This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 6 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Just the one further Photo Gallery for you to enjoy this week (there should have been more but time once again seems to have run away from me, if anyone can find some extra time in a week please send it my way!):

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In Pictures: Heaton Park’s Lakeside depot opens!

Posted on Saturday 5 July 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Thursday 3rd July 2014 will go down in history as a landmark day for the Heaton Park Tramway, as it was on this day that the new Lakeside Depot was officially opened. Although trams have been stabled inside the new building since the end of last year and a few jobs remain outstanding (most notably the completion of a third track), this project is now considered largely complete and therefore the milestone was celebrated appropriately.

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Further details revealed on Long Marston test facility

Posted on Saturday 5 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Over the past couple of weeks we have reported on the movement of two very different trams to Long Marston – Midland Metro T69 14 and Blackpool Brush Car 636 – and now Centro have provided further details of what will be happening at Long Marston. Probably most interestingly it has been confirmed that a further Midland Metro T69 will be making the trip and that Transport for Greater Manchester will also be providing two vehicles, although these will be moved to Old Dalby in Leicestershire.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink, West Midlands Metro | 2 Comments

In Pictures: All change at Victoria

Posted on Saturday 5 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

There may have been a significant delay in the work being completed but Manchester Metrolink is now operating through Victoria on a new alignment, although single line working remains in place. Services are now running in both directions on what will be the new inbound track (previously the old outbound track was in use) and this has involved a new trailing crossover being installed at the Millgate end of the line. At the Balloon Street end the inbound line has been temporaily slewed over onto the outbound side just before the pointwork. Photos below are provided by Ken Walker.

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Keolis Amey Docklands named new operator of Docklands Light Railway

Posted on Saturday 5 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

The Docklands Light Railway will be operated by a new franchisee from December 2014 following the announced that Keolis Amey Docklands have been awarded the contract. Serco Docklands – who were one of the final three in the frame for the contract – have run the DLR successfully since 1997 but it seems that Transport for London have managed to come to a better deal with Keolis Amey Docklands to continue provide a high quality service.

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Posted in Docklands Light Railway | 2 Comments

Heritage Trams this week

Posted on Friday 4 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

It’s that time of the week again when we provide a round-up of when and where you can ride on heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man. After a few weeks where nothing major has happened on our tramways it is time to get the cake out as Manchester 765 celebrates its 100th birthday at the Heaton Park Tramway on Sunday 6th July and then it is just a week until the Edwardian Event at Crich (12th/13th July).

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In Pictures: Manchester 765 prepares for the party!

Posted on Friday 4 July 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Sunday 6th July sees a major event take place at the Heaton Park Tramway to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Manchester 765 and also to welcome this tram back into service following workshop attention. Ahead of its starring role this weekend, the tram has now completed several successful test runs – including its first ever visit to the tramway’s new depot on Sunday 29th June.

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Crich in 2014: a half-time review

Posted on Thursday 3 July 2014 by Andrew Waddington

It would be fair to say that 2014 is a pretty crucial year for the National Tramway Museum at Crich Tramway Village. Great lengths have been taken to try to reverse the severely declining visitor numbers of recent years, with a number of new attractions and improvements to the site, as well as a revamped special events programme. In addition, the fleet of operational trams has been increased on the eve of the 50th anniversary of electric tram operation at Crich, but this air of positivity has at times been somewhat overshadowed by rather less pleasing developments. This report aims to summarise how things are looking for the museum at the mid-way point in this important year.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 37 Comments

A new role for the last Lytham tram

Posted on Thursday 3 July 2014 by Andrew Waddington

One of the least well-known preserved trams to be found in the British Isles must surely be Lytham 43, which is the sole survivor of this system still in existence today. The remains of the lower deck of this tramcar exist in dismantled form in private ownership, and efforts are now being made to restore them for possible future display.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Another Brush car on the move

Posted on Thursday 3 July 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Brush Railcoach 636 has recently moved to a new home, following an extended period of storage at Derby. The tram is currently owned by the Derbyshire-based Stored Energy Technology company and has been used to test an experimental motor and bogie at Blackpool, although progress on this project seemed to have stalled of late.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Stagecoach Supertram 116 receives new advert livery

Posted on Tuesday 1 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram’s 116 has entered service carrying a new all over advertising livery although it isn’t a new livery for Supertram. The tram is now sponsored by East Midlands Trains and carries an almost identical livery to that as on 111, which still remains in service in this guise.

