Picture in Time: Blackpool Jubilee 761

Posted on Friday 26 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

The latest subject of “Picture in Time” is Blackpool Jubilee 761 as we take a look at a couple of images taken of the tram back in 1984 whilst it was operating on the Fleetwood to Starr Gate service.

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Metrolink give 3100 an official launch

Posted on Friday 26 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

The excitement over Manchester Metrolink’s one hundredth M5000 hasn’t abated yet as an official launch event for 3100 has taken place at Trafford Depot ahead of the tram entering service this weekend. Staff from Transport for Greater Manchester and RATP Dev – operator of Metrolink – celebrated the completion of the work to commission the tram into service at the depot on Friday 26th June.

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Maintenance work disrupts Crich services

Posted on Friday 26 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

Its not only the main public transport tramways who have to disrupt services due to engineering works as was shown at the Crich Tramway Village on Wednesday 24th June. Necessary maintenance work was required on the points at the north end of Wakebridge which meant that all trams were terminated at Wakebridge between the opening of the Museum until around 1400.

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Latest phase of Supertram rail replacement works to finish early

Posted on Friday 26 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

Area 7 of the Stagecoach Supertram rail replacement works within Sheffield City Centre are set to end early with normal services now due to operate on all routes over the weekend of Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th June. Recent progress has been made at the Cathedral tramstop with finishing off works – as shown in the photos below – now underway ahead of the completion of this period of works.

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Manchester Metrolink Performance Update

Posted on Friday 26 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

With the new Council structure now in place it is time for the regular Transport for Greater Manchester Metrolink and Rail Networks sub-committee meetings to start once again and we can bring you all the latest performance updates on Manchester Metrolink. This review looks at three periods: Period 12 (Monday 2nd March to Sunday 29th March), Period 13 (Monday 30th March to Sunday 26th April) and Period 1 (Monday 27th April to Sunday 24th May) and we look at the recent service performance, details of major incidents, the trams, the number of complaints received and patronage.

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Going for a ride…

Posted on Thursday 25 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

Welcome to our weekly round-up of just when and where you can go for a ride on a heritage tram within the British Isles over the next seven days. After a busy few weeks of tram events this week actually sees no specific special events at any of the tramways included in this review but as you know that doesn’t mean that there is absolutely nothing going on as there are still 12 different tramways in four different countries operating during this period. And often just “normal operating” days provide plenty of action anyway so there is no excuse not to get out there and have a ride!

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Picture in Time: Sunderland 100

Posted on Tuesday 23 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

Today our “Picture in Time” tram features probably one of the most controversial repaints ever seen on a heritage tram – the British Steel advert livery on Sunderland 100 when it ran at the Gateshead Garden Festival.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum, Picture in Time | 8 Comments

New Wimbledon platform work to continue

Posted on Tuesday 23 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink services to Wimbledon will be suspended from 13th July until October as work to install the new platform at this important terminus continues. As previously reported once the work is completed a new platform arrangement will be in place which will enable two trams at once to be in situ which will enable a 50% increase in services of to be implemented.

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DLR trains receive RidewithPride wrap

Posted on Tuesday 23 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

Two Docklands Light Railway units have received vinyl wrap liveries to mark the Pride on London Festival which is taking place this week. The bright and iconic rainbow livery will be carried on 64 and 89 until later this year and completes a hatrick of special liveried vehicles in the capital following on from a New Routemaster and a London black cab.

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Blackpool 680 on the move again

Posted on Monday 22 June 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Despite having only arrived in Manchester at the end of March following a period of operation at Beamish Museum, Blackpool Ex-Towing car 680 will soon be leaving the Heaton Park Tramway for another loan period. This time, the car is set to return ‘home’ to Blackpool, where it will be joining the heritage fleet as a temporary new addition to coincide with celebrations marking the 130th anniversary of the famous coastal system, and to help fill a gap in the resident heritage collection.

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Starr Gate to Fleetwood by heritage tram

Posted on Monday 22 June 2015 by Andrew Waddington

On Sunday 21st June, a specially amended gold timetabled operated with the Blackpool heritage tram fleet. This day should have witnessed the Totally Transport event which had been held annually on New South Promenade since 2005, but which was sadly cancelled this year. However, undeterred by this setback Blackpool Transport decided to operate its heritage trams to Starr Gate anyway, and it would be fair to state that this was a great success.

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1006

Posted on Sunday 21 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

The latest instalment of “Picture in Time” is once again back in Manchester as we take a look at Metrolink T68 1006 in a view at Queens Road Depot.

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675+685 go green and cream

Posted on Saturday 20 June 2015 by Andrew Waddington

A tantilising glimpse of the next exciting project set to be unveiled by the Blackpool Heritage Trust and Blackpool Transport’s workshops has been given, in the shape of a preview of the work undertaken so far on Twin set 675+685. So far only the trailer has been in the works but work on repainting 685 into an appropriate livery style is already at quite an advanced level.

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All trams stop at Starr Gate on 21st June!

Posted on Saturday 20 June 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Somewhat later than expected, Blackpool Transport have announced details of plans for their gold heritage tram running day tomorrow (Sunday 21st June). Unfortunately no detailed timetable has been released this time, but details are now available regarding the planned tram output and frequency of the service which will include a number of full length journeys from Starr Gate to Fleetwood!

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Friday 19 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

We have one more Photo Gallery for you this week as we show images from the Classic London event at Crich:

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Picture in Time: New South Promenade, Blackpool

Posted on Friday 19 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

It’s a bit of a different “Picture in Time” for you today as we feature a stretch of track rather than a specific tram and bring you photos of five very different trams in action during the second half of the previous decade.

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Edinburgh look at options for extensions

Posted on Friday 19 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

The City of Edinburgh Council are seriously considering extending the current Edinburgh Trams system which could see it running all the way through to Newhaven – as was originally planned when the larger tram network was envisaged. A £400,000 business case is currently being developed for the extension plans and councillors are due to be updated on the progress of this later in June.

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Safety campaign launched in Sheffield

Posted on Friday 19 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

Its not a new problem but Stagecoach Supertram, the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and South Yorkshire Supertram have teamed up to launch a safety campaign urging locals not to take part in tram surfing across the Supertram network. There have been a number of high profile incidents in the area recently with witnesses having seen youths clinging to the ends of trams whilst they are in motion and before someone is seriously injured the new campaign has been started.

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Car and tram collide in Audenshaw

Posted on Friday 19 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services to Ashton-under-Lyne were suspended for an hour during the height of the morning rush hour on Monday 15th June following a collision between a car and a tram. The incident happened at approximately 0800 on Droylsden Road, Audenshaw and the Police and paramedics were called to the scene although it is not known if there were any injuries. During the rescue operation no trams ran between Droylsden and Ashton-under-Lyne with passengers advised to travel on local buses to complete their journeys. Normal services resumed from 0900.

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Going for a ride…

Posted on Thursday 18 June 2015 by Gareth Prior

So what is there on offer for you in the world of heritage tram running in the British Isles over the next week or so? Well the highlight looks set to be another intensive weekend of Heritage Tram Tours in Blackpool with the Green timetable (four trams mainly between Pleasure Beach and Little Bispham with one journey to Fleetwood) running on Saturday 20th June and the Gold timetable (six trams in use with some trips to Starr Gate including some full length Starr Gate-Fleetwood journeys) in operation on Sunday 21st June. Elsewhere it is pretty much business as usual although don’t forget just because there isn’t a special event going it doesn’t mean there isn’t a good reason to go for a ride at any tramway in the British Isles!

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