Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 623

Posted on Thursday 26 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

In their 80th anniversary year we are featuring another of Blackpool’s Brush Railcoaches in Picture in Time today. This time around the tram in question is 623 – which has been enjoying a holiday back home in 2017 but we see it before it enjoyed a renaissance thanks to a coat of wartime green and cream.

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In Pictures: Citylink tram-trains in service

Posted on Wednesday 25 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Citylink tram-trains are now starting to see regular use on the standard Stagecoach Supertram system with the Purple route often being operated by these vehicles. In this “In Pictures” article we take a look at two of the Citylink vehicles in action with the identities being 399 202 and 399 206. Glyn Hill with the photos.

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In Pictures: Enhanced heritage service on 22nd October

Posted on Wednesday 25 October 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool’s heritage trams have been kept even busier than usual, with an increased vehicle output to coincide with the school half-term holidays. A daily heritage promenade service has been operating in afternoons, with extra trams being used at weekends – the peak being on Sunday 22nd October, when four trams ran instead of the usual two!

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More Blackpool trams receive ‘heritage’ destination blinds

Posted on Wednesday 25 October 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Peter Watts has been busy again, providing a set of brand new, traditional-styled destination blinds for two further trams in Blackpool’s operational heritage fleet. The latest beneficiaries of his blinds are Fleetwood Box 40 and Balloon 717.

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Picture in Time: Seaton 4

Posted on Tuesday 24 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

Today Picture in Time is heading back to the Devon coast as we take a trip to the Seaton Tramway for an image of Blackpool Boat style tram no. 4.

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In Pictures: Testing on Luas Cross city line

Posted on Monday 23 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

With the line due to open to the public in December testing of trams on the Luas cross city line is continuing to ensure that everything is ready for the first passengers to be carried. Despite the effects of Storm Ophelia in mid-October testing has been taking place as these photos from John Hampton show.

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Can you help? Introduction of air brakes

Posted on Sunday 22 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

We have recently been contacted by Keith Halton who as well as providing us with an update on the current condition of Frankfurt 210 has asked us a question which we don’t the answer to! So we thought the best thing to do was to throw the query out to the readers of British Trams Online to see if there is an expert out there who can help Keith. It concerns the introduction of air brakes on UK trams.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Saturday 21 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

Just the one Photo Gallery for you to take a look at this week:

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Picture in Time: Nottingham Express Transit 215

Posted on Saturday 21 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

From last week’s Picture in Time in the West Midlands we head across to the East Midlands for this image from Nottingham Express Transit.

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In Pictures: Birkenhead horse car comes home

Posted on Friday 20 October 2017 by Andrew Waddington

On 18th October, the oldest surviving Birkenhead tramcar made a journey by road to the Pacific Road premises of the Birkenhead heritage tramway and museum. Birkenhead 7 had been stored at Hooton Park for a number of years after being removed from its previous display position at the Woodside Ferry terminal building, to enable a deconstructed U-Boat to replace it as the main display there.

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In Pictures: Stockport 5 sees daylight

Posted on Friday 20 October 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Stockport 5 has been undergoing major workshop attention at the Heaton Park Tramway for the past couple of years, having not operated since 2013 due to issues with its roof. Whilst the overhaul has been progressing the tram has been stationery at the rear of the original Middleton Road tram depot, with its top deck decency panels detached for much of this time – but recently the tram was moved outside to enjoy a long overdue blast of the great outdoors!

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One Aberdeen tram for sale at auction!

Posted on Friday 20 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

Ever fancied owning a unrestored tram body? Well if you have a chance is about to come up with the lower saloon of Aberdeen Corporation Tramways 54 – built in 1902-3 as an open topper before receiving a top deck cover in later life – to be sold at a farm auction on Saturday 21st October.

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In Pictures: Frankfurt 210

Posted on Friday 20 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

One of several trams from overseas which has found itself in the UK for reasons which seem to have been lost in the mists of time is Frankfurt 210. The tram has been in the UK since the mid-1980s when it was donated to Birmingham (Frankfurt and Birmingham are twinned) and has since made its way east with it currently being found at Whitwell Station Museum in Norfolk. And it is that location where Keith Halton caught up with the tram in the below images.

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New Metrolink book to be launched

Posted on Friday 20 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

A new book celebrating the 25th anniversary of Manchester Metrolink is to be launched this weekend. Metrolink: The First 25 Years by Mark Ovenden looks at the complete history of the system including the history of the creation of the line and a look at the trams that run the service.

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MER to finally resume service

Posted on Friday 20 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

After Storm Ophelia hit the western part of the British Isles it seemed that normal services would resume on both Luas and the Manx Electric Railway from Wednesday 18th October. However although Luas was back to normal after its hiatus it proved not to be possible for the MER to run with damage to the overhead having to be repaired.

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Preparation work for Blackpool North extension will start in 2017

Posted on Friday 20 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

It has now been confirmed that works on the Blackpool Tramway extension up Talbot Road to Blackpool North railway station will start in 2017 although little progress will be tangible this year with the works only set to be preparation works.

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In Pictures: More progress on Sheffield Tram-Train project

Posted on Friday 20 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

Another pictorial update from South Yorkshire as work continues on construction for the Tram-Train pilot which will eventually link the Stagecoach Supertram network with the UK national rail network; hopefully starting a new era in public transport in this country. In this update we take a look around Rotherham to see just how far construction has come recently.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloons

Posted on Thursday 19 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

Having gone 30 years into the past last week, this week we go even further back in time as we have an image taken 50 years ago in the summer of 1967.

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2CC to be used for Altrincham-Bury services on 22nd October

Posted on Wednesday 18 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

One of the benefits of the Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing (2CC) is to be seen again on Sunday 22nd October with extra services running via the line because of engineering works on Mosley Street.

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In Pictures: Volks Electric Railway returns

Posted on Tuesday 17 October 2017 by Gareth Prior

As we reported at the weekend the Volks Electric Railway resumed services on Saturday 14th October after over a year of inaction as a result of the “Saving Volk’s” refurbishment project. Although works are not sufficiently advanced to allow trains to run along the complete line they are now able to run between Aquarium and Halfway with volunteers from the Volks Electric Railway Association assisting with crewing.

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