Another Citadis naming

Posted on Thursday 27 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit have named another of their Alstom Citadis trams with the latest vehicle to receive a name being 234 – the highest numbered tram yet to receive a number. It now carries the name George Africanus, who was Nottingham’s first black entrepreneur having been brought to England in slavery aged 3 in 1766.

Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | Comments Off on Another Citadis naming

In Pictures: Tramlink 2560 spotted in daylight

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Since being delivered to Croydon back on 4th May 2560 – the seventh Stadler Variobahn for the Tramlink network and the first of the second batch – has not been seen out of the depot confines often in daylight hours but all that changed on 26th August when it made an appearance on a test run. 2560 was taken out of the depot on a typical summers day visiting various different parts of the system including Elmers End. Since delivery the tram has spent most of its time at Therapia Lane but has previously made some nocturnal test runs.

Continue reading →

Posted in London Trams | 1 Comment

Isle of Man Government pledge to move horse trams to Promenade walkway

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

The future of the Douglas Horse Tramway and just where the tracks should be going forward never seems to be far from the news on the Isle of Man and the latest instalment of this apparent never ending saga has seen the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) confirm that they fully intend to move the tramway off the road and onto the Promenade walkway – a move which is bound to cause controversy.

Continue reading →

Posted in Douglas Bay Horse Tramway | 8 Comments

No more horse trams for Crich in 2015

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Unfortunately the last of the planned Horse Tram Days at the Crich Tramway Village for 2015 – which was due to take place on Wednesday 16th September – has had to be cancelled. As you may remember the regular horse-tram driver who attends the horse operation at Crich alongside horse Joseph was recently involved in an accident and remains incapacitated. Several successful Horse Tram Days took place earlier in the season and it is unfortunate that there has been a premature end in 2015 but all at British Trams Online wish the horse-tram driver a swift recovery.

Posted in National Tramway Museum | 2 Comments

Book review: Journey on the Manx Electric Railway

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2015 by admin

A very comprehensive study of the journey from Derby Castle in Douglas to Ramsey by Manx Electric Railway, stopping to admire the many features along the route including the lovely Glens, towns and villages, plus the other transport gems encountered along the way such as the Douglas Bay Horse Trams, Groudle Glen Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway, Great Laxey Mines Railway and so on. Featuring a lovely selection of photographs, largely previously unseen, and mainly from the early 1960’s right up to earlier this year.

Continue reading →

Posted in Manx Electric Railway, Reviews | 2 Comments

A brief introduction to…. Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

In the second of our new series of brief introductions to the tramway of the British Isles we take a look at the new Phase Two extensions of Nottingham Express Transit with the new routes, stops, timetable and trams all looked at.

Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 2 Comments

Blackpool Brush 290 goes undercover

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

After the trials and tribulations of the last few weeks Blackpool Brush 290 is finally undercover again following its removal from its display track at Pleasure Beach in the early hours of Wednesday 26th August. As previously reported on British Trams Online there was a previous aborted attempt to move the tram but following recent attention from Blackpool Transport’s fitters the second attempt was far more successful and 290 (627 if you prefer) is now once again to be found in Rigby Road Depot.

Continue reading →

Posted in Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust | Comments Off on Blackpool Brush 290 goes undercover

In Pictures: Hull 96 sees daylight again

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The renovation of Hull 96 at the Heaton Park Tramway continues to make impressive progress ahead of its planned October launch. On Tuesday 25th August, the tram was briefly brought outside to allow Blackpool 623 to be placed over the inspection pit for servicing, allowing a good view of the most recent work carried out on the car.

Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | Comments Off on In Pictures: Hull 96 sees daylight again

Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two opens!

Posted on Tuesday 25 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Three years after construction began – and 12 years after the first discussions – Phase Two of Nottingham Express Transit has opened to the public with the first trams departing the two new termini, at Clifton South and Toton Lane, shortly after 0600 on Tuesday 25th August 2015. As is always the case when a new tram line opens in the UK the first day of public journeys were busy and friendly affairs with many people – both local and not so local – eager to try out the trams as soon as they can.

Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 3 Comments

Picture in Time: Metropolitan Electric Tramways 331

Posted on Monday 24 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Metropolitan Electric Tramways 331 is a tram which has featured before in our archive photo series, following its restoration to passenger-carrying status at Crich in its latter day identity as Sunderland 100. However, a little known fact about 331 is that it actually first ran at Crich in the 1970s – and so we are turning the clock back to 1974 to see the tram on an early trial run at the museum.

