posted on Thursday 1 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

In recent years we’ve been spoilt with the number of new trams which have ended up at the East Anglia Transport Museum, such as Sheffield 513 and most recently Blackpool 634, but we shouldn’t forget those trams which have stalwarts in the operating fleet and on Sunday 27th April the two trams you probably associate most with the museum were in service.

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Coming Soon! Brighton Tram 53 Society Open Weekend

Posted on Thursday 1 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

Looking for something to do over the weekend of Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May? Well if you’re in the south of England the weekend will provide you with an opportunity to visit the last Brighton Corporation Tramways passenger tram – no. 53 – with an Open Weekend taking place at their base near Steyning.

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Award for Metro tunnel rail replacement works

Posted on Thursday 1 May 2025 by Gareth Prior

The project to replace tracks in the tunnels under Newcastle City Centre has won a second award (following success at the Global Light Rail Awards last year) with the latest recognition coming at the Spotlight Rail Awards. Nexus and Smartrax Rail won Outstanding Project of the Year the £3.4 project which saw the rails replaced at Prudhoe Street Junction.

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TfGM launch procurement for new Metrolink operating and maintenance contract

Posted on Wednesday 30 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Transport for Greater Manchester have started the process of finding the next company who will operate and maintain the Metrolink tram network. Whilst the current contract with KeolisAmey Metrolink (KAM) still has a couple of years left (due to expire in 2027) this is the first step to finding the next company who will take responsibility for the UK’s largest light-rail network.

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New Metro trains start to return to service

Posted on Wednesday 30 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

The fleet of new Metro trains have started to carry passengers again following their temporary removal from service last week. The first unit returned to service again during the afternoon of Wednesday 30th April having not been used since the Easter weekend.

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West Midlands Metro encourage people to use the tram for Great Birmingham Run

Posted on Wednesday 30 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Article updated 01/05/2025 following a change to the news article from West Midlands Metro where they changed the frequency of the service to standard Sunday timings.

With the West Midlands Metro being an official transport partner of the Great Birmingham Run are encouraging participants and spectators for the event on  Sunday 4th May to use the tram. Trams will run as normal up to every 12 minutes to get people to the start line in time.

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A trip to… Luas

Posted on Tuesday 29 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

In this article we feature a small selection of photos taken on Ireland’s only operating tramway – Luas in Dublin. A major success story, this network first opened in 2004 and since then has seen not only extensions built but trams extended and a much bigger fleet of Alstom Citadis trams than that with which it started. Geoff Pickles paid a visit in March.

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Metrolink service changes after city centre power loss

Posted on Tuesday 29 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Article updated 30/04/2025

Manchester Metrolink services haven’t had a great day after an issue with the overhead at Deansgate-Castlefield. Originally described as the loss of power, it was later confirmed that 3132 lost its pantograph leading to the problems.

No trams have been able to run across Manchester City Centre from mid-morning on Tuesday 29th April 2025 after power loss. All services from the outer reaches of the network were terminating short of the city centre, with the Ashton line suspended in its entirety.

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Metro performance continues to stay above 80%

Posted on Tuesday 29 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Whilst the big news from the Tyne and Wear Metro continues to be the withdrawal of all the fully commissioned new trains for operational issues, there is still a network to run and the latest performance posters had at least seen an improvement in the number of services running on time – whether this is maintained with just the aging Metrocars to operate remains to be seen.

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In Pictures: Upgrades to Beamish’s tram depot

Posted on Monday 28 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

In one of our recent updates from Beamish we featured a photo showing how the tram depot was off limits to allow some work to take place. This is all part of the general upgrade of the depot facilities to make it not only a more pleasant working environment but also to make it safer for the maintenance team when working on the trams.

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Magical May event at Crich this May Day Bank Holiday weekend

Posted on Monday 28 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 4th and Monday 5th May will see the Crich Tramway Village have a packed programme of springtime fun and fairy dust as part of the “Magical May” event. There will be Spring magic and enhancement for all the family alongside all the usual museum attractions including the operating trams of course.

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Old(er) and New – Manchester Metrolink: Aytoun Street

Posted on Monday 28 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Its another edition of “Old(er) and New” and we’re back in the city of Manchester to take a look at a T68 and a M5000 in the same place.

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Out and About 2025: Edinburgh Trams – Newhaven

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

We have another look at a tram running in 2025 and this time we feature a photo taken on Edinburgh Trams.

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In Pictures: Latest look at Blackpool 708 in its Lincolnshire home

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Of all the Blackpool trams which are still extant, only one can call Lincolnshire its home (indeed it’s the only Blackpool trams known to have resided in the county). That tram is Balloon 708 which was acquired by the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft and travelled east in November 2023. With the Trolleybus Museum opening for its new season for the first time on 5th April, it was a chance to catch-up with the double decker once again in its new home.

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Next Supertram engineering works announced

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

The next set of South Yorkshire Supertram engineering works have been announced with work due to take place at Gleadless Townend over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend which (and the good news is that there isn’t long to wait until its here!) is between Saturday 3rd and Monday 5th May 2025.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 27th April 2025

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

More photos this week as we head to London Trams for a selection taken earlier this month:

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In Pictures: Seeing double in Manchester as 3038 advertises Soccer Aid

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Its not that unusual for the same company/event to advertise on more than one tram, but usually the multiple ads come at around the same time, but not in the case of Soccer Aid and Manchester Metrolink they’re not! Some five weeks since 3031 received the first advert, 3038 has now received another wrap for the same event in an identical style.

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Around the World in Trams: Riga 32036

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Its time for one last photo from Latvia and the tram system in Riga as “Around the World in Trams” continues.

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In Pictures: Supertram promotes Snooker World Championships

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Advertising on tram networks comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s a full vinyl wrap or small panels on the trams, and sometimes it involves tramstops. With the Snooker World Championships once again taking place at the Crucible in Sheffield (as it has done since 1977), Supertram have been publishing the event with large adverts on the stop at Sheffield Station/Sheffield Hallam University. Stuart Cooke took a look for us.

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