Wi-Fi now available across Edinburgh Trams fleet

Posted on Thursday 14 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

After a trial involving three of the trams in Edinburgh it has been announced that all 27 of the vehicles are now fitted with Wi-Fi. All passengers on board the trams will now be able to use the Wi-Fi for free, subject to terms and conditions.

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Blackpool trams see red for August event

Posted on Thursday 14 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Provisional details of the heritage tram output in Blackpool planned for the August Bank Holiday weekend have now been announced, confirming that two red liveried streamliners are set to steal the limelight for the final stint of daytime heritage tram tours this year. Boat 227, now fully repaired following electrical repairs earlier this year, is set to return to active duties along with Balloon 701 which is currently being repainted in its popular red and white ‘Routemaster’ livery.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 15 Comments

The Blackpool Heritage Trust – what does it mean?

Posted on Wednesday 13 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The formation of the Blackpool Heritage Trust to help secure the long-term future of a heritage tram fleet in Blackpool, has been greeted with much celebration from the vast majority of enthusiasts. However, the creation of the new Trust has also raised several questions, both here on British Trams Online and elsewhere. Rather than keep answering the same things over and over again, Andrew Waddington attempts to address the key points in this special extended article.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Feature Articles | 13 Comments

In Pictures: Manchester 173 prepares for war

Posted on Tuesday 12 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

We are pleased to provide some more images of Manchester 173 from the Heaton Park Tramway in its temporary guise as a recruitment tram, to help commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. These pictures show the tram being prepared to depart from its usual home in less than pleasant weather conditions, on Friday 1st August – the day before it was displayed at Morley.

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Brush car 290 makes progress

Posted on Tuesday 12 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The transformation of preserved Blackpool Brush Railcoach 290 is continuing to make impressive progress, with the first traces of green and cream paint now evident. This will soon eradicate the hideous graffiti art applied to the tram last summer, and return it to a much more dignified appearance befitting its historic value.

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Posted in Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust | 2 Comments

The railgrinder refreshed

Posted on Tuesday 12 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Heaton Park Tramway’s venerable works car, Blackpool 1 (or 752 as it was known for much of its existence) is currently being treated to some remedial attention in an attempt to both smarten up the tram and help to preserve the ageing bodywork. The car has already been rubbed down and repainted in a green undercoat before receiving a fresh coat of gloss paint.

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Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 1 Comment

A landmark day for Blackpool’s heritage trams

Posted on Tuesday 12 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Tuesday 12th August 2014 will go down in history as a milestone date for Blackpool’s traditional tram fleet, as it was on this date that the new organisation set up to look after these trams went ‘live’, with a public announcement confirming that the Blackpool Heritage Trust is now the official custodian of the town’s heritage tram fleet. This includes all of the trams which have been returned to Rigby Road from the Lancastrian Transport Trust collection, the illuminated feature cars, and the old favourites which have operated on heritage tours for the last few years.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 43 Comments

NEETT put on a good show despite the storms

Posted on Monday 11 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The second annual ‘Trams & Transport Sunday’ at the North East Land, Sea & Air Museum in Sunderland was held on Sunday 10th August, and built on the success of last year’s inaugural event with a much wider range of attractions for visitors to enjoy. The weather had threatened to spoil the day with a dismal forecast, but as it turned out the predicted rain did not arrive until mid-afternoon, and a healthy number of people came to enjoy the event.

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Posted in North Eastern Electrical Transport Trust | 2 Comments

In Pictures: A soggy Sunday at Beamish

Posted on Monday 11 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The Great British weather hasn’t exactly been kind to us over the last few days with some very unseasonal rain and wind battering the UK and its tramways. We take a look at one such heritage line, at Beamish Museum, on a very inclement Sunday 10th August when a three tram service was in operation using all enclosed cars.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 10 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

We have five varied Photo Galleries for you this week on British Trams Online, so hopefully there will be something for everyone! Details of what has been added follows.