Continue reading →

Posted in Picture in Time | 1 Comment

NET Phase Two opens Tuesday 25th August

Posted on Monday 24 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Tuesday 25th August – as well as being only 4 months until Christmas! – will see Nottingham Express Transit expand with the opening of the two Phase Two lines serving Clifton and Chilwell. Shortly after 0600 services will commence from both Clifton South and Toton Lane marking the start of a new era of efficient and modern public transport for the local residents of the areas now served by Nottingham Express Transit.

Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 2 Comments

680 set to run in Blackpool this month!

Posted on Sunday 23 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Following the exciting news of Blackpool 680‘s arrival at Rigby Road on Friday 21st August, no time has been wasted in preparing the tram for service and it has now been revealed that it will make its public debut over the August Bank Holiday weekend! Of course the tram is on loan from Heaton Park for an initial two year stay, although there is a good chance that this could be extended.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Heaton Park Tramway | Comments Off on 680 set to run in Blackpool this month!

In Pictures: Tramlink short running to Dundonald Road

Posted on Sunday 23 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

As we have reported previously all London Tramlink services on the Wimbledon branch have been terminating short at Dundonald Road from 13th July and will continue to do so until October. This is because of the works at Wimbledon to construct a second platform and the associated trackwork required to allow trams to access both platforms. During the works passengers are being advised that they can either make the short 10 minute walk between Dundonald Road and Wimbledon or alternatively change onto service buses at Merton Park, Morden Road or Phipps Bridge. It seems at this stage that most passengers are happy to make the 10 minute walk to continue their journeys.

Continue reading →

Posted in London Trams | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1011

Posted on Sunday 23 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

We are back in Manchester for today’s Picture in Time image as we reach 1011 in our trawl through the original T68 trams built for Metrolink in the early 1990s. In this photo we find the tram before the system opened in February 1992.

Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink, Picture in Time | 4 Comments

September launch confirmed for Liverpool 245

Posted on Saturday 22 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

After a whole host of issues and delays, a new launch date has finally been announced for Liverpool ‘Baby Grand’ 245 – the tram is set to enter public service on the Birkenhead tramway for the first time ever on Saturday 12th September. It may be remembered that the tram should have been launched last year but various setbacks have delayed its entry into service, however following extensive testing it is almost ready to roll!

Continue reading →

Posted in Birkenhead Heritage Tramway | 13 Comments

It’s nearly time! Announcement to be made on Monday on opening of NET Phase Two

Posted on Friday 21 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit have made an announcement that they will be making an announcement on Monday 24th August as to when the Phase Two extensions of Nottingham Express Transit will be opening to the public with the date now very very close – to the delight of many of those in the local area who are looking forward to an efficient and modern transport network in their vicinity.

Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 3 Comments

Picture in Time: Blackpool OMO 8

Posted on Friday 21 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

Our latest edition of Picture in Time heads to Blackpool again as we take a look along Blundell Street in 2004 with a view of by then long withdrawn OMO 8 which was stabled briefly during works in the shed at Rigby Road.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | Comments Off on Picture in Time: Blackpool OMO 8

Depot open day planned as Supertram trackworks come to a conclusion

Posted on Friday 21 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

2015’s rail replacement works on Stagecoach Supertram are set to end this week with full services resuming on Tuesday 25th August on all three routes and to celebrate the fact – and also the impending 21st birthday of the network – discounted fares are to be introduced from the end of the month and it has also been announced that there will be a depot open day in October.

Continue reading →

Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | Comments Off on Depot open day planned as Supertram trackworks come to a conclusion

New timetable for the DLR

Posted on Friday 21 August 2015 by Gareth Prior

The Docklands Light Railway are introducing a new timetable from Sunday 23rd August with some frequencies being enhanced, changes to some routes and new first and last train times. This change is in connection with the current project to increase capacity across the DLR network which also includes changing the seating layout on the B2007 units.

Continue reading →

Posted in Docklands Light Railway | Comments Off on New timetable for the DLR

In Pictures: Blackpool 680 comes home

Posted on Friday 21 August 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Following a super-fast but superb repaint into its 1990s livery, Blackpool Ex-Towing car 680 was transported from Manchester back to Blackpool on the morning of Friday 21st August by Calkelds Heavy Haulage. Less than two weeks after it ran at Heaton Park in its previous cream livery for the last time, an immaculate green, cream and black 680 touched down on Blackpool tracks as the second visiting tramcar to return to Rigby Road in the post-upgrade era.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Heaton Park Tramway | Comments Off on In Pictures: Blackpool 680 comes home