Tram removed from derailment site as investigation continues

Posted on Saturday 12 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink CR4000 2551 has now been removed from Sandilands junction following Wednesday’s derailment as the investigation into what happened continues with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) set to release an interim report next week. The clear up of the accident site continues as the identities of those who tragically lost their lives in the derailment start to be released by the Police.

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American Boats 1: Blackpool Boat 606

Posted on Saturday 12 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

This weekend we will be taking a look at the Blackpool Boat Cars that escaped the UK for the United States of America. Tomorrow we take a look at the Californian Boats but first up we head to Maryland to take a look at Boat Car 606 which has now been in the US for 16 years.

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Enthusiast tour raises over £1,000 for children’s charity

Posted on Saturday 12 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

When you think of enthusiast Private Hires you probably think of the Blackpool Tramway but recently the London Transport Museum Friends hired a tram on Nottingham Express Transit for a full system tour with over £1,000 being raised for local children’s charity When you Wish Upon a Star.

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Double win for Seaton at Devon Tourism Awards

Posted on Saturday 12 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Seaton Tramway are celebrating after winning two awards at the Devon Tourism Awards 2016 which took place this week in Exeter. Having being shortlisted in two categories Seaton were presented with a Silver Award for Large Attraction of the Year and a Bronze Award for Artistic, Cultural and Learning Experience.

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Strike action threatened in Edinburgh

Posted on Saturday 12 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Drivers and Ticketing Services Assistants (TSAs) on Edinburgh Trams are threatening strike action over what they say are the imposition of new rotas which will see more weekend working for no extra pay. There is also said to be unhappiness that Edinburgh Trams have announced plans to run overnight services for Hogmanay without consulting with staff beforehand.

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Midland Metro delays after car driven onto tracks

Posted on Saturday 12 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Midland Metro services were unable to travel into Birmingham City Centre for around three hours on Sunday 6th November after a car was driven onto the tracks at Snow Hill becoming wedged and requiring the Fire Service to free it. The car was reported as stuck at approximately 1015 with it not freed until 1300. Whilst the car was wedged all services from Wolverhampton St George’s terminated at St Paul’s. The driver – a 33 year old man from Telford – was arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

Liverpool 762 goes out of service

Posted on Thursday 10 November 2016 by Andrew Waddington

With Wallasey 78 already out of action with a number of problems currently being rectified, there has been further bad news for the Birkenhead heritage tramway with Liverpool 762 also now out of service. The tram was withdrawn in late August due to concerns regarding its resistances which were overheating – a problem which is thought to derive from its motors.

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Seven people die as Croydon tram derails

Posted on Wednesday 9 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Seven people have now been confirmed dead with more than 50 people injured following the derailment and overturning of CR4000 2551 on Wednesday 9th November. The tram was travelling from New Addington to Wimbledon when it completely left the rails and overturned at Sandilands shortly after 0600. The driver of the tram has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

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Crich versus mould

Posted on Tuesday 8 November 2016 by Andrew Waddington

For many years, there have been concerns regarding the ability of the main depots at Crich Tramway Village to protect their valuable contents. Condensation has been an issue in the past and, with increasingly mild and wet winters, the depots are providing ideal conditions for the growth of mould – something which is severely affecting the priceless vintage trams. The Tramway Museum Society are finally seeking to resolve this serious problem with plans to upgrade the depots, and funding for this is now being sought.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 4 Comments

A spectacular end to the season at Crich

Posted on Monday 7 November 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Another busy operating season at Crich Tramway Village has now come to an end. Although 2016 may not have had quite as much as excitement as some previous years with no ‘new’ trams joining the running fleet, it has still been a busy year with 20 different electric passenger trams running. The last public open day was Sunday 30th October, however on Saturday 5th November a special open day was held for invited guests which saw an enhanced tram service operating for the final time this year.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 6 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

This week we bring you another two Photo Galleries:

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Tramlink Stadler 2565 enters service

Posted on Saturday 5 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink has welcomed Stadler Variobahn 2565 into service with the tram being used for the first time on Friday 4th November. 2565 has become one of the fastest of the Stadler built trams to enter service with it only being delivered on 9th October and testing having commenced on Tuesday 1st November. With testing a success 2565 carried its first fare paying passengers during the afternoon on 4th November when it was allocated to route 2 between Beckenham Junction and West Croydon.

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Proposed service pattern revealed for Metrolink post-2CC opening

Posted on Friday 4 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

As construction work starts to come towards a conclusion on Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing (2CC) Transport for Greater Manchester have released their proposals for the service pattern which will operate from early 2017 once the new line opens. The new 2CC will initially see trams running between Rochdale Town Centre and East Didsbury with the Manchester Airport service eventually extended to Victoria (from early 2017 it is planned this service will be run to Deansgate-Castlefield instead of its current terminus of Cornbrook).

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 15 Comments

Douglas Bay Horse Tramway ends a successful season

Posted on Friday 4 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 30th October saw the end of a successful season for the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway – a season which it seemed for a time at the start of the year we may never have seen. With the Department of Infrastructure through Isle of Man Railways operating the tramway for the first time 2016 has seen increased passenger loadings and an improved timetable hopefully cementing the position of the tramway as part of the heritage railway offering on the Isle of Man.

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Black Country Living Museum looks towards the future

Posted on Friday 4 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Dudley’s Black Country Living Museum – home to the UK’s only 3”6’ on street tramway – have announced ambitious plans for a major expansion of the museum which would include an extension to the tramway to form a circular route around the site. The plans are all part of a 10 year vision which would seek to create a world class visitor attraction welcoming 500,000 visitors per year by 2022.

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Metrolink boost capacity in lead up to Christmas

Posted on Friday 4 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

With just 50 days until Christmas and people apparently starting to think about their shopping for the festive period Manchester Metrolink are set to boost capacity on certain routes with more double trams operating from Monday 7th November until Friday 23rd December.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 5 Comments

In Pictures: Metrolink 3022 receives advert livery

Posted on Wednesday 2 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

The latest M5000 to receive a vinyl wrap advert livery is 3022 which has received a black based livery for Michael Kors, and yes there is extensive use of contravision. This is the first full advert to be carried by 3022 but becomes the fifth M5000 to carry an advert in 2016 (with 3058 being the recipient of two designs). Photos courtesy of Steve Kemp.

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Picture in Time: Stagecoach Supertram 114

Posted on Tuesday 1 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

We head to Sheffield for today’s Picture in Time image as we feature one of the South Yorkshire Supertram’s Duewag built trams in action – 114.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Monday 31 October 2016 by Gareth Prior

Another Photo Gallery for you this week:

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Coronation 664

Posted on Saturday 29 October 2016 by Gareth Prior

Normally in our Picture in Time series we see a tram either in service or resting in between duties but for our latest instalment we head to Rigby Road bus yard for a view of Blackpool Coronation 664 which was getting ready for a date, a date with the scrapman.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 7 Comments