Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 631

Posted on Thursday 13 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

We are going back to Blackpool in this edition of Picture in Time and this time we feature a tram which remains in the town as part of the active heritage fleet.

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Picture in Time: Great Orme Tramway 7

Posted on Tuesday 11 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno, North Wales is the feature of this edition of Picture in Time as we head back to 1989 for a view of one of the upper section trams.

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TMS trucks to help restore trams elsewhere

Posted on Monday 10 July 2017 by Andrew Waddington

In a very welcome act of great generosity, the Tramway Museum Society have provided two tramcar trucks to other preservation organisations, to assist with the restoration of two very special trams. Both of the trucks had been housed at the National Tramway Museum’s reserve store at Clay Cross for many years, prior to being extracted and moved away earlier this month.

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Posted in Birkenhead Heritage Tramway, Brighton Tram 53 Group, National Tramway Museum | 2 Comments

Bring on the Brush cars!

Posted on Monday 10 July 2017 by Andrew Waddington

As many regular readers of this website will know, 2017 sees Blackpool’s Brush cars celebrate their 80th anniversary and some celebrations are taking place in the town to mark this milestone. This looks set to start on Friday 14th July, when visiting car 623 is set to make its debut following its recent return to Blackpool on loan. In addition, work is progressing nicely on the overhaul of 621 which appears to be on target for its planned return to use in September.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 9 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

We return with a main site update this week with another couple of new Photo Galleries:

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1016

Posted on Saturday 8 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Another visit to Manchester is on the cards for the latest instalment of Picture in Time and we feature another of the T68s in the early days of the system.

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In Preview: Edwardian Event at Crich Tramway Village

Posted on Saturday 8 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

One of the highlights of the special events programme at Crich, the Edwardian Event, will take place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th July. As well as the regular tram service, Sheffield 15 will be in service on the first day of the event alongside re-enactors adding to the museum street scene.

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Huge increases in Tram-Train pilot costs

Posted on Friday 7 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

A report released by the National Audit Office has shown that the costs involved in the Tram-Train pilot, which will eventually see services run between the Stagecoach Supertram network and Rotherham on the national rail network, has increased five times from the original agreed budget. It is now expected that it will cost £75.1 million for the Network Rail modification works against the agreed budget of £15 million.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 14 Comments

In Pictures: Classic Motorcyles at Crich

Posted on Friday 7 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 2nd July saw the Classic Motorcycle Event take place at Crich. As usual with classic vehicle events such as this a number of motorcycles visited Crich and were seen mingling with the standard tram service which unusually saw four trams in service for much of the day.

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First track laid on Bilston Road

Posted on Friday 7 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The rapid progress being made on the track relay along Bilston Road has continued with the first sections of track being laid last weekend. The project – which only started in June – is due to take six months with Midland Metro services due to resume to Wolverhampton St George’s by December but with the quick progress already made could an early return be on the cards?

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Centenary 641

Posted on Thursday 6 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

We take you back to Blackpool again in this instalment of Picture in Time and this time we feature the very first of the Centenary Cars.

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British Trams Online help to bring Birkenhead 20 to Blackpool!

Posted on Thursday 6 July 2017 by Andrew Waddington

British Trams Online is delighted to announce that we are sponsoring a tram loan which will see one of the Birkenhead heritage tram fleet make the journey to Blackpool for the first time ever. Following negotiations between the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society and Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours, it has been agreed that Birkenhead 20 will visit Blackpool for a one year loan period, commencing later this month!

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Posted in Birkenhead Heritage Tramway, Blackpool Tramway | 5 Comments

Picture in Time: Blackpool Standard 40

Posted on Tuesday 4 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

We head to Crich for this edition of Picture in Time for an early image of Blackpool Standard 40.

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In Pictures: Cruden Bay Tramway 2

Posted on Sunday 2 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Grampian Transport Museum in Alford is usually the home of two trams. Earlier this week we reported on Aberdeen horse car no. 1 which has gone back home to Aberdeen for a few months but that still leaves one further rare survivor at the museum – Cruden Bay Tramway 2.

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In Pictures: 60 years not out!

Posted on Sunday 2 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Volunteers are the lifeblood of heritage tramways in the UK and for one such volunteer at the Seaton Tramway the past week has seen him celebrate 60 years driving. David Rivers started driving for Modern Electric Tramways when the operation was still at Eastbourne in 1957.

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Business case for Midland Metro Brierley Hill extension handed over

Posted on Sunday 2 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The business case for the extension of Midland Metro to Brierley Hill has been formally presented to the Department for Transport as plans for the line continue to progress.

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Council to look at trams for Bath once again

Posted on Sunday 2 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Bath and North East Somerset Council have revealed that they are planning to conduct a feasibility study into whether a tram system could help to solve some of the traffic congestion problems being experienced in the historic city. The idea of returning trams to Bath is nothing new with discussions seeming to have gone on for well over 10 years but this latest development apparently comes in response to public enthusiasm.

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Posted in General | 1 Comment

Tram shortages causes Purple route amendments

Posted on Sunday 2 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The poor old Purple route on Stagecoach Supertram. Every time there are temporary tram shortages it becomes the sacrificial lamb and is either completely suspended or runs an amended service. And that it exactly what has happened this week with trams only running at the start and end of the days.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 2 Comments

Excellent progress being made on Bilston Road

Posted on Sunday 2 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

As previously reported on these very pages work to replace the track along Bilston Road commenced on Sunday 11th June with Midland Metro services curtailed at Priestfield. With the six month project now underway the Midland Metro Alliance have given a brief update on the “excellent” progress being made so far.

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Try a tram days a success

Posted on Sunday 2 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) have run six session special “Try a Tram” sessions on board the new Citylink trams set to enter service on the current Supertram network from late summer. More than 100 vulnerable passengers were invited to the sessions with staff on hand at Meadowhall Interchange for informative and fun learning sessions.

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