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Updated: Over-running engineering works causes Metrolink problems

Posted on Tuesday 1 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Over the weekend of 28th and 29th June Network Rail were undertaking engineering works at Victoria Station on behalf of Manchester Metrolink which should have seen the single line section swapped over. Unfortunately this work overran drastically which has meant that no services at all have been able to run through Victoria on Monday 30th June or Tuesday 1st July and at the time of writing it is not confirmed just when Metrolink will be able to resume services.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 6 Comments

The Hovertram returns to England

Posted on Tuesday 1 July 2014 by Andrew Waddington

One of Blackpool’s famous illuminated trams arrived at a new home on Tuesday 1st July, when the Hovertram 735 finally touched down on track at the home of the North East Land, Sea & Air Museum near Sunderland. It may be remembered that 735 was originally expected to arrive at this location almost two months earlier, but several delays have conspired against its new owners and meant that the tram remained in Scotland for several weeks longer than anticipated.

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Posted in North Eastern Electrical Transport Trust | 1 Comment

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 29 June 2014 by Gareth Prior

This week on British Trams Online we bring two new Photo Galleries as we continue to catch-up on the backlog of updates:

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Queens Road Depot loses last T68As

Posted on Sunday 29 June 2014 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink’s Queens Road Depot is now without either T68s or T68As following the movement of 2001 and 2003 late on 27th June for further storage at Trafford Depot. The LRVs worked as a pair, although not working in multiple, leaving Queens Road at approximately 2230 arriving at their new home at 2300.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 4 Comments

Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two opening to be delayed

Posted on Friday 27 June 2014 by Gareth Prior

It has been confirmed that the Phase Two extensions of Nottingham Express Transit will not open on 14th December as previously announced with a two to three month delay likely due to a number of “challenges” encountered during the construction. There has been a significant amount of speculation in the last few weeks that the project timescales had slipped and this has now been confirmed although contractors Taylor Woodrow Alstom have said that the majority of the major construction work will be finished by the end of the summer.

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Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 5 Comments

Izzy wizzy, let’s get…scrapped!

Posted on Friday 27 June 2014 by Gareth Prior

1005 has become the latest T68 to leave Manchester Metrolink property and head for scrapping in Rotherham. The LRV departed at 0500 on Wednesday 25th June on the back on the familiar Allely’s low loader having spent the previous few weeks in the Trafford Depot workshops undergoing final component removal.

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Another early opening for Metrolink on the cards

Posted on Friday 27 June 2014 by Gareth Prior

The first stage of the Second City Crossing (2CC) for Manchester Metrolink looks set to open in winter 2015/6 following confirmation of a £10.8 million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) bid grant. This grant should allow completion of the line between Victoria and Exchange Square by next summer with trams carrying passengers possibly during the following winter.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 6 Comments

Heritage Trams this week

Posted on Friday 27 June 2014 by Gareth Prior

It’s that time of the week again when we provide a round-up of when and where you can ride on heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man. Just another normal week on our heritage tramways this week with the next big event being a birthday celebration for Manchester 765 at Heaton Park on Sunday 6th July.

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In Pictures: Airport line testing continues

Posted on Friday 27 June 2014 by Gareth Prior

The early hours of Tuesday 24th June saw another evening of testing on the Airport line of Manchester Metrolink and Steve Kemp was there again to record the historic images with his camera.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 4 Comments