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In Pictures: Urbos3 training continues

Posted on Sunday 10 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Preparations for the entry into service of the new Urbos3 trams on Midland Metro is continuing with each Wednesday and Thursday evening seeing full system runs as more drivers are trained on the trams. Also every day sees one of the trams (normally 24 although 23 has also been noted out) running several full length runs stopping at each stop, although not in service. It is understood that the latest delivery, 28, has not yet moved under its own power.

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In Pictures: London trams in the works at Crich

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington
As one major workshop project at Crich Tramway Village funded by the London County Council Tramways Trust is drawing towards a conclusion, another is just getting started. During a visit to the museum on Sunday 3rd August, LCC 106 and London Transport 1 were both residing in the works and both trams are pictured here.

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In Pictures: Box 40 reunites with Balloon 711

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Don’t you just hate it when you go on holiday and then come across someone you work with? Well that is exactly what happened for Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 when it was operating at Crich for the seventh time in eight days on Friday 8th August as Blackpool Balloon 711, also visiting the home of the National Tramway Museum this year, made a rare appearance in service allowing the first chance to capture these two trams together on the mainline. The third tram on this day was Glasgow 22, itself a tram which hasn’t seen a huge amount of use during 2014. Photos from Hazel Quarmby.

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In Pictures: Stagecoach Supertram rail replacement works

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

The rail replacement works on the Stagecoach Supertram network continue to progress with work now believed to have been completed on West Street (a short section at the city end has not been done but this is likely to be part of 2015’s programme). Attention has now been turned to Glossop Road with the inbound track currently being replaced although oddly some lengths of track on the outbound line at road junctions have also been removed. Photos courtesy of Stuart Cooke.

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Two more T68s set for UK Tram fleet as 1022 leaves Manchester

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

1022 has become the third Manchester Metrolink T68 to depart Trafford Depot to become part of the UK Tram test fleet with 1016 also looking certain to leave Manchester in the near future of the same purpose. 1022 left Manchester early on Friday 8th August heading for Long Marston where 1024 and 1026 are already situated alongside Midland Metro T69 014.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 7 Comments

In Pictures: Drama on the Snaefell Mountain Railway

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

As reported last week, Wednesday 30th July proved to be a dramatic day on the Snaefell Mountain Railway when car no. 3 caught light and then car no. 4 derailed just over the main road crossing in Laxey. The full story of the events can be viewed at http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/news/?p=8469 (including comments clarifying just what went on) and we are now able to show you some photos of the two incidents, including the fire on 3 and 4 derailed at Laxey, courtesy of John Wilson.

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Posted in Snaefell Mountain Railway | 7 Comments

In Pictures: More Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

We make no apologies for the number of mentions and photos of Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 which have appeared on British Trams Online over the past few weeks and here are some more! We start off with some more images of the tram during testing and also we take a look at the tram as it ran alongside the other 40 (Blackpool Standard 40). Thanks to Hazel Quarmby for these photos.

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Picture in Time 22: Seaton Tramway 7

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

We take another visit to the Seaton Tramway for the latest edition of our archive photo series: Picture in Time. This time we catch up with no. 7, a tram which is currently withdrawn from service awaiting an overhaul but this photo shows the tram during happier times, probably 1983, when it was still an integral part of the operating fleet.

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In Pictures: Citadis trams run again in Nottingham

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

The second trial of the new timetable on Nottingham Express Transit took place on Sunday 3rd August which once again saw members of the Citadis fleet take to the rails. 216, 217, 218 and 221 were all noted in service and Steve Kemp was on hand to record the scenes. The trial timetable will once again be in operation on Sunday 10th August.

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Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 1 Comment

Heritage Trams this week

Posted on Friday 8 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Want to know when and where you ride on heritage trams over the next few weeks? Well if you do you have come to the right place as this is your one stop guide to heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man! This weekend (9th/10th August) sees the second 1940s event of the year take place at the Crich Tramway Village and then there will be a bit of a break until the next special events with Bank Holiday weekend promising to be a busy time once again.

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