Another rise in passenger numbers for Edinburgh

Posted on Monday 23 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

2016 was another record breaking year on Edinburgh Trams with half a million more passenger journeys made, a year on year growth of 10%. A total of 5.6 million passenger journeys were recorded according to figures released by Edinburgh Trams – a figure which remains ahead of expectations.

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1008

Posted on Saturday 21 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Two more images from Manchester Metrolink for today’s Picture in Time with the T68 featured in this edition being 1008 with both photos dating from 27th April 1992.

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FoI request shows Snaefell runaway had brake failure

Posted on Saturday 21 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

On 30th March 2016 Snaefell Mountain Railway no. 3 ran away from the Summit with no crew or passengers on board before derailing shortly before the stop at Bungalow, leaving the tracks and being more or less destroyed on the mountain side. Although an investigation had been undertaken the results of this had not been released publically but a Freedom of Investigation request by the Isle of Man Newspapers has now seen further details revealed of what caused no. 3 to runaway. It has been confirmed that both parking brakes on the tram had failed which, coupled with the temporary arrangements at the Summit owing to overrunning construction works, led to the tram heading down the mountain.

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TfL continue to review Tramlink operation

Posted on Saturday 21 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

A report due to be heard by Transport for London’s Safety, Sustainability and Human Resources Panel next week has revealed that further “infrastructure mitigations” may be introduced on certain sections of London Tramlink in a bid to further improve safety on the network. It has also been confirmed that passenger numbers have returned to pre-accident levels.

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Work starts on Brierley Hill Midland Metro extension

Posted on Saturday 21 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Work has started on the proposed Midland Metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill with the Midland Metro Alliance starting to clear vegetation from overgrown areas of the disused former South Staffordshire Railway line. This will allow for full structural and environmental surveys to take place.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 11 Comments

Seaton Tramway announce 2017 special events programme

Posted on Saturday 21 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Devon’s Seaton Tramway has announced their special events programme for 2017 and although there is nothing directly aimed at the enthusiast there is a varied programme for the family, especially if you like fairies, dinosaurs or pirates!

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get me there set to be rolled out across Metrolink from the summer

Posted on Saturday 21 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Greater Manchester’s answer to Oyster is set to be fully rolled out across Manchester Metrolink in the summer which will allow passengers to use a single smart card for all their journeys on any tram or bus in the area. Currently get me there is only available on Metrolink for concessionary pass holders and as a mobile ticketing app but all this will soon change.

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Delays for NET after man hit by tram

Posted on Saturday 21 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

A man had to be taken to hospital after he was hit by a tram at Queen’s Walk on Nottingham Express Transit. The incident happened at approximately 1500 on Wednesday 18th January and caused all trams from Nottingham Station to Queen’s Walk to be suspended for approximately an hour. The man was taken to hospital but his injuries were described as not serious.

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Picture in Time: Bolton 66 and friends

Posted on Thursday 19 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Although not a Blackpool tram today’s Picture in Time star is a tram which is closely associated to Blackpool nowadays having been in the resort since 1981 – it is of course Bolton 66.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 4 Comments

In Pictures: Metrolink Second City Crossing testing

Posted on Wednesday 18 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Testing on Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing (2CC) has begun again ahead of an opening of the line in “early 2017”. In the early hours of 16th January double M5000 3004+3059 was used on the test runs between Victoria and Deansgate-Castlefield which included a reversal at Exchange Square from Deansgate. Steve Hyde was on the scene and has kindly provided the following images showing the testing.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 9 Comments

Urbos3 18 bids adios to Midland Metro – for now

Posted on Wednesday 18 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Midland Metro’s Urbos 3 18 has left Wednesbury Depot to return to Spain for the fitting of batteries to allow its eventual operation on sections of line which will not have overhead wires installed. All of the trams will carry batteries but it is expected that only the first one – with 18 the chosen tram – will need to return to Spain for this to take place.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 10 Comments

New operator confirmed for Manchester Metrolink

Posted on Wednesday 18 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink will have a new operator from the summer following the news that KeolisAmey will take over the contract from RATP Dev in July. The decision has been taken to change operators after a competitive process led by TfGM involving three other shortlisted bidders.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 7 Comments

Douglas Bay Horse Tramway will retain its full length after all

Posted on Tuesday 17 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Tynwald have voted to retain the full length of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway following the latest debate which took place on Tuesday 17th January. Double track will be replaced between Derby Castle and Broadway with a single track line from there through to the current Sea Terminal terminus.

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Crich awarded £100,000 for depot improvements

Posted on Tuesday 17 January 2017 by Andrew Waddington

It is pleasing to announce that the Tramway Museum Society have been awarded grant funding of £100,000 towards the cost of improving the main depots at Crich Tramway Village. This will help to provide a much improved environment for the priceless collection of trams to be stored inside, as well as offering better viewing for visitors of those vehicles not in operation at any one time.

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Picture in Time: Sheffield 513

Posted on Tuesday 17 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

We are off to the north east for the next edition of Picture in Time with a visit to Beamish and a view of a tram which, although owned by the museum, hasn’t been seen running in those parts for a number of years – Sheffield 513.

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In Pictures: Edinburgh Trams 251 #Tramspotting livery

Posted on Monday 16 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

As we reported at the weekend the arrival of vinyl wraps in Edinburgh is continuing with a new livery being revealed in connection with Edinburgh Trams’ #Tramspotting campaign (inspired by the forthcoming release of the new film T2 Trainspotting which features the trams in several scenes). However unlike our presumptions that these would be carried by 261 to replace the vinyls for Hogmanay it is in fact 251 which is the #Tramspotting tram.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 15 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

We bring you the first new photos of the year (although they come from 2016) this week with a new Gallery now uploaded:

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Posted in Beamish Tramway, Site News | 2 Comments

Douglas Bay Horse Tramway dominate Tram of the Year

Posted on Sunday 15 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

At the start of a week when the future of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is set to be decided at Tynwald there is at least some reason to celebrate with the tramway winning two categories in the British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2016 contest. The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway received the most votes in both Tramway of the Year and also in Event of the Year (for the 140th Anniversary celebrations in August). Meanwhile Blackpool Marton 31 was voted in as Tram (traditional) of the Year with Manchester Metrolink 3120 completing a hattrick of wins in the Tram (modern of the Year).

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Picture in Time: Stagecoach Supertram in the snow

Posted on Saturday 14 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

We have some wintry images for you in this edition of Picture in Time as we head to South Yorkshire and take a look at the Stagecoach Supertram system after the snow had fallen on 1st December 2010.

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Berlin 223 006-4 on its travels

Posted on Saturday 14 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

In November one of the most vital members of the operational fleet at the Crich Tramway Village went on a road trip with Berlin 223 006-4 travelling to Manchester Metrolink’s Queens Road Depot for some attention.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 7 Comments